If There is Grass on the Field... I got to think with our current team we have an advantage playing on the large HD surface. I can’t think of many guys that make long, fast runs on LA with the exception of maybe Hedrickson. On the other hand Wolff, Simutenkov, Quill, all have good speed. I also got to think it would be the perfect time to start Guti at left back. Do we have an advantage or am I reaching with this one?
This is what I used to tell my friends when I was 19-22 dating 17 & 18 year old girls.... I think fatigue will be a factor for our guys. We need to substitute well and need Meola to come up big. James
Mod Note: If we're gonna start talking about the game, might as well make it the pregame thread. I watched my tape of the LA/Colorado game last night. WOW! Half the time a player recieves a pass on that field they have room to run with it. Just the effects on the game from the field size alone are: 1. Preki will have much more room to dribble at the defense and create hav-oc. 2. Preki will die after about 70 minutes. 3. IF everyone's healthy we have a fast team. Arnaud, Quill, Wolff and Igor all have the pace to speed by the LA defense. 4. Our defense has a hard time finding opponents in the box an Arrowheads surface. Granted the box doesnt get any bigger, but having to track wider will stretch us out even more. As for the game, I think its easy to predict we'll score a goal. Question is how many can we score and can we keep an LA team that is hot to recover from their first 8 games at bay. I'm not predicting this game. I'm too scared to.
Re: If There is Grass on the Field... Diego is gonna be out for a while longer. He won't be playing in this match. Our speed is important. However, providing width is an even bigger factor. While I liked the commitment and effort from Arnaud he didn't provide much width. He always cut inside when he got the ball. That was perfect for his goal. But that will have to change this weekend At LA with this wider field he needs to go outside or have Conrad or Preki overlap him. Quill can certainly provide that on the left. I don't think we should let them set the rhythm of the game and go at them hard early and get another early goal or two. Take their crowd out of the game. It will be a tough test and our unbeaten run will be threatened but I think a 1-1 score is most likely. Ruiz and Garcia will both see red. (Beech, no comments please )
I hate to say this, but I think ruiz has a huge advantage on our defense with a lot of room to run. he's a pain in the arse b/c he's so good, and we're bound to foul him like mad, only increasing his diving. I bet one of our defenders or dmfs sees red this week, with garcia as the odds-on favorite. cobi-cobe has also been known to draw a foul or two. quill's speed should be able to stretch, but we'll miss klein a lot more than last week. agreed, preki will tire. I don't have my media guide with me, but I can't remember our last win in LA. seems like we're just snake-bit there even when we play well, like in the playoffs last year. It's still 5 days away, but I see a 3-1 loss coming.
Wow. Negative waves. How very dc board of you. Come back after KC wins and brag that you knew it the whole time, state your entire organization is class, and you too can be an official dc board poster. I digress. Califf is out. Hartman isn't playing well and has hardly had to do anything the past 2 weeks against Colorado. Klein is out also but he has more goals in the Nat jersey than the KC jersey. KC's defense has only allowed 1 goal in 4 of 5 - an improvement. KC is undefeated on the road. LA has only scored more than one once in 9 games - last week v inept Colorado. By inept I mean COL is -11 on GD already. LA's still very beatable. You stop Ruiz, you stop LA. Garcia can stop Ruiz. Even if he does not, KC can get 2. Great finishing will bring 3 and that will be enough for full points. A couple of things you will see in this one. Bo will know a bit more about Preki's moves. I don't think you will see him corkscrewed into the ground this week. The quality of this game should be much higher than the one played here. I believe space and venue will be the two catalysts. No Califf will reduce LA's danger on set pieces, therefore increasing KC's. You would think that one goal on a set piece will be enough to decide it. One other aspect I mentioned back in March was that every team that comes into Carson will be making their first trip. When you see the Grand Canyon for the first time you will always be more excited than the guide. KC's motivation will not be a problem. LA will not have that adrenaline pump working for it anymore as this is Game 2. Also, the tendency for anyone that returns from extended travel is to take care of the fires and put-off stuff for as long as it takes, catch up with family, and then relax a bit in the comforts of home. If that tendency isn't enough, then consider what teams do after their first win in a while - they relax a hair under lessened pressure. Think of it this way - when you take a long drink after a long bit of yard work you drink deep, give the satisfied "ahhhhh", and then relax a moment to soak in the releif. It's human nature. Sigi Schmidt has no experence in dealing with teams in this situation. The margin of error is so thin in MLS that any little bit is likely to be exploited. We'll see if this danger shows up for LA or not. I see this one only going LA's way is if they get an early redcard. I would hope Gansler is a better coach that that. Any other scenario, I see KC getting points.
As a Galaxy fan, I thought I'd see what KC fans say. It's funny how baised fans are, including myself and all fans. As for KC taking advantage of the wide field, we'll see. Tha Galaxy also has some pretty fast players with good vision and who make good runs. They will be the ones who use the field tremendously. We have had a rough start. I think we psyched ourselves out on this road trip, but we'll do fine.
In my opinion LA is still the team to beat in the MLS. KC however should make a good run at winning the division, but with the new playoff format that doesn't make much of a difference. If I had to bet my life on it I would still go with LA to win it all, with KC finishing anywhere between 2 and 4.
Hate to defend a Galaxy fan but aren't the fans a very important if not essential part of any sports franchise. Without the fans no team. Therefore fans, just like GMs or team managers, are part of the team.
Hopefully the Wizzards will not be overwhelmed by the Home Depot Center. Watching the recap on MSL Wrap, it looks like a great place to play or watch a game. L.A. should have a let down of some sorts after all the fuss surrounding the 1st game.Hopefully the Wizzards can continue their team playing and come away with a victory. GO WIZZARDS 2003 MSL CHAMPS
best post ever by the nutter! big thumbs up! between my friends and i, i've been very good at predicting our team's scores this year, for some reason. the only one i missed was the home game against la. however, i did say that ruiz was going to get a red, not too big of a stretch. i have this strange feeling that we're gonna pull in 4, that's right, 4 goals and pound those dirty whores into their new grounds. 4-1 kc
Explain to me again why we hate LA, their players and their fans? Name the last Wizards fan to troll on over to the LA forum and say something like this. I sure hope we kick the shite out of LA this weekend. The Rivalries forum is gonna be fun if we do.
We troll because we like to see how others in the country think? We are very open minded. That is why L.A. people always lead the country in setting the world agenda. People in the midwest are usally 10-20 years behind and have nothing better to do but to listen to each other cry and whine and wish they lived in L.A. As for a rivalry, give me a break, We usually don't even bother thinking about KC. You can go play with Dallas or the Rapids...more your level. Score this weekend: LA. 2 KC 0. Preki (who is the one KC player I like..even know) will collapse from exhaustion in th 35th minute. That goon Garcia will be red carded in the 56th minute for violent behavior. Hope your rabbit ears work and can get the reception to see the game. I'll be enjoying the view with my $7 beer at America's Soccer Mecca. adios
That's because most people in L.A. actaully have lives, unlike myself who has gotten caught in these damn Bog Soccer forums. That's it, no more..really. help!!!!!!!!!!!!
As stated before, I've got absolutely no jealousy about LA, the city or the team. Sorry to burst your bubble. I dont understand why LA fans dont get into the Rivalry, because the players sure do. Dallas and Colorado our level? KC 17 points LA 7 points Dallas 6 points Colorado 4 points What level were you talking about again? Contrary to popular belief us in the midwest can ALSO purchase DirecTV. You want a cookie for purchasing a $7 beer? Trying to impress someone? I doubt anyone is impressed.
The cookies cost $3 each or 2 for $5, but boy are they good. And the beer is $7 because it is home-brewed by Cobi, Ruiz and Hartman in the new stadium club restaurant. I'm just all messing. Hope the game is good. I have to admit, KC is playing good soccer and I can actually sit and watch them play abit, even when LA is notplaying. I still love watching Preki play. Although I really don't like Garcia.