From the Galaxy: July 16th- vs. Sao Paulo July 18th- vs. AS Roma July 20th- vs. PSV Eindhoven I am pumped up!
Complete release http://www.lagalaxy.com/r20030506.html July 16 in Jeonju v. Sao Paolo. AS Roma on July 18 in Daejon PSV Eindhoven on July 20 in Suwon. Should they win Group B, the Galaxy will play in the final July 22 in Seoul.
Very cool. Think it will be televised? Maybe on FSW? I especially want to see the Galaxy Vs. Sao Paulo.
I truly hope not. So far S.Korea is not a SARS-infected country but who knows? I would love to see these games when I'm in Korea this summer.
I join you in that hope, and this tournament is the LEAST of the reasons to pray that Korea avoids SARS.
You guys are Masochists I ____"WAS"____ looking forward to this tournament in January. When ____ "WE"____ all thought this team was so damn good we practically talked about winning this tournament. But now that reality has set in I will only be ____ "WATCHING"____ this tournament in hopes we dont embarass ourselves to much. Cuz there is no ___"WAY"____ in hell this team with the most pathetic midfield in MLS is going to contend at all with the likes of these teams.
Hopefully the midfield problem will be solved by the time we get there cuz if it isn't, we'll be lucky to get one point.
At least Galaxy will have home crowd support because of Hong although it will be mixed when they play against PSV since Lee Young-pyo and Park Ji-sung (Every American's favorite player) plays for them.
I wont hide it, I hate the Galaxy with a passion, but this question is in good faith. Could any MLS team truly make it in this group? I mean come on, even the Galaxy (arguably the best team in MLS) is still in MLS. Do the other teams that are in their offseason, and may not care, even take their 'A' team? I'd love to see an MLS team show well in a tourney like this, but I'd hate to see an MLS team get whipped up on.
BenC - I'm taking your question at face value and not as a troll. Probably not, but I don't know. We wont know until the games are played. And using them as an index of where we are (Where MLS is.) makes the exercise worthwhile. I am as rabid an LAG fan as you will find, and it will be tough to stomach if it turns out my club really doesn't belong on the same pitch with some fine teams like these. It will hurt, no question about it. But even that very bad experience would provide useful information and an opportunity to learn where we need to go and what we need to do to get there. It made me sick to watch USMNT in France, but France was where the seeds were planted for what happened in Korea. We may go through the same thing here. Its part of "growing up" and sometimes that can be pretty ugly. At least for me, its a risk that is worth it and a price I am willing to see the league pay in order to mature. AND, if by any chance LAG get a good run, a couple of ties or maybe even a win, I will be ecstatic. Who knows -- LAG will be in mid-season form and these great teams won't be. And the tournament may mean a lot more to LAG than it does to these other clubs, so maybe there are intangibles tipping it this way. Besides, as English footy fans can tell you from the FA cup, sometimes this game lends itself to upsets and on a given day an admittedly smaller club can rise up and topple a giant. I'm not betting that will happen, but I'm not willing to give up hope that it might.
Forget the midfield - our fate was sealed when Guatemala qualified for the Gold Cup. We will be without Carlos Ruiz and Tyrone Marshall for certain. It is anyone's guess which, if any, of our American internationals won't be available. So lets see, thats three games in five days with at most a 23 man squad (Scot Thompson will still be out with his torn ACL) that is short two starters, one of whom is the League MVP. I feel sick.
2003 WORLD PEACE KING CUP GROUP A Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) Olympique de Lyon (France) Seongnam Ilwha (Korea) GROUP B AS Roma (Italy) Los Angeles Galaxy (USA) PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) Sao Paolo FC (Brazil) Is it just me or this the worst possible draw imaginable? I don't mean to be the wet blanket and I'm sure the boys will acquit themselves well, but Hey-zeus Christo, methinks we got screwed. No, I don't know anything about the South African or the Korean club, and Yes, Lyon are on top of the french table. But I'd still take that group over Sao Paolo, Roma and PSV. Leverkusen has imploded and is facing the drop, I believe. On our side of the fence, Roma is mid-table in Italy and PSV I think has already been crowned champion in Holland. Sao Paolo -- no idea, but let's just say I'd rather face those Ilhwa bastards. Okay, enough gloom. We rock the mothertruckin hoiuse for being in the tourney in the first place and will come correct in Korea.
Yeah - yellow ones with green diagonal stripes. BTW: It looks like you have split loyalties on this one. Where will your heart be when LAG takes on A.S. Roma?
This Thorgs first real post. That being said, Thorg concerned for Galaxy. Thorg afraid Galaxy no cut it in midfield, have no creative midfielder. Thorg afraid defense too slow for good teams. Thorg see LA play bunker ball, try to get ball to Ruiz, in same manner as have been playing in MLS, except Ruiz no be there unless unforseen thing happen. Thorg agree LA get worst draw possible. Thorg hope LA open up game and play with more speed and flair before going to world peace cup. Thorg in favor of world peace. Thorg think LA will have home support because Hong play on LA. Thorg think this will help, maybe LA TEAM FIGHTING?