Hey all, I wanted to express my feelings about the rest of MLS' absolutely DISMAL performances this year in the FC Champion's Cup. I mean, what's up with these losers (San Jose, Chicago, Kansas City) getting their butts kicked in this competition? What ever happened to the belief that MLS teams are the class of our Confederation? Why the hell isn't the Galaxy cleaning house in the Cup this year? Seems to me that ultimately, the Galaxy is the best team in MLS 'cause we absolutely love to kick foreign teams' a$$es, don't we? A la Necaxa, Cruz Azul, Chivas, Olimpia, etc... All left in our wake of destruction. It makes me sick seeing all our fellow MLS teams losing like that in this competition when I know that the G's would be winning, repeating our championship form from last year (something I believe would have helped our regular season form in the long run as well). Anyway, anyone else as disgusted as I am about this? Oh well, at least we'll have the luxury of seeing the Galaxy at the NTC next year, repeating as FC Club Champs!!! Discuss...
I have enjoyed LAG's international success as much as any other fan, and was upset that LA was not being given a chance to defend its title. However, I have come around to the view that until MLS expands rosters beyond 18 players (with additional funds to add several quality players to the roster) that MLS rosters are just too thin for the strains of overlapping competitions. The regular season games, the Open Cup games and then the Confederation Cup games are just too much. I do think the thin rosters explains some of the problems SJ and KC had in those competitions - we know from playing them that they are good sides despite the international problems. Anyway, I think LAG has a better shot at the Open Cup and the MLS as a result of being out of the Confederations Cup tourney this year.
The problem we are having is that we send the wrong teams. KC was sent to the 2002 Champs Cup because they won the 2000 MLS Cup!?!?! DC was sent to a major tournament because they had GOOD ATTENDENCE!?!?! Stupid. Chicago losing didn't surprize me at all. They have been destroyed with injuries. San Jose just plain lost. Basically it boils down to the fact that the teams we sent were REALLY out of form and couldn't compete. The MLS needs to take a look at their selection process. Supporter's Shield, MLS Cup, Open Cup winner's should go. The fourth slot could go to the runner up for the MLS Cup. The Open Cup slot would be awesome for A-leaguers if they could pull the upset (Rhinos). If we followed this setup Miami, San Jose, Galaxy, and the Galaxy would have gone Nothing is perfect obviously, but they really need to revamp the system. No more best attendence picks should be a given.
I don't care which teams are sent to the Champs Cup, but lets decide what the criteria is at the start of the season. I'm still trying to figure out how a team that won the Open Cup and were a finalist in the MLS Cup (I won't even mention the fact that they are reigning Champs Cup winners) didn't get a bid. What's the critera needed to qualify for next season? Who is it that decides who goes anyway? MLS? USSF? CONCACAF? Anyone know?
I think the problem is is that everything is behind a year, thus KC 2000 mls cup winners, would normally play in the CC in 2001, but since they're behind a year they do 2002, so next year as MLS cup runners up in 2001, us and san jose should get a birth next year... they need to just start over from scratch, and the teams (even us) that get screwed, oh well at least things will be back to normal.
Re: Re: This is making me sick... Could be true, but that is really speculation. Would be nice to have the chance to find out, but the screwed up CONCACAF schedule has left LAG out this season. I know you are no big Jack Warner fan, so we have common ground on this point. I still think the MLS rosters are too small to participate in this kind of event. At least when LA has played Mexican club teams here, LA has done respectably. Particularly in recent years afainst Cruz Azul, Chivas, etc. I know, they were on the road. I understand that makes a difference and that is your point - a valid one. But, I might be willing to trade the home field advantage if I could get the roster sizes and player salary budget that the Mexican club teams have.
Re: Re: This is making me sick... Since when has any team had a home field advantage in LA against a Mexican team?
Re: Re: Re: Re: This is making me sick... What match did the play that wasn't a double header with a Mexican team in the other match still taking home field from LA. Besides, I never said LA in my post. Costa Rican, Guatamalian, Salvadorian teams also are the visiters against any Mexican team.
My memory on the Champions Cup final game is not real clear - was it Olimpia (from Honduras), or was that an early round at Titan? I do remember knocking DCU out in a game at the Coliseum (these are the important things) and I seem to remember Pachuca from the MExican league, but I can't remember if LAG beat them or someone else knocked them out in the semi-finals. I'm not even sure if it was Pachuca, but I think so.
LA beat Real Espana on penalties after a 0-0 draw, DC United on penalties after a 1-1 draw, and Olimpia in the final. Both MLS teams that have won this tournament played all of their games at home or very close to home. So it's difficult to compare those accomplishments to the circumstances of teams this year who have actually had to go to Mexico to try to get results. We're still waiting for the first MLS team to win or even draw a competitive match in Mexico.
Thanks for the refresher. Yes - LAG beat Real Espana in an early game at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, and then DCU at the LA Coliseum. It must be that Olimpia knocked out the Mexican team in the other semi-final game. You are absolutely right about waiting for an MLS team to win in Mexico, but (at least in terms of crowd support) the friendlies played in LA against Mexican League teams had overwhelmingly pro-Mexican team crowds. Much for the same reasons that the USMNT doesn't play WCQ games here. So, while they do not have to travel to those games, LAG also does not get much in the way of support or home crowd advantage. Given the differences in the financial resources available to an MLS team v. the player personnel budget for any Mexican League team, it will be a long time before MLS fans can expect their teams to be able to compete on any even footing.
The Galaxy's record against Mexican teams isn't that great in full competition. They were beaten by Necaxa on penalities in '98 after a 1-1 draw at the Rose Bowl in a Champions Cup qualifier and also beaten by Cruz Azul in the '97 championship game 5-3 (Campos was in goal) despite going 2-0 up in the first 15 mins. They've played Chivas alot but they were all exhibition games and the Cruz Azul game this season was also an exhibition. In the Champions Cup proper MLS has not fared well against the Mexicans with the above two results plus the defeat Morelia dishied out to Chicago and the 6-1 clobbering they put on KC. Pachuca also beat San Jose on agregate this year and in '99 (If I remember correctly) Leon beat Colorado at Mile High in a qualifier. The recent victory for KC over Santos and the championship game in '98 when DCU beat Toluca are the only two victories for MLS over our southern neighbours. It's even worse when you consider that the Mexicans had to travel to the US to compete in these games (winning the championship twice). Now that the tournament has gone to the home/away format it seems to have become harder for MLS to compete (KC-Santos result aside.) The roster size is probably the main reason for this but also the fact that the league is constatnly forcing players out of the league or to be traded must be taken into account. The Galaxy won the Champions Cup in January 2001 and since than they have lost Fraser, Pena, Ibzen, Quajano and a host of others due to salary cap or roaster limitations. Hard to gell when a team is constatnly working in new players. I almost forgot DCU lost to the Club America reserve 2-1 in the one and only Giants cup. Ouch.
Cien hacked by Adomaitis then all went to hell. Very attack oriented game. Campos switched to forward, Hartman in goal at the start of 2nd half with score 3-2 Cruz Azul. Campos scored 3rd goal after Hartman had let in two more.