After the USMNT game I feel more confident about our backline. Neal will likely win the starting spot by the end of the season, probably sooner.
I wish I could rep this more than once. Well said. You have to back to Frank Yallop's trade for "upgrade" Joe Cannon - IIRC he traded Ihemelu and released Hartman to get a keeper who didn't help us, but maybe I'm misremembering - to find comparable bone-headed moves. Let's add in the Donovan "statue" to the disrespect - We are in long-suffering territory as a fan base, and it's getting old.
He's got a lot going for him. I thought he was very slow to move the ball. Hope the Galaxy will work on that, but it seems fixable, I would think.
He may have been slow, but once he made the pass they were accurate, unlike some center backs in the recent past who targeted the touchline with disgusting frequency. I think that LEM-LAG has a decent chance of being right in his assessment. At the very least, I see Neal as being the third CB with Mavinga being the CB Vanney brings in at the end to finish off a win.
I don't share the enthusiasm for Neal (are y’all surprised?). He looked fine most of the game because 90% of his play was making simple unpressured passes. And he was completely adequate at that. But he also played pretty passively overall, especially when you compared him to his fellow newbie teammates. But my biggest worry is that he looked like a kid among men the first time he was really pressured. A lackadaisical kid at that, not showing any evidence that he recognized the urgency of the situation at any point in the play. This was reinforced when he just watched after he was stripped of the ball. Not even an attempt to make a recovery. Not that he could have done much given how thoroughly he was beaten, but you still have to make an effort there. I just think he will get chewed up when the going gets tough in the back. But maybe he will surprise me. Hope he does.
Next day balance to my comments about Neal: Firstly, he must be playing pretty well in general because a) he was called up (even if it is Camp Cupcake it is still the USMNT) and b) coach started him and gave him extended minutes. Secondly, I don't mean he can’t help us. I just am skeptical that he will be a trustworthy cb option for us this year. He is a 19yo and appears to be a “young 19yo” at that. Give him a couple more years to get physically and mentally stronger and he may be ready for the rigors of being a first team MLS center-back. That is a tough position to play. Lastly, these are my impressions from a limited sample. Knowing our FO recruiting incompetencies we will likely get to see a lot more of his play this season due to injuries, call ups, etc. Then we will find out for certain whether he is ready or not.
Watching the replay of the USMNT game and on the goal Jalen looked poor. Like he was waiting for someone else to take charge. Chalk that up to being 19, but still, as a CB, you need to take control of the field. Anything near you must always be dealth with. Let's see what the season brings, plenty of time for him to grow.
Looks likely that Toko-Ekambi will stay in France. Would've been a good acquisition if Galaxy could've brought him to the States. #LAGalaxy https://t.co/k46Z53Ma3u— Alex Ruiz (@AlxRuiz15) January 26, 2023
Our only rumor. Gone in record time. I hope he wasn’t really on our radar because it would not fill me with confidence if our “careful plans” could unravel so easily.
There was another play where Neal's alert movement across the goal got in the way of an almost sure goal for Serbia.
I'm sure that Coach Vanney will sit down with Neal, view the match with him in our video room, and help him improve on his performance. ...that is, if we even have a video room.
Just so we're clear, this is the #LAGalaxy's offseason so far, right?❌ Cabral❌ Grandsir❌ Vazquez❌ Kljestan❌ Williams❌ Dunbar❌ Zavaleta❌ Villafaña❓ Costa➡️ Rodriguez➡️ MavingaYikes.— LA Galaxy 310 (@LAGalaxy310) January 26, 2023 sims it up.
The one where he blocked the shot? Yes that was a great anticipation play on his part. Like I say, small sample size so we are all guessing a bit about his true 90 minute abilities at this point.
This TOTALLY ignores how laser focused we have been on the third GK/La Galaxy II GK positions. We let Richard Sanchez (and Eric Lopez from GII) go and we have BOTH Russell Shealy (2d round pick) and George Tasouris (trialist) in camp to compete for the spots.
#LAGalaxy head coach Greg Vanney talks about the team’s supporters and their joint statement against Chris Klein's extension as club president. They have unanimously agreed to boycott matches until front office changes are made. pic.twitter.com/O3YNvmaiC0— Eduard Cauich (@ecauich) January 26, 2023 Greg is in a hopeless position here.
Nice to hear Coulibaly is getting his green card. That is huge for a team likely to make at least one int'l signing this window. Also Vivi doesn't sound like he's going to be the answer to the Galaxy's concerns at wing anytime soon if he has a mysterious foot injury. some availability notes:Sega Coulilbaly has been away - he's picking up his green cardChris Mavinga should be ready to start training next weekfoot injury has slowed Gino Vivi ...XRays negative; had MRI#LAGalaxy— Damian Calhoun (@DamianCalhoun) January 26, 2023
What a bunch of gobbledygook. If he's between a rock and a hard place he should say "no comment" and move on.
agreed, especially the we don't speak for others but we speak for others or speak when spoken too, it was confusing and too many words to say nothing, makes him look like a dumbass. also, he seems a lot grayer than last year, dude is having a rough time navigating this cesspool of crap