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LA Galaxy v Sporting Kansas City [R] April 7


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#16 AnthonyNHB

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Posted 05 April 2012 - 12:53 PM

Ugh...my memory fails me again.


This is probably due to too much alcohol, or more likely, not enough alcohol. My recommendation is to stop drinking for a day and if your memory doesn't start to improve immediately, start drinking heavy. That should help.

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#17 S.Bones

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Posted 05 April 2012 - 04:10 PM

Isn't it a little early for all this angst? It's still just March. Oh, wait, it's April...

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I hope we win.

#18 fredo9

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 12:48 AM

We need more Mikes in the lineup.

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"That's life." -Bruce Arena

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See You Later, My Friend!

#19 josh24601

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 01:34 AM

I want Bones to explain how our season after the Cup is like postmodern malaise in the era after Fukayama's End of History.

Our heroes are deconstructed.

Is it too early for nastalgia?

#20 LOBO 13

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 09:38 AM

Our heroes are disinterested.

FYP.

It's all very simple really.

If you're not creepin', you're not trying...



 


#21 LOBO 13

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 09:48 AM

Via Serrano:

The Los Angeles Galaxy face a stern test this weekend when they hit the road for the first time to take on currently undefeated Sporting Kansas City. Making matters even more difficult is that the Galaxy may have to do so without Landon Donovan or David Beckham.

During practice on Thursday, Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena told reporters that the team "haven't made a decision" yet on whether or not Beckham would make the trip to Livestrong Sporting Park. Beckham did not take part in the club's on the field training on Thursday, with Arena choosing to allow him to complete a fitness regiment in the gym.

“David has an assortment of nagging injuries,” Arena said. “Just been smart about getting him the right kind of rest and working him in the gym.”

Meanwhile, Donovan, who took part in training on Thursday, admitted that while he is feeling better, he wasn't sure of his status for Saturday's clash against Kansas City.

“You never know how injuries go,” Donovan said on Thursday. “It's literally day to day, and you just see how it goes. There's a fine line. You want to make sure you're not putting any players in harm's way. You have to be smart how you approach things, and Bruce is very good about that with me.”


If you're not creepin', you're not trying...



 


#22 S.Bones

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 10:24 AM

I'm trying to keep the hair out of my eyes and the skinny jeans and studded belt in the closet, but...

Could these "injuries" be code for "big trouble on the team"?

Landon's comments seem off to me, like he's talking about something else beyond his recovery.

We can also note that Beckham's people, independent from the club, put out the word that he came out of Saturday's match with a hamstring strain - something Bruce (perhaps pointedly) didn't reference. And note that Beckham did his "fitness work" apart from the team.


And it's "regimen" Serrano, not "regiment".

#23 Catamount

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 11:08 AM

I didn't think that chemistry would be lost so quickly after the Galaxy run last season. I also don't take Barrett as a particularly good source for a perspective on chemistry. He acts and talks as if he is an insider, one of the core members of the team. I don't buy it.

We've seen this situation from Bruce in the past. When is first World Cup team played well, he opted to retread the same team four years later with disastrous results. His loyalty to individuals seemed to cloud his soccer judgement. Looking at the team from the outside you can't really see what is going on, but LARS is all about speculation, so here goes:

Bruce may have thought that getting Beckham and Buddle back, adding Sarvas to replace Juninho and getting Leo healthy would make the team as powerful as it was last year, even without Omar. He didn't really seem to drive the team very hard in preseason. It was always, "I'm pleased with the team's progress at this stage of preseason." I would rather have heard, "We have a long ways to go to be able to compete in this league. The young guys aren't close to where they need to be."

Now the G's look about as good as when he took over from Gullit, and we don't hear anything from him. Some of this is on Bruce, I'm not sure how much.

LD has been absent. The last time the team played like this he publicly called out Sir Beckham and the team turned around. With all the talk about playing nice and being professional, I am convinced that LD's public statements helped to change the mentality of the team. Bruce has always relied on his leaders to lift the team. LD hasn't done it thus far. It is as if he doesn't want to have the leadership role any more. He seemed comfortable at Everton where he can play a supporting role and be adored by the fans.

LD talks about his skills diminishing now that he gets older, how he isn't going to score as many goals. That's a pile of crap in my book! LD can be as good and as productive as his mind will let him. If he is injured then he needs to take care of the injury, but his leadership doesn't have to be injured.

Note: Has anyone else noticed that LD was never injured before he began to go to Europe on loan. The last couple of seasons he has been injured more often. I think there is a connection. I'm not sure I buy Klinsmann's idea that players need to play 10-11 months per year. Perhaps a shorter season allows players to recover and American sports know something about player development after all. (Not speaking of parent-run soccer here).

The only significant additions to the team have been, Buddle, Sarvas and Keane. The significant subtractions has been Berhalter, Ricketts and to a lesser extent Birchall. Personnel changes don't seem to explain the current lack of chemistry. I think it has to be something deeper, at the core of the team where Bruce, LD, Dunivant, Magee and Beckham live.
:pint:

#24 LOBO 13

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 11:31 AM

Full blown panic mode? Not yet...

However, there are some obvious signs that there is trouble in paradise.

It is all very Gullit-esque.

The approach and tactics need to be altered, because KC is very capable of putting 3 or 4 past the current incarnation of the G's defense.

Turn and face the change...

If you're not creepin', you're not trying...



 


#25 Caasi Gohd

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 11:44 AM

Ever play FIFA on career mode? Ever win a title? Ever put the game down for about 2 weeks after you won the title, just because after doing all that you didn't feel like playing game 1 vs. Columbus?

Yup. Same thing. Champion-itis. One of the most quickly dismissed and least analyzed phenomena in sports.

The only thing the boys are interested in playing right now is another Cup final, not a game in the rain vs. fucking New England. (Except for Boyens, he's just trbl.)

It'll take them about 7-10 weeks to figure out that they need to win some games to get back to the cup final. If that.

#26 fredo9

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 12:08 PM

In Tuesdays All Access Podcast Bruce said:

"I'm sick of hearing about 2011... 

These pitfalls are good. It'll show our character..."



P.S. The official viewing party is at The Olde Ship in Santa Ana... O.C!
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See You Later, My Friend!

#27 chairmanmeow

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 12:14 PM

Well look at that...I remembered my password of two years (or more) ago.

Anyone see the Kansas City vs. Goats game? There's opportunity there for Robbie and Edson if they would just get over their problem of no confidence in front of goal. There was plenty of questionable defending from KC and Chivas had the kind of look-ins that Robbie and Edson and even Chad would exploit IF they would be brave enough to pull the trigger.

I hope the guys show up just pissed off at their bad form and put every ounce of heart and soul in to getting the away win. I'll be disappointed if the game doesn't look like it could end in broken bones and body bags. 2-1 to the Gs if we can make it 20 minutes without conceding.
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#28 josh24601

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 01:52 PM

If we are looking for trends on FIFA career mode to explain this, it's worse than I thought.

#29 Zero Cool

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 02:01 PM

If we are looking for trends on FIFA career mode to explain this, it's worse than I thought.

Haha
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#30 haggis

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Posted 06 April 2012 - 02:02 PM

If we are looking for trends on FIFA career mode to explain this, it's worse than I thought.

might as well ask The Magic 8 Ball......
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