LA Galaxy 0, Kansas City Wizards 2
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The Home Depot Center – Carson, Calif.
Scoring Summary:
KC – Davy Arnaud 3 (Kei Kamara 3) 12’
KC – Jimmy Conrad 1 (Davy Arnaud 3) 70’
Misconduct Summary:
LA – Chris Birchall (Yellow Card) 69’
KC – Jimmy Nielsen (Yellow Card) 93+
Lineups:
LA Galaxy: Donovan Ricketts; Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, Leonardo, Todd Dunivant Chris Birchall (Jovan Kirovski 77’), Chris Klein (Tristan Bowen 62’), Landon Donovan©, Michael Stephens; Edson Buddle, Mike Magee (Alex Cazumba 73’).
Subs Not Used: Josh Saunders, A.J. DeLaGarza, Dema Kovalenko, Eddie Lewis.
Kansas City Wizards: Jimmy Nielsen; Michael Harrington, Shavar Thomas, Jimmy Conrad, Roger Espinoza; Stephane Auvray, Davy Arnaud©, Craig Rocastle (Jack Jewsbury 66’), Kei Kamara (Teal Bunbury 81’), Ryan Smith (Graham Zusi 87’); Birahim Diop.
Subs Not Used: Eric Kronberg, Korede Aiyegbusi, Jonathan Leathers, Chance Myers.
Notes:
• Despite the loss, the Galaxy remain in first place in the Western Conference with a 13-5-4 record on the season. They Galaxy are now just three points ahead of Real Salt Lake for first place in the Western Conference and two points ahead of Columbus for the best record in MLS.
• Bruce Arena made two changes to the team that fell 1-0 at San Jose last weekend, with Todd Dunivant and Chris Klein each returning to the starting lineup. They replaced A.J. DeLaGarza, who started the game on the bench and Juninho, who missed the game after having to return to Brazil earlier in the week because of personal matters.
• In addition to Juninho, the Galaxy were also without David Beckham, who remains on the Disabled List after undergoing surgery in March to repair a torn Achilles tendon and Gregg Berhalter who was unavailable because of viral complications.
• Tristan Bowen returned to the 18-man squad in place of Bryan Jordan after missing last weekend’s game against the Earthquakes because of flu-like symptoms.
• The Galaxy fell behind 1-0 in the 12th minute behind a goal from Davy Arnaud. They have now allowed the game’s first goal in each of their last three MLS home games and five of their last seven games in the league.
• LA is 0-5-1 now on the season when allowing the game’s opening goal, compared to 13-0-0 when scoring the first goal.
• LA has also allowed a goal in the opening 15 minutes of each of their last three home games in the league and three of their last four, dating back to the 4-1 win over Houston on June 5.
• Chris Birchall was booked in the 69th minute for his fifth yellow card of the season. As a result, he will be suspended for next weekend’s game against the Fire.
• Omar Gonzalez and Juninho, were not booked in the game, meaning each are eligible to play next weekend against the Fire.
• The Galaxy have now lost two consecutive home games in the league for the first time since the 2007 season.
• Including the CONCACAF Champions League defeat to Puerto Rico on July 27, LA is now winless in their last four games at The Home Depot Center, going 0-3-1 in that time. The Galaxy’s last home win came on July 4 against Seattle.
• Tonight’s game was the Galaxy’s first home game in all competitions since the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round win over AC St. Louis, including the friendly against Real Madrid, that did not see at least four goals scored.
• Prior to tonight, LA had only been shutout six times on the season, with only one of those coming at The Home Depot Center.
• This was just the Galaxy’s second loss by more than a single goal this season. They also lost 2-0 at New England on July 10.
• The Wizards shutout the Galaxy in each of their meetings this season. They join Toronto FC as the only two teams not to allow a goal against LA this season.
• Tonight’s win for the Wizards was their first over the Galaxy since September 2008 and their first in Carson since October 2004.
• The attendance for today’s game was 20,112.
• The Galaxy are back in action next Saturday, September 4 when they travel to Chicago to face the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park. That game kicks off at 1 p.m. (PT) and can be seen live on Fox Sports West starting with Galaxy Live at 12:30 p.m. and on TeleFutura at 1 p.m.
• For more about today’s game, please visit www.lagalaxy.com.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Struggles Continue as Galaxy Fall 2-0 to Kansas City
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5 comments:
First off, as much as I am sad and disappointed, and hurt by the results tonight... I will NOT fault the effort put in by our players. I think I've watched enough, actual MLS and non-MLS games to say that we just do NOT have the calibre and quality of players on our current roster that Columbus Crew, Real Salt Lake, and KC Wizards have at present. Please, it is not to say we don't have a good group of guys, and a more harmonius, and clear locker room. At present, player-for-player comparison against those of other teams just mentioned above... Sorry, we just do not measure up. The key reason why we are continuing to experience these worrisome, repetitive, trending results... our guys are NOT... I am pretty sure of this after watching closely so many games... our guys are NOT understanding, memorizing, and performing correct off the ball, on the counter-run positioning such that the runs into final third are collectively spread-out to make it easier to build up attacking whether left, center, or right. Other teams have figured out that it is very, very easy to stop Landon on his attacking runs and his build-up. It is!!! Face it, he's been stopped in his tracks for about four games now, at the very least!!!
Next, I agree - YES, Mike Stephens did make a whole lot of passing errors and mistakes in this game. Agreed. Will not deny that. But, the lad tries his hardest to stop the counter build-up for the other team after he blunders. He is a draft pick-up after-all. Alex Cazumba also falls into the category of making way too many passing and crossing mistakes. This has to be adressed & corrected the right way and manner with strong attentive one-on-one coaching.
I think by now, I can safely say that Bruce instructs in collective - not individual. And, Bruce just does not get attacking football. Right now, this is hurting us, it's hurting us, it's hurting us!!! Please, do not take this as a comment to suggest to replace Bruce. NO! NO! NO! Bruce absolutely needs help by an assistant coach who can definitely and effectively teach attacking football and especially proper positioning and lanes of passing on counter-attack. I really believe it will benefit the whole club and team to hire someone to teach everyone in the playing staff attacking football. I am sure LAG definitely has the connections and wherabouts to get someone very good at this. Right now, Robert Warzycha and Jason Kries are doing a phenomenal job with their players in promoting attacking football, the right way!!!
At this rate we will have NO CHANCE at all to win Supporters Shield. And, that would be so, so, so shameful... considering we got so easily beaten on USOC and CONCACAF Champions League. It's such a tragedy that this club simply does not know when to call, ask, and bring in help... and, put aside pride and aloofness. It's so ridiculously silly that Bruce and Dave cannot find it in themselves to be humble and accept that they are IN OVER THEIR HEADS, if they truly believe that hard-core 8-man defensive soccer is going to win them Supporters Shield and MLS PlayOffs.
Accept your deficiencies and address them NOW... SOON... DON'T wait until three games left.
What an appropriate title to the way these past several games have been going... "Sruggles continue for the LA Galaxy..." SHAME ON THE COACHING STAFF for not realizing and acting and doing something about areas of deficiencies. Please, please have Landon take a playing role in EPL - before it's too late. We absolutely need the cap-space to get actual, solid, ultra-strong wingers. Our team has no true wingers. Tristan comes close - but, he is not a true winger. Please, do the necessary thing and suggest the "classy, behaved, good guys - Chris K and Eddie L - to call it in/done at the end of the season. It's so evident... these players are getting stopped and beaten on runs and plays. They're great guys, no doubt... but, soccer is NOT a sport where points, trophies, and awards are given to "nice and classy" guys in the locker room. That's all nice and dandy for photo-ops, brochures, magazines, and autograph sessions... it counts as a pile of sand in competition.
I didn't get to watch the game, I still say that The Galaxy don't play well in the hotter weather months. Hopefully when Beckham gets back in the Lineup he will give them a big lift!
If the game was a sellout there were a whole lot of no shows.
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