San Jose - Los Angeles (Saturday, 10/25) during-game/postgame thread [R]

Sounds terrific. I'm going to watch my recording later today. I just watched the first couple of minutes last night and already you could hear the bastard gloating. He should have it stuffed.....

 

I did feel a little let down by the level of play and the atmosphere. Yeah its a meaningless match, but it was our rival, our derby. I think we could have done better on the pitch and in the stands. The South End was rockin', its great to have the LA fans so close to the Ultras, makes it all the more intense, and much more fun when you can see the look on the faces of the away fans. Remember people the Ultras aren't any type of exclusive group, anyone is welcome to join us. As for the Casbah I was really shocked, but did anyone else notice even the Blue Crew seemed out of it, strange night.

 

Couple of responses to various items:

- I think the answer to why Agoos and Donovan didn't play is (d) all of the above.

- The Casbah was lacking drum support. I counted exactly one musical instrument, and there was little to no cheer/chant leadership from that person. Undermanned last night, but I trust some veteran drummers will come through in the playoffs.

- The fact that the Quakes obviously didn't care much about this match made it even more difficult to muster enthusiasm. And absences by Serna (literally) and Ruiz (figuratively) gave us little opportunity to practice our boos.

- Also agree with the "Casbah needs more material" comment made earlier. Even reviving some old yet forgotten stuff (e.g. "Na na na...") would add a bit.

- I think dred's onto something when he says Yallop has played these two games exactly opposite the way we'll see in the playoff series. The Quakes attacked in L.A. and countered at home for much of the match.

- Jamil Walker's goal was beautiful for a number of reasons. First, it enabled the Galaxy to retain their MLS record of going the entire season without a road win. Second, it ended our awful scoring drought. And third, it evened the season series with the Gals at 1-1-2.

 

Frank's the man on the spot here. He has to play his cards close to his vest, and his eye is on the biggest prize. Why worry about a Supporter's Shield, a California Derby, and kicking the crap out of our hated rival when he has to husband all his resources and make sure that everyone is fit for the playoffs and the MLS Cup? Sorry, but when you take a chance on going into the final stretch with a team with many injuries, you don't want to shoot your wad in efforts that are not the big enchilada.

 

The best thing that can be said about these past two games is that we've seen everything LA has to offer (I think) (LA fans, please feel free to comment) and they've seen... nothing.

They've seen a lot of Faria, who will probably not get a minute in the home-and-home. They've seen Waibel and Ronér at center back. They've seen Mullan at right back. They've seen Donovan only for less than 90 minutes, and not even in his probable position.

Now the Gals have to spend all week guessing, watching films, practicing for contingincies, and second guessing.

Who knows, maybe this was Frank's best coaching job yet.

 

Barring death (and even then I still might be there), I'll be at Spartan with drum, drumsticks (since they allow them in Spartan), and voice on the 9th.

Guy

 

Weird game. Casbah and Riot Squad were unusually quit, but the Ultra's looked and sounded good (except for the orange banner which needs to go). LA really controlled the first half. The second half was pretty even with the Quakes coming on strong to get the goal to tie the match. Quakes did well early in OT, but LA had the best chance with Moreno's (?) header towards the end.

Some observations and comments:

- LA was definately going after Dunivant/Lagos. Dunivant got beat several times during the game. Manny should not see action for the rest of the season (I.e. Arturo is a better option off the bench).

- Either a foul should have been called on Moreno on the goal or Mullan needs to learn to jump on crosses in the box. Onstad was lucky to get a hand on the ball.

- Hopefully, Ekelund is saving himself for the playoffs...

- DeRo and Faria were better, but still not clicking. They had a nice give and go in the first half, but DeRo waited too long and Faria was offside. Faria appears to be quicker, but still not in form. However, they had a nice assist on Walker's goal.

- LA 3-0 is history. LA has got to be somewhat frustrated after this game. They had good opportunities (Torres cross to Onstad instead of an open Lewis on the far post) to win this game. Instead, they can't hold a lead and tie on the road.

- LA's game is to hit the forwards who drop the ball to midfielder streaking forward. Our midfield struggled with defending this strategy. We need to do a better job in the playoffs.

- Walker = LA Killer

- Nice to see Dayak battling out on the field. The Quakes will go as far as his body can hold out.

- Russell did a good job with Albright. Both kind on negated each other.

Lastly, we can't continue to give LA the first goal. Plus, we need to control the attack on the sides. I think that we will need Russell and Mullan in midfield to win this battle. Except, I don't like the play of our outside defenders (I.e. Roner, Waibel, Dunivant). So, we may see Mullan at defense...

 

It's unfortunate such a well attended was so completely meaningless but with the MLS playoff structure, that's almost expected.

These last two games were a waste of everyone's breath. They were helpful in getting Faria sharper (he's still way out of form) and a few other subtleties, but not much else. Next week the Quakes will have their true lineup on the field and, I predict, will roll on.

 

If the Quakes keep playing like that, they are not advancing in the playoffs. The Galaxy really should have won. They had a number of excelent scoring chances they flubbed. The Quakes had no possession and their defense kept getting beat.

Whomever warned us about Faria is right. You can put the ball on the goal line, ask him to shoot, and it would end up high and wide.

Walker is walking excitement. Start him! Oh, I'm begging for Yallop to start him!

 

Yes.

Maybe. Still too early to make this assessment.

No. We need him to come off the bench. Mentally, he causes problems with LA. He would be much more valuable in that respect...

 

Our guys were awfully flat at the beginning of the match. I'm still not impressed with Faria. If he'd gotten here a couple of weeks earlier, he might be playing better now. I hope we trade him in the off-season.

Lagos has lost it. He was fantastic in 2001, but he's not cutting it now.

Jamil is great! I still think that he's better coming off the bench. Of course, I'd be happy to see him come on at the 55th or 60th minute. LA's only answer to Jamil was to foul the crap out of him.

The filth committed at least a couple of red card fouls and several of their guys that had yellow cards committed second yellow card offenses. The ref was afraid to send anyone off and the filth used that to their advantage. Otherwise, the Quakes would likely have won the match. (Two really bad off-side calls against DeRo when he was clearly on too. Even the dirt-bag smell-lay announcers said that the first one was wrong.)

In any case, as written earlier in this thread, we'll be seeing a different starting lineup against the filth in the Tool Box. Still, I expect us to tie them in the southland and then whup their asses up here. (Well, there actually, as I am now living in MLS exile, but you know what I mean.)

GO QUAKES!!

- Mark

 

To some extent that's true - but you can't count on Ruiz sitting for a half, or Cien only going 10 minutes, next game. So, no, I don't think you have seen everything Sigi has to offer. And, while I don't know what his injury status is, Sasha Victorine was not on the trip - he did have an impact in the 3-0 game in LA.

But, it is a fair comment that more of LA's regulars and starters saw action and were not held out. Between injuries and national team call ups, I'm not sure LA ever had a top 11 on the field at any time this year. Having watched all their games, I'm not even sure who that top 11 is. So, in part, what Sigi needed to do in the games was different from what Yallop needed to do. Yallop needed to husband his resources and rest guys for next week. Sigi needed to get guys who have not played together (and not played very well either) into synch. For SJ, this second game was a meaningless (lets not get hurt) exercise. For our guys, it was equally meaningless but a good training vehicle to try to get some people on the same page.

And you do realize that was Arturo Torres' 2nd or 3rd start of his MLS career - so I'm not sure you were seeing our best.

 

Dead Guy, I think part of the question is, who can you field next week? Even if Victorine (for example) plays, he's far from 100%. The same of course can be said for our side. Agoos, Corrales, and Donovan were all on the bench healing up. Dayak, even though he went the distance isn't 100%. So who else on your side is dinged up? Cien, even if healthy, isn't going to play the full 90. Torres looked good some of the time, and he made rookie mistakes occasionally too.

So in part, this coming playoff series will be about which team is healthier and more disciplined. Speaking of which, I expect our guys to spank your guys.

GO QUAKES!!

- Mark

 

1. Time to give the Ultras huge credit. Sure, the homophobic chants are tedious at best, but they really set the tone and took some thunder away from the Gals support. The Ultras looked great, sounded great and their mosh pit is great. They had a real mixed crowd - even managing to get a couple girls in there. Hopefully they're coming into their own.

2. I can't get very enthused about keeping the Gal's winless away record intact. They wouldn't even be in the playoffs if (A.) the league hadn't changed the playoff rules and (B.) the Burn hadn't folded. Yet we let them piss all over our Supporters Shield hopes, then take it to us in our own home. They look more motivated right now. Frank's team has choked at this point before.

3. Faria and Lagos are miserable, but I will not be surprised at all if they start in the playoffs. Face it, Frank likes these guys for their size and work rate. Skill and productivity don't seem to factor too significantly. ..Faria cleared a Galaxy corner kick away and I thought "Oh no, he just put his name on the sheet for next week." Hope it's not so.

 

4. Casbah: we need you and you need a Red Bull sponsorship.

New chants? How about:

Kevin Hartman's a lard ass
Kevin Hartman's a lard ass
Kevin Hartman's a LARD ASS...
Which nobody can deny.

Of course everyone knows this tune and you can substitute all sorts of undeniable statements. The nice part is a number of our opponents are lard-assed.

 

I want to compliment them, too. I think the Galaxians and the Riot Squad being right next to them aided in their enthusiasm. That's the first time they have sounded that good (and loud). Someone earlier said to ditch the orange banner, and I would agree, but only against LA. It looks too much like their color: the sh!t-brindle orange (with abcess-tooth green).

 

I think the decision of which one to start between Faria and DeRo is pretty much a toss up. I didn't think Faria looked that bad at all. I think he looks good possessing the ball and attacking.

But yeah, Manny looked awful.

Count me as one of the "officially worried about this playoff series" crowd. I was desparately hoping that KC's slide would continue, and that LA would overtake them. But it was not to be...

 

Worried about the playoffs...

I could see LA back in the final, 'cause I think they can take KC. I gotta go with KC's form over Colorado, though that series may provide some of the nicest soccer of the playoffs.

I would really like the Quakes to pulverize LA into submission. I would like to see their fans leaving Spartan in tears - after each and every one of them has been spanked by those old ladies in the North End chip shop. But I'm not 100% certain that's gonna happen.

Manny's form is poor because he's old. 2001 was his Indian Summer, his last hurrah season. It's been proven over and over again at the Spartan lab. It's a fact.

Faria wasn't a bad acquisition, but I just think he's looking damn A-League right now. Guess you can't just jump in for the last fifth of the season.

So, can we play Arturo already? The guy's easily one of our top ten soccer players, and it's not like health and a wealth of talent have prevented us from playing him.

Also, has anyone noticed how I've refrained from Onstad bashing? How I've absolutely refused to imply that he's garbage and should've caught that one shot on goal the other night?

 

GLAD WE SCORED! I like the previously mentioned lineup:
Onstad
Back line:
Roner
Dayak
Agoos
Dunivant

Midfield:
Mullan
Mulrooney
Eklund
Corrales

3/4 Fwd:
Donovan
Target Fwd:
DeRosario

IF Mullan stayed in back then I'd take off Roner and bring in Russell despite Roner's better in the box instincts. The flow and attack is better when Russell is on. Donovan has to play ON FIRE again....

BIG ?: Who wants free tiks to HDC Saturday? I have to act fast- cannot go and I live in Sacramento! See you the 8th for our clincher! SEND MESSAGES DIRECT- talk to you Tuesday!

Matt (Calcio Tifosi)

 

> Also, has anyone noticed how I've refrained from
> Onstad bashing?

I firmly believe that Cannon would have stopped the shot, and strongly suspect that Conway and Saunders could have as well.

> Jamil is great! I still think that he's better coming
> off the bench.

I think the supersub idea is just bogus. You start the guys that are good. Walker beats guys because he is fast and has a nose for the goal, not because his opponents are tired.

 

Good points.

As wierd as it is to play 4 straight games, it will be interesting to analyze how the managers' use of the first two games affects the 2 that count.

By the way, a few yellow-shirts hung out with us at the Club Quake tailgate. Nice folks, Peter and Eric and two ladies, and a bunch of others filtered in. They drank Beerking's Stella keg and were all in all good fun.

Too bad you guys don't have tailgates so we can drink your beer!!

 

I can't remember the names of the ladies that were there. It was definitely good to have the Galactos fans as guests. They were rather astonished to "be in the enemy camp" as it were but a good time was had. BTW, I was blown away at how much a six of Stella costs at Safeway! I'll just wait until I can donate again to BK's keg.

 

Question: Is Noah Dahl spejic's sock puppet?

 

It's more deranged than you think.




And now you've asked too many questions...

 

Holy heck! They did what?!! They drank my Stella?!! Good thing I wasn't there with as drunk as I was. But I was inside yelling "FOUR!" at Cobi. I even got a response from him.