RSL/LA Galaxy June 11th Pre/IN/Post Game Talk [R]

[Jim Umber]

Originally Posted by montgjules

I am going to agree wit Neil... Sorry, ska, but you're a bit of a doomsday poster and I think you're a bit over the top w/ that.

We are not performing great, but we're improving. It'll gel eventually, even if it takes a year or so. I'm just happy to be here.

And I'm going with Neil and Jules. But you probably already figured out that I'm the "crazy optimist". 😉 (I was going to use another phrase, perfectly clean and okay, but the system "starred" part of it out. Sheesh!) 😕

I know that the team is going to win the next one, hands down. From here on it's going to be one win after another! RSL is going straight to the top! (have I convinced you, yet?) 🙄

[Remus]

Originally Posted by Mango Jam

I would love to if I could pick it up out here in OK. I don't think I can tune to 1280 on the pc and watch the game on mlsnet at the same time. If this possible, somebody please tell me how. I'll even rep ya for it 😉

I just tried it. MLSnet.com uses Windows Media player and 1280 uses a plugin within the browser. I tested it and had not problem playing both, just mute Media player and you are good to go.

[Old Ska]

Originally Posted by montgjules

I am going to agree wit Neil... Sorry, ska, but you're a bit of a doomsday poster and I think you're a bit over the top w/ that.

We are not performing great, but we're improving. It'll gel eventually, even if it takes a year or so. I'm just happy to be here.

Improving? How so? Seriously, what are we doing better now than we did at the beginning of May? We aren't even winning at home anymore (Wed night doesn't count, that was a match against a deep, deep reserve squad). I think that we can say we are improving when we win on the road.

I think you can love, and be loyal to, your team while being realistic about what is happening with it. We have a bit of an echo chamber here. Look around at what people on other discussion groups are saying about RSL. Look at the press. While I also don't agree with the, uh, more extreme views about how bad we are that are floating around out there, I think that it is just established fact that we have no offensive capability to speak of. This has to be addressed. If we are going to have no offense anyways, drop the guys we are playing the big bucks for and give the young guys the chance to step up.

[Rover]

Originally Posted by Old Ska

Improving? How so? Seriously, what are we doing better now than we did at the beginning of May? We aren't even winning at home anymore (Wed night doesn't count, that was a match against a deep, deep reserve squad). I think that we can say we are improving when we win on the road.

I think you can love, and be loyal to, your team while being realistic about what is happening with it. We have a bit of an echo chamber here. Look around at what people on other discussion groups are saying about RSL. Look at the press. While I also don't agree with the, uh, more extreme views about how bad we are that are floating around out there, I think that it is just established fact that we have no offensive capability to speak of. This has to be addressed. If we are going to have no offense anyways, drop the guys we are playing the big bucks for and give the young guys the chance to step up.

I'll tell you how we're improving. We actually maintained some possession, moved well off the ball, and played team defense yesterday. I can't call it a trend since we didn't see it in the previous three games, but against a full strength and very talented team playing in front of another 20,000+ of their home fans, we did much better than we did in April. I know, we got a goal in that game, but I was there and can tell you we are a better team now.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get a result yesterday. But what is being built now will help us get into the playoffs, and, more importantly, lay the foundation for teams in the future. I'm as frustrated as anyone, but I see no reason to be pessimistic about this team. None. We are doing the right things as a club off the field, and that will translate into success on the field. Maybe not this month, or even this year. But it will happen.

Do I have concerns? Sure. We have players who are not producing as they should. I'll leave that to the coaching staff. But overall, I'm very pleased with how the club has been built and confident that we are on the right track long term.

[clarette]

I decided I'm kind of over trying to be irate. It just makes my head hurt.

Sully on FSC articulated a lot of what I've been seeing throughout the last few matches... the inability to play the ball out of the back, the lack of any midfield cohesion (well, okay, maybe because we just decide to play over it instead of through it 75% of the time), and blah blah blah. He speaks kind of awkwardly at times, but he analyzes the game better than most of the other options out there.

I'm tired of saying the same exact thing every week, so I'm just not going to. Hoping for better things in SJ next weekend.

[Aerick]

Originally Posted by Rover

I'll tell you how we're improving. We actually maintained some possession, moved well off the ball, and played team defense yesterday. I can't call it a trend since we didn't see it in the previous three games, but against a full strength and very talented team playing in front of another 20,000+ of their home fans, we did much better than we did in April. I know, we got a goal in that game, but I was there and can tell you we are a better team now.

I agree 100%! That's why I enjoyed watching us lose this game to LA more then watching us lose any of the other away games - we had more possession. The other games I was always pulling my hair out because it seemed that practically each pass was either to nobody, or it would just be intercepted by the other team.

[Old Ska]

Is this idea that we had more possession last game based on actual stats or a subjective impression? It looks like mlsnet.com doesn't have the time of poss. stats where they used to be in the past and I am having trouble finding this data elsewhere. Are you saying that we are improving in relation just to matches after May 14th, that I may have to agree with, but our overall trajectory is not moving in the "improving" direction.

My own impression is that this possession stat has remained about the same, and if anything we had far less time with the ball on their side of the field. But, like I said, this is just my impression.

Our scoring situation is bad, really bad. We have scored a total of 8 goals all season, and none in the last 411 minutes. Chivas has scored 13, Crapids have scored 12.

The worst team in the Eastern Division, Columbus, has also scored just 8 by my count, and 6 of those came against Western division teams! (3 against LA, 2 against RSL, and 1 against Crapids), and the other 2 came against the next worst team in the East, D.C. United. We might currently have a couple of teams below us in the table, but if things don't change drastically that won't last long at all.

April 9th was our last goal on the road.

I agree with the point about team defense play being improved.

Who is going to pull us out of this? My guess is the Williams/Dipsy combo, if they are allowed to. Remember last season's 415 minute goaless streak that Chicago was suffering under? Williams ended that. The 9 game winless streak at Chicago last season? Dipsy and Williams.

[SoccerPrime]

Selolwane/Williams combo is our savior?
We ARE in big trouble.

[Dadof3]

Ratings:

DJ - 6 actually controlled his box a little...helps that, currently, the Gals do not have any big threats in the air.
The D - Group score - 6. They were solid, but loose with the ball coming out of the back (especially Dunseth...my guess is he was looking over his shoulder for Baby Jesus)...Behncke was much better with Kammy next to him (luckily only had to deal with Kirovski). Kammy knows the outside back and still has enough athleticism to play it...much better role for him. Akwari was solid.

Individual grades in the mid:

Cutler: 6 Not bad at all...knows how to play d-mid, passes pretty well...first game this year where I was not worried the other team could come right up the middle on us (so the Gals went wide or over). Sorry Kammy, but I think the experiment is over.

Williams: 4 Many have commented that we need to get him the ball more...why? Just to watch him beat a player with a quick move and then not create any space...He won't be dangerous until he beats a player and then goes at speed at the rest of the defense...draws them to him...and then passes to the open player. Right now he is playing too slowly so the other teams do not have to bring 2 to him. It looks like he is past his sell-by date.

Mathis: 3 I put him here because he refuses to play up front. He has all the same problems as Williams. Once he beats a player (when he actually tries to beat a player :o ) he is not going at speed to create a man-up situation. He has no off the ball movement and has lost his speed. I like his vision...but right now he is a poor mans Valdarama and that is sooo MLS 1997.

Brown: 5 Doesn't help much defensively...puts in poor crosses....does not make runs off the ball. He is decent and strong on the dribble and will beat a player or two. He also battles in the air.

Kreis: 5 At least he battles. He is a fish out of water in the midfield and has all of the same problems of Williams and Mathis. No quicks...no speed...average skills. At least he (unlike Mathis and Williams for most of the year) battles.

Seth: Other than hacking, did not get much done.

Forwards

Washington: 4.5 Kind of a mixed bag. Did not pass well...dribbled like crap...held the ball poorly. BUT, has a better body than Kreis for playing the target forward and tries to make the right runs. Was unlucky, twice 😲 , on the two headers. Long term he is not the answer, but he is the best we have seen so far up front in the target role (damning with faint praise).

Watson: 7 Wonderful bent ball on our best chance and was probably not offside on his break-away. Look what happens when you have soccer players who actually RUN and work off the ball.

Ellinger 5 Seems to have recognized the problem but is stuck in two minds...does he let our former all-stars (Williams/Mathis) play themselves back into form or does he pull them until they prove to him on the practice pitch that they are back (pulling Mathis for Watson was just the beginning). We have got to get some speed on the pitch or we will not score another 5 goals this season. Nice choice putting in the new d-mid. Besagno proved he is not ready yet, but Cutler seems to be...

Go ReAL! (yes, I'm bummed we're not better...but remember, we could be Crapids fans...if there are any left :D )

[Aerick]

Originally Posted by Old Ska

Is this idea that we had more possession last game based on actual stats or a subjective impression? It looks like mlsnet.com doesn't have the time of poss. stats where they used to be in the past and I am having trouble finding this data elsewhere. Are you saying that we are improving in relation just to matches after May 14th, that I may have to agree with, but our overall trajectory is not moving in the "improving" direction.

My own impression is that this possession stat has remained about the same, and if anything we had far less time with the ball on their side of the field. But, like I said, this is just my impression.

Our scoring situation is bad, really bad. We have scored a total of 8 goals all season, and none in the last 411 minutes. Chivas has scored 13, Crapids have scored 12.

The worst team in the Eastern Division, Columbus, has also scored just 8 by my count, and 6 of those came against Western division teams! (3 against LA, 2 against RSL, and 1 against Crapids), and the other 2 came against the next worst team in the East, D.C. United. We might currently have a couple of teams below us in the table, but if things don't change drastically that won't last long at all.

April 9th was our last goal on the road.

I agree with the point about team defense play being improved.

Who is going to pull us out of this? My guess is the Williams/Dipsy combo, if they are allowed to. Remember last season's 415 minute goaless streak that Chicago was suffering under? Williams ended that. The 9 game winless streak at Chicago last season? Dipsy and Williams.

Time of possession based on my impression, and based on what I've seen all season as an average. So I could be wrong, and maybe my perception is actually based on ball control, or more completed passes rather than actual possession time. Regardless, though, my perception of the game was more positive than negative.

As far as using Dipsy and Williams, you got my vote. I've always liked Selolwane. Although, I'd love to see two or three ball controllers up front alongside Washington for height to win the headers and as a threat on crosses and corners. I would suggest Washington (center), Watson, Tiger, Mathis, and Williams. Two of which would act as the wings on the front (Watson and Tiger/Williams), while the other two would be attacking mids (Tiger/Williams and Mathis). This formation with Dipsy coming in as a sub for Watson or whoever is on the other wing.

Feel free to tear this strategy apart. :D