2009 L.A. Galaxy: palpably underwhelming?

fan my man, I will get you a ticket out of the supporters group allotment that we were promised. See you in Seattle!!!

I am booked into the Queen Anne hotel Saturday and Sunday night. I have no idea where that is but I won't be spending much time there anyway...

 

You get a trophy for winning what is essentially a semi-final?

 

Yes. The league is divided geographically in Eastern and Western conferences.

The MLS Cup is played between the winners of each conference championship. The NBA Finals are played the same way, whereas NFL and MLB had pre-existing overlapping competing leagues that merged to create the Super Bowl and World Series.

Here is a picture of what we are after. The MLS Cup, I mean.

 

Match Highlights from El Youtube

 

i guess i better book a hostel. and a greyhound! seattle here i come!

 

Congrats Fitz my man. You deserve some success after having your team turned into the Beckham circus.

Hope you guys go on to win it.

I'm surprised it wasn't over 2 legs though.

 

Real Salt Lake beat the Fire in a shootout to progress.

 

We got one for finishing 6th in 99.

 

Thanks Luke! Much appreciated.

Yes, I don't understand why they don't do two legs in the later rounds, just the first...I guess it's single elimination like the World Cup final round?

 

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/*****/ce/fullj.6e39d4ba7add5436d34c60b91b755005/6e39d4ba7add5436d34c60b91b755005-*****-92989536kd024_western_confe.jpg

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/*****/8c/fullj.9fae5460de7fe937286c7cccd1230857/9fae5460de7fe937286c7cccd1230857-*****-92989536kd022_western_confe.jpg

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/*****/b1/fullj.6891e9542171883b1b01fc3aae7bbd42/6891e9542171883b1b01fc3aae7bbd42-*****-92989536kd023_western_confe.jpg

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/*****/8f/fullj.b781b331c2a08903c4771659a027ff90/b781b331c2a08903c4771659a027ff90-*****-92989536kd031_western_confe.jpg

 

Not Galaxy related news but the Union's jersey was realsed today. No sponser but i think it looks good.
http://www.philadelphiaunionstore.com/?Click=5

 

I really like these, ben. Classy kits, in my opinion.

 

LA Galaxy logo being put atop of Seattle's Space Needle

 

Isaac's wonderful preview follows...sadly, he said this will be his last. He puts a lot of work into them. I suspect as a young corporate employee he has to choose between writing these and staying employed. I keep hoping he starts to do this professionally.

“The leader and I by that hidden way
entered to return to the bright world;
and without care for having any rest
we climbed up, he first and I second,
so far that I saw some of the beautiful things
that heaven bears, through a round opening;
and thence we came forth to see again the stars.”
-- Dante Alighieri

MLS CUP 2009
FINAL
LOS ANGELES GALAXY vs. REAL SALT LAKE
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 --
Victoria Street
TV: ESPN, Galavision
Radio: TBD

​

Quick Hits


Los Angeles Galaxy
Points: 45
League Position: 2nd
Conference Position: 1st
Form: D-W-D-W-W
Last Match: 2-0 vs. Houston Dynamo
Best Finish: MLS Cup Champions, ’02, ‘05
Playoff Record: 27-15-5

Real Salt Lake
Points: 40
League Position: 8th
Conference Position: 5th
Form: L-W-W-W-D
Last Match: 0-0 vs. Chicago Fire (5-4 on PKs)
Best Finish: Eastern Conference Champions (Current)
Playoff Record: 3-1-2​

Regular Season Results:
5/06 – Salt Lake 2-2 Los Angeles
6/13 – Los Angeles 0-2 Salt Lake

​

Every so often... after so much time and energy, after you've donated your voice and heart, after so many Saturdays at the stadium and so many weekdays checking standings, looking over fixtures, and waiting for the weekend… it feels great to have your faith rewarded.

After seven teams failed to see their seasons continue, four teams were left in the first round, and two teams were frustrated well beyond the 90th minute in the Conference Finals…

Two teams remain -- hoping to have their faith rewarded; ready to give for one more game. One more game…

Sunday – MLS Cup 2009

LOS ANGELES GALAXY​

On paper, and thanks to the star power of the men who make up its roster, Los Angeles Galaxy will stand as the home team this weekend.

The team finished 2nd overall in the league table with 48 points, just one back from Supporter’s Shield winner Columbus Crew. Statistically, Galaxy was also the 3rd best defense in the league, just 2 more goals allowed than league leaders Seattle and Houston.

Yet, Los Angeles’ story this season can’t be written with statistics. Even the best statistical interpretation would miss wide of the mark in terms of what has made Los Angeles go this year.

Oddly enough, the road to MLS Cup 2009 seems to have started immediately after MLS Cup 2005 for Los Angeles. Despite poor results, poor form and mediocre play, team officials overlooked everything after the team’s miraculous run to win The Cup.

Steve Sampson was allowed to remain in charge and following the team’s tragically early exit from the 2006 CONCACAF Champions Cup, team General Manager Doug Hamilton passed away on the flight home.

Since then, three seasons have passed in Los Angeles which have actually felt much more like one long never-ending season plagued with the same poor form, poor results and mediocre play. Frank Yallop dismantled the team in an apparent attempt to put together a hybrid team composed of former San Jose Earthquakes and Canadian National Team players.

David Beckham’s arrival was never adequately planned and ultimately led the team through the hands of 19 Entertainment and nearly left the franchise without either of its two marquee players, Landon Donovan and David Beckham.

But for all the flaws and mistakes that AEG President Tim Leiweke made, much like the proverbial broken clock, he was eventually bound to get something right. Fortunately, for all parties involved, Leiweke decided to take the team from 19 Entertainment and brought on former United States National Team head coach Bruce Arena to become the team’s new Head Coach and General Manager.

Bruce Arena raised concern over the off-season as his make-over seemed to begin with the same hatchet used by Frank Yallop a few years earlier; all hopes of continuity lost as the team saw change after change in almost every key position on the field.

And looming over all plans of restructuring was the possibility that neither David Beckham nor Landon Donovan would return from their European loans.
And even when the dust from this particular storm seemed to settle, the winds kicked up again thanks to the publication of a controversial book which unearthed details of the behind the scenes turmoil that Beckham’s presence had generated.

Eventually, Bruce Arena took charge of the situation and the team began to win, and as of David Beckham’s (controversial) return, slowly began inching toward the top of the table, never falling from ‘playoff position’ again, in fact spending most of the remainder of the season in 4th place or higher.

In the post-season, L.A. has put a seal of grit and defensive prowess on each of its games. The team arrives at MLS Cup 2009 with 2 wins and a draw, and 5 goals scored against just 2 allowed.

With a victory on Sunday, its 6th Cup appearance (most in league history) Los Angeles would claim its 3rd MLS Cup, just one shy of DC United’s current record of 4.

Landon Donovan would tie league leader Jaime Moreno with his fourth MLS Cup. Bruce Arena, Tony Sanneh and Todd Dunivant would earn their third, Dema Kovalenko, Chris Klein, Alecko Eskandarian, Josh Saunders, Stefani Miglioranzi, and Alan Gordon their second. All other players on the roster would be winning their first MLS Cup.

 

Cont'd.~

REAL SALT LAKE​

The “road” team for this match is the Eastern Conference Champion Real Salt Lake whose trip west will be decidedly shorter than that of Eastern Conference Playoff foes Chicago, Columbus or New England.

Along with Chivas USA, Real Salt Lake is part of the first group of the league’s new “expansion era”. When these two sides were founded the league competed with only 10 teams. Since then, the number of participants has grown to 15, 16 by next year, and with a target of 20 teams according to Commissioner Don Garber.

Unlike their “class mates” however, RSL has shown steady, constant progress on and off the field. The club has cemented its foundations, and through perseverance and hard work displayed their willingness to be part of the MLS landscape for years to come.

In their inaugural 2005 season, RSL struggled on the field, earning just 2 points more than all-time worst Chivas USA who managed 4 wins and 18 points. The royals ended with 20, but silently surprised everybody with their league 2nd best attendance of +18,000 per game.

2006 and 2007 held better results and helped RSL steer clear of the atrocious record they held in 2005 but the club was still unable to find consistency necessary to break through into the post-season.

A Mehdi Ballouchy, a Freddy Adu and a John Ellinger later (among many other roster changes) Real Salt Lake arrived at the 2008 season with high expectations. Work had begun during the offseason on the construction of a brand new stadium, and the team hoped to achieve greater things than ever before.

At the close of the year, having spent the large part of the season flirting with the playoffs, RSL put together a 5 game unbeaten run, including 4 points from its first 2 matches at brand new Rio Tinto Stadium, and snuck into the playoffs.

Enthused by the revitalized support at home and rolling on momentum from going 5 games without a loss, RSL earned a 1-0 win at home in the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs against fellow class of ’05 side Chivas US. A 2-2 draw at the Home Depot Center (with a crucial goal from Dema Kovalenko which sheds some light onto Preki’s frustrations with the Ukrainian) and RSL managed to go through to the Western Conference Final.

At home, the magic ran out and succumbed to an early Dave van den Bergh goal which made RSL’s dreams of playing in an MLS Cup quickly fade away.
A year later, and with a playoff run coming from another unlikely position (8th overall) Real were able to take the next step. Real managed to move on from the Conference Finals and on to MLS Cup 2009 in Seattle.

RSL will be looking to become the 8th club to lift the Cup. Only two players in the club’s current roster have won cups previously. Nick Rimando in 2004 with DC United and Ned Grabavoy in 2005 with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

THE MATCH-UP: YOUTH vs. EXPERIENCE​

It’s 2nd place vs. 8th place… the team with all the history, owned by AEG, the international entertainment powerhouse and ultimately by one of the wealthiest men in the planet Phil Anschutz against the expansion team, owned by Dave “vote-for-me smile” Checketts, living within their means and making the best of the elements they have to work with.

But beyond all peripheral trivia, the match-up on the field is likely to focus on two factors: The combined and individual experience of Los Angeles Galaxy versus the youth, speed and energy of Real Salt Lake.

A quick glance at Real Salt Lake’s roster will show that only a handful of players on the team from Utah have 5 years of experience or more in MLS. Los Angeles has 11 players who fit this description, and among those who don’t are former US international Greg Berhalter, former Jamaican international Donovan Ricketts, Trinidad & Tobago international Chris Birchall, and a certain English international David Beckham.

All this combined with the total amount of cups won per side (15 for Los Angeles, 2 for Salt Lake) translates to a huge advantage in the experience column for the Gs.

Even so, RSL will hope that ‘experience’ for Los Angeles means old age. The club average age for RSL is 5 years less than the club average age for Los Angeles, and in the conference semifinals, the style differences drawn from this disparity were on display.

Real Salt Lake relied on the speed of players like Robbie Findley, Fabian Espindola, Javier Morales and Yura Movsisyan to find spaces behind the Chicago backline for very dangerous runs that almost opened the scoring early in the first half. Against Los Angeles’ central defense pair of Omar Gonzalez and Greg Berhalter, RSL will surely be looking to find the same spaces.

But that is precisely where experience comes into play. In the match-up against Houston, Los Angeles countered the speed factor by allowing Houston some ground and reducing the size of the field, thereby eliminating the open space for Houston’s run. By yielding a few yards and making the field compact, Los Angeles managed to avoid leaving itself exposed to threatening runs.

This enabled the Gs to use the same speed factor against Houston (it is always surprising how often people forget that Landon Donovan is one of the fastest players with the ball at his feet in the league.)

Assuming the match-up turns into a compact Los Angeles Galaxy defending over the two-thirds of the field mark, with Real Salt Lake taking the ball into that area and looking for spaces for through balls and quick passes.

For the Lion Hearts, Findley, and Movsisyan will be the key players. Even if RSL is unsuccessful in its attempts, getting the Los Angeles backline running around might be enough to tire or unsettle the defensive unit enough to find the seams.

For Los Angeles, the key players will be Dema Kovalenko and David Beckham. One man in charge of search and destroy, the other assigned to find the balls won by the former and distribute quickly and accurately to put RSL on their back foot, alleviate the pressure put on the backline, and take away the speed factor through fatigue and by forcing Kreis to use a more conservative approach.

 

Last page~

INJURY REPORT​

Los Angeles Galaxy
OUT - Alecko Eskandarian (Head - Disabled List), Julian Valentin (Right Foot - Disabled List)
DOUBTFUL - None
QUESTIONABLE -Stefani Miglioranzi (Left Groin - Strain)
PROBABLE - None

Houston Dynamo
TBD

SUSPENSIONS​

TBD

CAASI GOHD’S EXPECTED LINE-UP
----------------Ricketts-----------------
--Franklin--Berhalter----Gonzalez--Todd--
----------------Kovalenko----------------
-----------------Beckham-----------------
--Klein--------------------------Landon—-
------------------Magee------------------
-----------------Buddle------------------​

While facing a speedy team may immediately have people thinking that AJ De La Garza is the option over Todd Dunivant, expect the Los Angeles system to focus on inviting RSL to a certain point and then shutting all the doors.

Expect a more zone style approach which gives Todd Dunivant and his experience a nod over AJ’s speed and tenacity.
In midfield, wide play will be important. Getting LA’s players face to face with Real Salt Lake’s outside backs will be crucial in lifting the pressure off the back four.

Additionally, putting the team’s best dribblers on the outside will be the best way to create dangerous opportunities which may even lead to goal without the team having to rely on its forwards.

Up front, Edson Buddle will likely get another opportunity at the target forward role in which he seems to be so uncomfortable. Facing a solid duo in Borchers and Olave, Buddle and Magee will need to be on their best cherry picker roles as it is unlikely that they will be running at those two very often.

Even so, the more Magee and Buddle make Olave and Borchers work through the first half, even without any goals tallied for Los Angeles, the more effective Mr. Galaxy Alan “somebody’s getting hurt when I come on the field” Gordon will be in opening up spaces in the middle in the second half.

====================================================================


To everybody going, best of luck to you, make us proud.
Those of you driving, take extra care of yourselves.
To everybody else who can't make it, I hope to see you all at the OCP.
Come on L.A.!
It's been a damn long time coming,
and that time is now...

Lets go for MLS Cup 2009!!!


Thank you for reading.​

**CORRECTION**
Major correction courtesy of the one and only Dan Loney:

I previously claimed that Donovan would reach his 4th cup which would tie him up with Moreno, buuuuut....

"Jeff Agoos has five rings; Eddie Robinson, De Rosario, Mullan and Waibel have four."

 

The US lost 3-1 to Denmark in Denmark yesterday despite being gifted the lead in the first half.

How close to ultimate lineup were the US? Fitz, Luke... anyone?

denmark were missing 4 or 5 regular starters (Agger, Bendtner, Tomasson and Rommedahl)...

 

Kris,
Well done Denmark.
With Landon Donovan out prepping for the MLS Cup Final, the heart of the team is missing. Also, Charlie Davies had cemented his place as the best forward, but his recent car accident has the team grasping for ideas and answers up front. I saw that the MLS Golden Boot winner scored the first goal on a matchtracker, but I didn't see the game or the starting lineup even so beyond that, I can't comment.

 

Donovan is the MLS MVP.

 

10 hours to departure...

Probably going dark for a few days unless I can get a machine to look with...
Wish me luck!

 

good luck Fitzy. Will be rooting for you.

 

see you tomorrow amigo

 

fan and I are in the LA supporters section now awaiting the start of the game in an hour or so...

 

Good luck and enjoy the game!

 

Rough game Fitz... who would have seen it would have been decided at the very end by Ladycakes missing a pk?

 

Unlucky Fitz. At least you'll understand what it's like following England now :dismay:. I think you'll look back at this season as one of the best you've had, (in time).

 

I am guessing you lost on penalty kicks, that's a rotten way to lose :dismay::dismay::dismay:

Never mind it's only a game :rant::rant::rant:

I'd like to say that the Newcastle game will cheer you up, but I have my doubts about that, as they are top of the league

Hopefully the trip itself will do the trick, see you soon.

 

Fact: the Galaxy have lost more MLS Cup games than any other team in the league.

That is all.

 

Fritz, i hear you are in Newcastle on Friday night with VOR - it is traditional that all foreign forum members who visit this green and fair Island buy the drinks on all weekend away games for all those in their company and in company of their friends. Ginger, Me and A N Other will be up Friday night to ensure this great tradition is not broken - fill up your wallet - we will empty it and Ginger is really looking forward to doing that!

Where you staying in London?

 

it was a pretty tragic end to the game but the build up, the actual game itself and the drinking afterwards compensated it for me. Once again, thanks for a great time fitz and feel free to extend that to your mates too. if you're ever around the vancouver area drop me a bell.

also, that tim milwauke fella ain't so bad after all.

 

The short ugly one is talking crap as usual, just ignore him and he might go away, IF ONLY :naughty:

 

Yeah, good times before and after. Screw the Galaxy.
Hopefully you can make it to LA for more of the same some time.

 

Really looking forward to it... I just wish my liver would stop hurting. I suppose that won't happen until I stop pouring whiskey onto it.