Official DC United @ LA Galaxy PRE Match Thread - aka Steve Sampson Fired

Dad always told me to protect my family jewels. Calling LA a jewel is an insult to testicles everywhere but I can't help but think of NY as the other one.

 

You're going to be awfully uncomfortable (but maybe proud) when LA or NY gets another team.

I'm just saying...

 

--i can't help it but i have a horrible feeling about this game. we have traditionally underperformed in LA except for last year. i can't really explain it, but i just have a feeling that we won't play well. but hopefully Nowak will be able to get the boys ready to play, and we can keep this streak going.
--Prediction: 1-0 DC in an ugly game w/ a late winner from Gomez.

 

"Balls across America"?

 

just read this in the Goff Chat online - I had seen no previous mention of Stevie's replacement. Hmmmmmmmmm.

 

Too bad. I used to like Frank Yallop. Now he's dead to me.

 

Careful, according to the NE radio guy, mentioning the word 'dead' is unconscionable

I totally agree, even worse is the fact that he could actually do a good job. Hopefully Alexi will step in at the right times to make sure that doesn't happen

 

Too bad they dumped Sampson, they just hired Yallop.

That bites the big one!

 

Yallop still has Sampson's players and for this game that makes all the difference.

 

That may be true, but he doesn't have Sampson's mind, and that makes much more difference. Plus, it won't be long before he starts shipping people out.

 

I hope he sends us Cobi Jones. We could use a dreadlocked prima donna who is a one-trick-pony and couldn't come close to breaking into our starting lineup - for the reserves.

 

Crap, now they have a guy who knows what the hell he is doing.

 

FYP

 

Your posts always make me smile GM

Let's hope that Cobi is digned up. I want to see this be another blow out and I think that the team will be geared up for beating this team, down or not. If Chicas beat them this Thursday it may take a lot of Yallop magic to put them right. Or LD magic.

I'll be watching the game tomorrow night. I expect a bunker from LA and a hope for a tie to have some promise.
Chicas win on Thursday DC 3 LA 0.
Draw DC 1 LA 0.
LA win draw or loss.

Cheers,
DC in VERMONT

 

Well, Yallop is an outstanding coach. I assume he's been following MLS to some extent (though he likely won't have the knowledge he did when he first went to SJ, after playing and assisting in MLS and coaching the P-40 team).

He is likely to start moving players out. So that raises the issue of whether or not there is anyone on their current roster we might find attractive. For instance, some of their their rookies might become moveable (Americans, cheap, potential) b/c they don't fit his scheme. Remember Yallop was a big Jamil Walker fan--he saw potential in Walker no-one else did so he's someone we might have that Yallop might covet as a cheap contributor for this year. He's also the guy (no Agoos or Rongen or Arena) who saw Jeff Agoos as a natural fit for a sweeper rather than a left back. I suspect Martino will initially play better with Yallop but Yallop will seek to move him b/c Martino ain't his kind of player (especially for an A-mid role). Yallop also does a good job of getting contributions from role players.

As for this game, I don't expect major personnel or system changes at this point. What LA does in the Chivas match will be a good indicator if I'm right. I suspect that Yallop will have the team more organized, there will be a simplier set of instructions to execute and they'll play with more purpose. Yallop is also big on adapting to his circumstances (playing to the compact field at Spartan Stadium, fielding an almost completely different unit for road games). I suspect over time, he'll create a team that uses the space at HDC well (so a team with speed and ability to switch play).

But as Ursula points out, for now he's stuck with Sampson's players and the guys Sampson got in an attempt to play some sort of scheme (I'm not really sure what it was).

 

Martino has always gotten a lot of abuse on these boards, much of it deserved, but I've liked him since his days at UVa. I saw him play a lot a UVa and back then he could be an exciting and creative player, though even then he was a bit fragile. He's really suffered from bad coaching. First the Druler sucks the creativity out of him leaving only the thin candy shell. Then he gets shipped to LA where SSII does unimaginable things to his mind. There was a period a few years ago when he was in the National Team pool and was playing well for Bruce. Then he got injured (hacked in a game, I believe) and just drifted away. I think Nowak could make a man of him and consequently resurrect the player he could have been. If Yallop does covet Walker, I wouldn't be opposed to an even up trade: Walker for Martino.

asitis
4/10...5/11

 

i can't imagine we'd go for martino, he likely wouldn't get time ahead of gomez or even adu in the middle of the field. we have other needs.

 

to be honest, we shoulda taken ned grabavoy from LA, gave rimando to columbus, and have them send martino to LA

although the wolyniec/grabavoy martino/ngwenya trade makes LA a lot worse, and makes short term goals a little easier to earn

but with yallop in the mix, things could go in any direction, yallop not only knows what he's doing, he doesn't bull***t either

i expect a close one, 3-2 to DC

 

I think Wolyniec has scored something like 500 goals in his career against DC so he was a threat no matter what happens.

Look this is another terrible team playing their second game in 3 days. Again I will be disapponted if we do not win. You have to beat teams that you are better than.

 

Agreed. Besides I do think a Martino-Donovan partnership could be good. And Herculez didn't look half bad on the wing last week vs Houston.

 

I cannot wait for this game.

 

This is a classic trap game for us. We're cruising along facing a team that, all of a sudden, has nothing to lose and wants to prove itself to a new coach. Hopefully, Freddy has some magic left after last year.

Sachin