Two and 1/2 months to the start of the campaign, and the 8 game road trip from hell. Lets face it, even very good teams in MLS tend to have mediocre road records. The question is, will LAG come through unscathed, or will they dig a hole so deep that they spend the rest of the season playing catch-up? Would you accept a .500 record from the first 8 games? Discuss.
I see other teams around the league improving, and last year the G's had trouble after being on the road for more that one or two games. So, I'd be delighted if they are .500 after the first 8 games, but I'd say it will be more like .400.... [Taking off my Swami Topper cap now....] Topper
If we hit .500 after the first 8 games, I'll be content. If we go below, I'll be disappointed but that's what's going to be expected due to jet lag and time constraints for practice and not having the home crowd behind you.
Well, if enough of us head up to SJ for the match there a couple of weeks before the NTC opener, we might be able to shorten the number or road matches. Make your plans for SJ now.
We have a good enough squad that is experienced and road-travelled. I think they'll be fine. The Galaxy will be able to get some valuable points off teams on the road and will be definitely good enough to win a few. That in mind, I say we get 14-16 points after the first 8 games, then watch out when we come home!
well vs. columbus - tough game, we never do well against cbus, mcbride could be in mid-season form. loss vs. dallas - i think dallas could be our main competition for the cup. new artificial turf loss vs. metro stars - i like our chances here, the metros will be a very new team and we could sqeak a point. draw vs. san jose - the josers'll be pissed about their tanking last year at the end. i expect a loss here, but we could come up with another humiliating 1-0 win sending them in to a spiral of mediocrity from whence they came loss vs. new england - we outplayed them in the final on their home turf. i didn't see any major upgrades in the draft. maybe if they get JMM i'll change my mind. win vs. dallas - had this not been our 5th road game in a row i think we might have got a W here. we rarely lose to teams more than once a season. draw vs. kansas - no big upgrades in the off season. 6th road game though draw vs. colorado - we owned colorado last season (again) and will do this season. win so 2 - 3 - 3 anything better is just gravy.
I not worried.. We really don't know yet how much of a factor Hong will be in defense and how much he will help the offense with his highly regarded long passing, and Chacon up front combining with Ruiz may really surpise us. It's hard to tell 'til we see this team on opening day. They may be the best squad MLS has ever had on a field. We will have to wait and see. I'm an optimist, to a fault.