Wouldn't it be playing to your strenghts if they had one of the worst offenses in the league? That's kinda like saying "Don't turn on the runway lights on, that's just what they'll expect us to do!" Which is a record that beats the rest of the league except Kansas City. Also, last year's Galaxy didn't win a single match on the road in MLS, yet whacked Seattle at the erstwhile Seahawks Stadium by the score of 5-1. One could take that with a grain of salt, considering the quality of that Seattle side and all that, but what I'm saying is that the Galaxy's league away form won't have much bearing on this match. A more salient point, to be sure, but the Galaxy has given up only 3 goals in its last five matches. You're not first overall in MLS without depth, and this team, unlike last year has it. Our starting forwards, Ruiz and Kirovski, have 16 goals and 3 assists combined, while our two backups, Moreno and Ngwenya have totalled 9 and 4 between them. And while we'll be missing Danny Calliff and probably Tyronne Marshal, all our other defenders have shown flashes of brilliance at times this year, only Chris Lewis makes us squirm when he's on the pitch. Also, While pulling out an ugly draw at DC, Chris Albright, Nick Grabavoy, and Joeseph Ngwenya didn't play at all, Chris Alioisi was out serving a suspension, Jovan Kirovski and Andreas Herzog each only played a half, and Cobi Jones only played 22 minutes (plus an ass-load if injury time). The team could be tired, true, but some of these players will have a little more energy than you think. For your sake, you better hope so, it's the best chance you've got...
RE: LA - Seattle last year: Let's not forget Seattle managed to knock out the eventual MLS Cup Champs in the round prior to facing LA.
You're getting WAY ahead of yourself! The fact that the game will be in the Dome throws everything out of whack. I can't even hazard a guess, except to say that I'm thinking the Thunder will lose. I'll still be there, though, hurling abuse at Carlos Ruiz.
Hello, Eric B. Thanks for the reply. Helps to really get the juices flowing. To reply to your reply... "Wouldn't it be playing to your strengths if they had one of the worst offenses in the league?" Actually, no. Let me draw a parallel. In boxing, a defensive counter puncher (Thunder) would want to face an aggressive, free swinging, big puncher with a suspect defense (Galaxy). The big puncher will have a tendency to leave openings for the counter puncher to score with while the counter puncher will use his excellent defense to stay in the bout. The Galaxy's aggressive offense PLAYS INTO our defensive strength, while their weakness may present us with the opportunity we would not get against a team with a more reliable defense. "That's kinda like saying 'Don't turn on the runway lights on, that's just what they'll expect us to do.' Actually, again, no. It's saying nothing like that. I would really love to see the explanation of how "...that's [the Galaxy's offense] playing into our strength" is even remotely like "Don't turn on the runway lights on, that's just what they'll expect us to do." As it stands now, this portion of your reply is one of the most excellent examples of surrealism since Dali quit melting pocket watches. (The extra "on" was an inspired touch .) "...the Galaxy's league away form won't have much bearing on this match." The fact that the Galaxy doesn't perform as well on the road as it does at home will have a bearing on this match. It certainly won't be the deciding factor, but it gives the Thunder a better chance than playing in L.A. "You're not first overall in MLS without depth, and this team, unlike last year has it." Again, while not the deciding factor, the fact that the Galaxy will probably be using more of it's second-stringers gives the Thunder a better chance than if we were going to be facing your top eleven for most of the game. "The team could be tired, true, but some of these players will have a little more energy than you think." Maybe, but some will have a little less than you think. One of the reasons most teams don't perform as well on the road as at home is mental exhaustion. Dealing with unfamiliar surroundings on and off the pitch, and the stresses of travel, tend to detract from a player's ability to perform at his best. So, even if a player hasn't played every minute of the road trip, he might not be as fresh as you think. Having said all that, all the things the Thunder will have working for them may not be enough. As I stated in my first post, the advantages the Galaxy has are self-evident, and it would be a bit foolish to tout the Thunder as favorites in this match. We are the underdogs, and for good reason. However, the factors I have pointed out could make the pitch a bit more level than some people seem to perceive it. As to how much, we'll soon see. Wondering if my 2004 Thunder A-League Championship Fan Giveaway Ring should go on my right pinkie and my 2004 Thunder U.S. Open Cup Championship Fan Giveaway Ring go on my left, or vice versa , I remain That little old jersey collector Me