Saturday, September 6, 2008

Galaxy Draw 2-2 with Real Salt Lake

LA Galaxy 2, Real Salt Lake 2
September 6, 2008
The Home Depot Center – Carson, Calif.

Scoring Summary:
LA – Bryan Jordan 1 (Unassisted) 9’
RSL – Yura Movsisyan 2 (Kenny Deuchar 2, Chris Wingert 2) 20’
RSL – Will Johnson 1 (Yura Movsisyan 1) 52’
LA – Edson Buddle 13 (Alan Gordon 7, Bryan Jordan 1) 69’

Misconduct Summary:
LA – Sean Franklin (Yellow Card) 61’

Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Josh Wicks, Chris Klein©, Sean Franklin, Troy Roberts, Mike Randolph, Eduardo Dominguez (Brandon McDonald 56’), Josh Tudela (Mike Munoz 81’), Greg Vanney, Bryan Jordan, Edson Buddle, Alan Gordon (Israel Sesay 92+).

Subs Not Used: Mike Graczyk, Scott Bolkan, Julian Valentin, Vardan Adzemian.

Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando, Chris Wingert, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Ian Joy, Will Johnson, Kyle Beckerman©, Javier Morales, Clint Mathis (Dema Kovalenko 67’), Kenny Deuchar (Robbie Findley 75’), Fabian Espindola (Yura Movsisyan 9’)

Subs Not Used: Chris Seitz, Robbie Russell, David Horst, Kenny Cutler.

Notes:
· With the draw, the Galaxy are now to 6-9-8 on the season, giving them 26 points. The Galaxy remain tied for sixth place in the Western Conference, level with FC Dallas who also has 26 points. Both teams are one point behind fifth place Colorado and four points behind Chivas USA for the third and final guaranteed playoff spot in the West.
· The Galaxy’s winless streak is now at a club record 11 game. During this current streak, the Galaxy are 0-5-6 and have been outscored 26-16.
· Bruce Arena made six changes to the team that drew 2-2 with New England last weekend. Steve Cronin and Peter Vagenas missed the game through injury, while David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Ante Jazic and Eddie Lewis are away on National Team duty. They were replaced in the starting XI by Josh Wicks, Mike Randolph, Eduardo Dominguez, Josh Tudela, Bryan Jordan and Alan Gordon.
· Both Wicks and Jordan were making their first-ever start in a Galaxy uniform. Each had made one appearance earlier in the year as a substitute. Jordan played eight minutes against New York on May 10 while Wicks played the final 45 minutes against New England last weekend.
· Landon Donovan, Ante Jazic, David Beckham and Eddie Lewis were not available for the Galaxy as all four players were with their respective National Teams. Donovan played 90 minutes for the U.S. in their 1-0 win over Cuba, while Beckham played the final 11 minutes of England’s 2-0 road win over Andorra. Jazic and Lewis were unused substitutes for Canada and the U.S. respectively.
· With both Beckham and Donovan out of the lineup, Chris Klein wore the captain’s armband for the third time this season. He was also the Galaxy captain in the 2-0 loss at Toronto FC on May 31 as well as the 1-0 loss to Chicago on August 21.
· Bryan Jordan’s ninth minute goal was the first of his MLS career. He is the first Galaxy player to score in his first-ever start for the club since Edson Buddle did so on June 17, 2007 in a 3-2 win over Real Salt Lake. Jordan is also the first Galaxy player to score in the first start of his MLS career since Kevin Harmse scored in a 3-1 win over Chivas USA on April 28, 2007.
· Brandon McDonald entered the game in the 56th minute, replacing Eduardo Dominguez. It was his first appearance for the Galaxy since May 31 in the 2-0 loss at Toronto.
· Edson Buddle’s goal in the 69th minute was his career-best 13th of the season. He is now tied with Kenny Cooper of FC Dallas for second in the league in scoring, three goals behind Landon Donovan’s MLS-best 16.
· Bryan Jordan and Alan Gordon each assisted on Buddle’s goal. It was the first assist of Jordan’s MLS career and it was the seventh of the season for Gordon, a career-high.
· Mike Munoz made his Galaxy debut when he entered the game in the 81st minute, replacing Josh Tudela.
· The attendance for tonight’s game was a sellout of 27,000. It was the fifth consecutive home sellout for the Galaxy and their eighth in 12 home games this season.
· For more about tonight’s game, please visit www.lagalaxy.com.
· The Galaxy are back in action on Saturday, September 13, 2008, when they travel east to take on the Kansas City Wizards at Arrowhead Stadium. The match will kick off at 2 p.m. (PT) and can be seen live locally on FSN Prime Ticket and nationally on HDNet. The match will also be available live on the radio starting on AM 570 (English) and KWKW 1330 ESPN Deportes (Spanish).

3 comments:

charlesj27 said...

Okay, many things to take in and consider from this action-packed, edge-of-my-seat game.
My grading for LAG in this game:
Performance = B+
Strength of squad that played = 55%
Intensity, Energy, Fight = B+
Tactics, Smartness, Creativity = C-
Preparedness = B+
Decision-Making / Assuredness = C+
My grading of RSL in this game:
Performance = A
Strength of squad that played = 95%
Intensity, Energy, Fight = A
Tactics, Smartness, Creativity = A
Preparedness = A
Decision-Making / Assuredness = B+
Conclusion = LAG was immensely lucky tonight to salvage a draw. If it weren't for the GUTS, PERSISTENCE, TENACITY, HARD-WORK of Bryan Jordan, Edson Buddle, Josh Tudela, Sean Franklin, Josh Wicks, and Chris Klein... we would have been easily benn sitting on a loss. There is still a LOT of education, hard, hard, repeated training that Alan Gordon, Mikey Randolph, and Troy Roberts need to do. Alan must greatly work on and improve his dribbling & shot-on-goal. His aim & follow-through is still shaky & mediocre. Mikey still loses posession of the ball & is easily tricked and mismanaged by more crafty, experienced Midfielders and Forwards. Yes, Mikey got speed - if he didn't have that... he would truly be USL material along with Alan. Troy... I seriously expect a LOT more good decision-making, assuredness, and planning from Troy... he's not a newbiew anymore - but, his actions & decisions on-field all point to "ROOKIE JITTERS & PAUSES". These three were noticeable WEAKNESSES in tonight's match against RSL. And, I know... I know Bruce and Dave saw these things. We need a squad of players who are NOT indecisive; who are NOT afraid; who know how to create-on-the-fly; and who can keep posession of the ball under pressure!!!
Like I said... we were immensely lucky tonight. Our LAG will NOT... I repeat - will NOT make it to the play-offs and especially will have NO POSSIBLE CHANCE AT ALL to ever make it past qarterfinals of the MLS Cup. Bruce & Dave, by now, have seen all they needed to see from this squad to make the much needed changes!!! Yes, the defensive form, shape, runs & counter-runs have all improved.
We conceded 2 goals otday because we faced a side that was LOT more deep, skilled, and crafty. RSL had Javier Morales, Kenny Duechar, Kyle Beckerman, Jamison Olave, Ian Joy, Will Johnson, and Robbie Findley. Clearly they had MUCH more talent, depth, and experience.
So, my question to AEG, the coaches, the staff, and the all of us who continue to purchase tickets, accessories, jerseys, etc is this: Why are we not allowed to strengthen, deepen, fortify our roster with more professional, reliable, expert talent??? Salary cap issues? Laziness? Lack of better judgement? Don't know / apathy???
Bruce and Dave better come up with some definite fixes - or 2008 is going to be a pathetic infection that catches gangrene!

charlesj27 said...

San Jose can get quality, creative, strong players to make a squad that wins games... Chivas USA now have about seven forwards, I think. But, LA Galaxy has to keep licking dirt and dust and grime - why? Because, the MLS "big honchos" (CEOs, CFOs, COOs, whatever) are calling the shots and. So where is AEG's might? Where is AEG's respect? Where is AEG's voice? It is truly sickening and abhorrent that decisions to improve, strengthen, fortify, and bullet-proof this team (our LA Galaxy) are things that this organization is either too clueless or scared or lazy in doing. Absolutely PITIFUL!!!

Chad Hartigan said...

Didn't David Beckham score in his first start? The 2-0 Superliga match against DC