Ugh not only is Keane gone (hopefully NOT playing the USMNT friendly), but AJ is going to be playing in Taiwan 4 days before the game. http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2014/11/robbie-keane-and-aj-delagarza-called-respective-national-teams
If the ref does his job (calls fouls and keeps the deucebaggery antics in check) and allows actual soccer to be played...we win. Ref, whoever you are, please just do your job.
I believe Keane and AJ will be rested and ready after Nov. 19. Damn, 2 weeks we gotta wait? In these 2 weeks, my hope is that their preparation includes video-watching, practicing fundamentals, being aware at all times, learning to keep a cool head, and instilling confidence. Dear LA, revenge please. Don't let this series be Donovan's last.
Their field sucks. Games played there look like astroturf games used to look -- everybody's tearing around at full speed, chasing the ball to keep it in bounds, it's bouncing over people's heads, first touch always sucks, it's a joke. Yes both teams have to play the same field, but it sucked 5 years ago when we played the Cup there and it's no better today. Bruce thinks so too, as he told the Post last year . . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2013/09/13/a-few-minutes-with-bruce-arena/ Q: Are you okay with the four artificial turf fields in the league? A: “They are disasters. The only one that is somewhat acceptable is Portland. The others are all terrible. Seattle is bad. Vancouver is probably the worst. And New England isn’t good.”
True. But one team has substantially more experience playing on that surface than the other. We need to put this away in the first leg. Another 5-0 result would be nice at SHC.
It's sad to say, but you are so right! btw...not sad that I'm agreeing with The Cadaver...but sad that more than likely the ref will allow thuggery to happen.
I did some research and found that in 2008 the USSF sent a directive to its refs to call fewer fouls to avoid "disrupting the flow of the game." And sure enough in 2008 the number of fouls called in MLS games dropped from its consitent average of around 30-32 fouls per game that held from around 2000-2007 to a consistent 24-26 fouls/gm average for every year from 2008-present. So its no accident that the refs are letting fouls go. Here are the league averages for 2014: Fouls/gmYellows/gmReds/gm 25.4 / 3.2 / 0.3 Since we seem to be stuck with these stupid directives here is your guide to which refs you should hope for. Below are all the refs that did 10+ games this year, ordered from "doing their job" to "Marufo": Referees MLS 2014 Games Fouls/gm Yellows/gm Reds/gm Stoica, Sorin 11 35.0 4.3 0.8 Rivero, Jose Carlos 17 28.6 4.4 0.4 Bazakos, Fotis 11 27.9 3.5 0.3 Fischer, Drew 17 27.9 3 0.1 Salazar, Ricardo 14 27.7 3.3 0.4 Guzman, Juan 12.5 26.8 4.1 0.3 Elfath, Ismail 18 26.7 3.2 0.4 Petrescu, Silviu 15 26.5 2.6 0 Geiger, Mark 13 26.2 3 0.3 Kelly, Alan 15.5 26.2 2.9 0.3 Penso, Chris 11 25.3 4.2 0.4 Grajeda, Hilario 21 25.0 3.8 0.1 Chapman, Allen 18 24.6 4.2 0.2 Unkel, Ted 12 24.2 2.5 0.3 Stott, Kevin 16 24.1 2.7 0.2 Toledo, Baldomero 20 23.7 3.5 0.3 Jurisevic, Edvin 13 22.7 3.2 1.3 Gantar, Dave 11 21.5 2.8 0.2 Villarreal, Armando 20 20.4 1.7 0.4 Marrufo, Jair 18 18.5 1.6 0.1 So if we are lucky we will get a Stoica, Rivero, or even Salazar (?) I guess since they tend to call the most fouls. Having a ref that calls fouls will be especially important when we are away at Seattle. That turf discourages pretty play and makes it more of a free for all. (Sorry, I don't know how to post a proper easy-to-read-with-aligned-columns table.)
I do not recall a game when Keanne has played well after returning from National team. That's a lot to ask .
Alonso likely to be ready to play: http://www.mlssoccer.com/mlscup/201...an-osvaldo-alonso-uncertain-heading-conferenc Frankly, Seattle's midfield doesn't scare me. If Juninho and Sarvas are on-form, they can handle them easily. As mentioned above, I really believe that if the ref calls a tight game, we should thrash Seattle in the first leg. If he lets things get out of hand, it could be a long night for us. Hopefully someone will have said something to the refs about the off-the-ball stuff that Martins has been pulling all season, and they'll be on the lookout for that.
I look forward to the LD hat trick completed during the first half at Seattle so your travelling fans can sing the "You're not singing!" song at the Seattle fans for the entire second half. This is the dumbest $%^&* idea for improving the game. The NHL figured out the game improved by calling more fouls to eliminate the cheap clutching and grabbing that slows down the game. I wish MLS would try the same. Competing for dumbest idea in soccer is the watering of the fake turf they do in Seattle before the game and at halftime. You'd think with all the "green" types up there, someone would get on them about wasting water. Surprisingly, Monday's Seattle v FC Dallas game had lots of quick one touch passing and was well-played, except for the lack of finishing.
I understand the importance of National team call ups yada yada yada, but two of our most important players having international travel and risking injury just days before the most important match of the year is just insane.
Looking back at our recent two-game series against the Sounders, Keane also was off to play in Ireland. He missed our game in Dallas, which we lost, came back injured and was totally ineffective in our first match against Seattle and had to miss the second game entirely. We only managed 1 point over our last three matches. I'm not saying that's the reason we lost the supporters shield, but is it so difficult to imagine things might have been different had we not been effectively without our captain and top goal scorer for our final three regular season matches? Fast forward to now and Keane is playing TWO FREAKING MATCHES IN EUROPE THE WEEK OF OUR CONFERENCE FINAL MATCH?!? JUST 4 DAYS BEFORE THE MATCH?!? Say 12 hours to travel back on Thursday he won't even be over his jet lag on Sunday. This is it. Next Sunday is a must-win match for us. We cannot be in a position where we travel to Seattle needing a win to advance and with Landon and Omar each one yellow card away from missing the second leg. I am more that p!ssed about this right now. I swear to God if Keane comes back injured I'm selling my tickets in protest. Even if he doesn't pick up an injury no way will he be anywhere near 100%. Somebody at LA needs to put their foot down and tell our captain he's got responsibilities here to take care of first.
NO...NO...NO!!! This is BullshlT. The Galaxy should protest and send an official petition to MLS saying they are not going to play in The Western Conference Finals until an actual opponent is named. There is no way a team can go through to play for a spot in the Championship unless they have beaten their opponent. and the Seattle Sounders have not done that. How can this be possible? This version of away's goal rule is ridiculous and it has put an inferior team into a advantagous position. And if it is proven by the Galaxy winning these 2 Western Conference Playoff games than the Seattle Sounders are truely inferior and undeserving. So because of that the league should strip the Seattle Sounders of the Supporters Shield, and make them pay restitution of 50% of all tickets sales and concessions for the November 29th game to FC Dallas. Along with a written apology from the league, with Don Garber personally delivering that apology to FC Dallas front office managment, coaches, and team. And then Don Garber and MLS revising the "away's goal rule" into a system which rewards offensive play and expressly says no team can move forward without an outright winner.... EVER!
#LAGalaxy confident that @LeonardoLA22 will be back in time for the Championship series vs. Seattle. - http://t.co/q6OPoazTTY #FirstToFive— Adam Serrano (@AdamSerrano) November 13, 2014
But is he needed if Gargan is healthy? I'd guess Gargan is back at right fullback and AJ is back to center. I think Gargan is great, but AJ is so awesome at right fullback that I'd love to see the same starting lineup we used against FC Dallas, even if it means starting Leonardo. Gargan is a great defender, but his crosses leave a little to be desired. The balls AJ has been sending in lately have been insane.