We really suck up front, really really bad. Barrett doesn't cut it and we all knew Magee never has. Sure we have only seen 20min of Angel but no matter how good he is he needs a partner up front with some serious pace. I do not like putting Donovan up there since we seriously need him in the mid to penetrate the final third. We dominated the mid against NE but had serious trouble making many chances. What the hell do we do!!!!?!?!?!
B-b-but Beckham's crosses! Won't Beckham's crosses save us all? Oh GOD WE'RE DOOMED. Seriously though, I was all Team Chad a few weeks ago, but now I'm starting to look at him like Nate-Jaqua-2.0
I'm really hoping Barrett makes fools of us for doubting him, but I don't see it happening. Still, I think he's a player that if he finds a bit of luck may get himself into good form going down the stretch.
I'm going to hold judgement until we see Angel partnered with someone from the start. I still feel that this could work. Two little guys won't work. Maybe I'm crazy but I think Barret and Angel will work. Especially with Landon coming at defenses from midfield.
Ibrahim was just cut by NYRB and he was no slouch last year. More technically gifted and better awareness especially when compared with Barrett. It is a quick fix until the summer window comes through. We need to make this move now and trade magee or barrett for alo. money, or a weak draft pick, and if we have to, drop one of them.
You mean those crosses that cost about $68,000 each, and most of them didn't get past the first man. Yeah, I'm with you... those'll save us.
plus he knows Angel, they might not have played much with each other but it could make Ibrahim more comfortable.
At one point I wish just wishing we had Landon up front.. but when he finally went up front he was completely missing from the game.. and how the midfield missed him!!... if we played with him up front he would probably have to play in the middle of midfield with Birchall protecting us defensively... but that means sacrificing Juninho!.. and who the heck would do that right now... uggghhh... I think replacing Leonardo (who has been doing 'ok) with Omar and have JPA start up front with ?? are the only tweaks really to make.. ?
I have been very nervous about this team from the preseason. I dont think we are as strong as we were last year. I worry that Angel isn't going to be enough for this team. I strongly advocate playing Stephens at LM with LD as the second striker. Our biggest problem is if LD isn't getting the ball, then we get very little done offensively especially if Becks is playing like shit. This way we will have LD right in the middle of the field and he will be able to join the play. Magee, Barrett, and Christman are not good enough to be starting. I'd like to see this: ----------------Angel------------------- --Stephens----Donovan-------Beckham-- ----------Juninho-----Birchall------------ -Dunivant--Gonzalez---AJ-----Franklin---- ----------------Ricketts----------------- Maybe Cordoza instead of Stephens but he didn't impress me last match.
I agree that they should give Michael Stephens and this line-up a shot. To be clear Chad Barrett is not good enough - the only thing he's got going his is work rate, but he has proven with Chicago, Toronto and it now looks like, Los Angeles, that he can't be counted on to finish or to even make the right final pass. Mike Magee is also not good enough, but is a versatile bench player; he should go to said bench. Landon Donovan needs to play up top as his strong finishing skills are desperately needed. Additionally, Donovan hasn't done anything playing in the left midfield for two games other than not turning it over (which does count for something). There's no width to this team. Seemingly everything was coming in from Beckham's right; that's obviously too predictable over the course of a game. And that's to say nothing of Barrett & Magee's inability to properly attack a cross. With Donovan playing on the left, I feel LA Galaxy are way too narrow and congested in their midfield attack as Donovan always cuts in towards the center and inevitably gets bogged down in the traffic. At first, I thought Donovan's on-the-ball and posssion skills were needed on the left, but after two completely ineffective games with him playing that position (and Barrett & Magee's brutal play), it's time to move Donovan up top and give Michael Stephens a shot on the left. Left midfield is probably something that will have to be addressed via trade or the Summer transfer window as I suspect it's going to be an ongoing issue. Regardless, I agree it's time to give Stephens a shot as, at the very least, he can't be any less productive on the left than what LA Galaxy have gotten so far from Donovan (and briefly, Paulo Cardoza). Agree that Cardozo was unimpressive.
I want to do this, but I just don't know if Stephens is cut for it. Remember, he disappeared towards the end of last season. And I think LD did more than just hold up the ball on the left last game. He sent in a few beauteous passes on the wing - notably to Chad Barrett who fluffed every single one. He moved up top and the creativity went out of us like a leaky balloon. However, if JPA doesn't cut it, this is where we might be. And Stephens may deserve the chance. This weekend he might get it. I disagree on Cardozo - I thought he looked dangerous out there - his speed and incisive play were fun to watch. He did look nervous and gave away the ball a few times - our mids had to bail him out a couple of times.
___________JPA___________ ____Donovan___Juninho_____ _Stephens_Birchall_Beckham_ Dunivant_Berhalter_Gonzo_Frank 4-5-1, utilizes JPA as a target man, holding up the ball for Donovan. Juninho would function similar to how he does now except further up the pitch. All Stephens needs to be able to do is find Donovan down the sideline, or make an intelligent pass towards the middle, no extensive skill needed. This probably won't happen though because Arena wants Beckham further up the pitch, and he has Magee and Barrett. Of Course, you can swap out Birchall, move Juninho to CM, and put Barrett or Magee in that right AM spot. More of a possession formation.
lol, it's only been two matches folks...in crap weather...and our star forward (who has only played 26 minutes) was a foot and an offside call away from his first goal of the season. i understand the concern, but clearly having to play Magee/Barrett is more out of necessity that by choice.
Seriously folks... I CAN understand the negativity towards magee, but Barrett? Lets save judgement. These 2 games havent exactly featured the best in terms of weather and surface... Not to mention NE bunkered down for 80 minutes.... I've been saying all along.....[LINEUP-4-4-2]angel, barrett, donovan, juniho, birchall, beckham, dunivant, leo, omar, franklin, GK[/LINEUP-4-4-2] This is a very respectable 11.... The changes I would like to see Bruce make (w/o considering the needs of the team, or game) Stephens for Barret shifting LD up top.... Cardozo (ON THE RIGHT) for Birchall who will have picked up a yellow card by then (shift Becks to the middle) [LINEUP-4-4-2]Angel, LD, Stephens, Juniho, Becks, Cardozo, Dunivant, Leo, Omar, Franklin, GK[/LINEUP-4-4-2] Leaves one sub in the bag.... gives us a pacy player up top and out wide, stephens has a knack for the ball (underrated passer, member that outside foot ball to buddle vs the goats?)
As someone who was a complete chicken-little the moment we lost Buddle (I used to go by "strike" in here) I've since stood right behind that goal in the rain and watched countless missed opportunities in the first half. Strangely, I walked out more confident about our prognosis. Obviously, we need to consider the field conditions Sunday, that was a mess. 50% of those missed opportunities were proper technique on a slippery ball and wet field. I was seriously only feet away from every first half opportunity. The only problem with Barret was composure, but I thought it expected due to the weather, opening match, no Angel and the entire stadium on his shoulders. Let's face it, Magee was out of the picture way before he stepped on the pitch, so of course, there's no pressure in his mind, I mean, he knows he sucks, and he knows we know he sucks, so why bother being nervous? Back to Barret. He was freaked the whole time. I saw it in his face. He was completely frustrated and too ambitious. I think that's just fine, as those are controllable issues and will subside after he relaxes out there. There were a few times up top where he pussed out when he could have pulled th trigger. Again, controllable. His misses were not technical issues but environmental and psychological ones (this may be a reach, but that's my answer). I think we're going to be surprised by his output this season, if he's anywhere close to as hungry as he was Sunday. He's good, guys. I'm not making excuses for him, I mean, he stunk it up. BUT, I think it's all fixable and he'll make a fine SS. With that said, I've always contended we're doomed if Angel does not show up, and I stick with this. The powers that be have put WAY too much on Angel's shoulders and we'll suffer every time he's not there up top. We have no true SS and the center backs are going to have his number for the most part. Lastly, the other positive I came away with was, the service into the 6 yard box, which IIRC were most of our missed opportunities. They would have been handled with composure by Angel. He needs the ball served to his feet, he'll do the rest, so those balls were spot-on and I feel if they continue to get the ball in the same place with Angel is in there, there's no stopping us.
Can anyone tell me why Bruce is keeping Magee and starting him?! I don't understand what Magee has done to stay on the team, much less receive a starting position. We may be short on forwards right now and have no other option, but why he wasn't replaced in the offseason is beyond me.
Why he is keeping him: He is better then other players on the roster such as Brian Jordan for example. Why he is starting him: Injuries to Christman, Angel and a lack of trust in our rookies to play midfield and push Landon up top. Also because Landon is more effective in midfield at this point in his career. Those are my guesses.
To bad Tristen Bowen is across the hall man.... I really liked him as a player now and in the future... kinda blows. JPA with the sniffles... Bowen and Barret would be light years more prolific.
This problem has existed for awhile. We saw it in the play-offs when our offense was shut down by FC Dallas, who had 4 guys child molesting Buddle at all times. Our offense through Beckham is too 1-dimensional. And at this point, it's not even our best option. We showed the ability to play attractive soccer on Sunday. We possessed the ball and moved it around well, but then it always came back to an eventual cross, which is a gamble in the best of circumstances. I'd like to see more short passing combinations up top--dangerous through balls to feet instead of haphazard ones whipped in from 30 yards out. We can play this way.