The Galaxy: Helpless, Hapless and Hopeless
Condolences to those of you, who, like me, just gave up two hours of a lovely summer afternoon to watch FC Dallas massacre the Galaxy 4-0.
Two goals inside 90 seconds just after 15 minutes sealed the result, but it could have been 6-0 (or more). The Galaxy ended the game with just two shots on goal (Dallas had 14).
Debutant Eduardo Dominguez looked like the second coming of Abel Xavier, Ante Jazic played as if he was allergic to attackers and David Beckham and Landon Donovan were largely invisible.
I have the Galaxy PR folks' cellphone, but I'll skip calling and avoid talking to players and coaches. What do I ask? How humiliated are you? Have you ever seen a team you were a part of play that badly? Do you know what a goal looks like?
And yes, I'm sharpening the knives for the mid-season Galaxy and Chivas USA review I am planning for Tuesday's column.
These stats don't lie.
And remember, this was a sixth-place team against one bidding for first in the Western Conference.
Updated:
Game story.
Kudos to Kenny Cooper for showing the officials at Cardiff City in Wales what he can do for them.
They're happy in Texas though.
6 Comments
Leave a comment
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook.
Dude, you're a reporter with access. Make the call and get some quotes as a nice service to your loyal readers.
The quotes will be more interesting after a drubbing then usual.
Nick - You're a better man than me, and you've certainly earned your pay. I couldn't stand to watch it to the end. It was what I guess they mean when they call a defeat "comprehensive," and when they say that a team was "exposed."
To be fair, the defense seemed no better or worse to me than it has for weeks or even months. Crummy, yes, but about the same as before. Dominguez made no difference. We've been talking about the possibility of 5-4 wins all year, and this could conceivably have been that.
I thought the difference was in the midfield and up top. The Galaxy were simply awful in the midfield. Unfocused, often passive, boring, eventually unwatchable.
Up top, I don't expect anything from Ruiz, but before this game Beckham, Donovan, Buddle were starting to click. Today, like the midfield, they were a step or two slow, consistently made unforced errors in passing, and couldn't hold the ball. Beckham's crosses and service were okay.
The substitutions made no difference at all.
I don't know what I'd do if I were Gullit.
Wow. Has there been a more piss poor effort this season aside from the season opener?
I really don't have much to say about this one, other than if this is a sign of things to come in regards to Dominguez, we'd be better off signing me up for the league minimum. Heard nothing about him but his steady and technical play, instead I see him for the first time play like an AYSO'er. Hopefully it was just nerves in his MLS debut. Did I really just put nerves and MLS debut in the same sentance?
Anyways, I think Ruud is doing what he can with Lalas' makeshift roster. Can we start a countdown to Lalas getting the axe?
You won't call the galaxy pr? Watching the sport you cover is a waste of you time? what? And you call yourself a sportswriter? Do you think maybe there's a reason you barely get any comments here? Maybe you should call your blog 100% galaxy hater. If you can't stand to cover the team, don't! Here's was a real blog looks like... insidesocal.com/kings Take some notes from Rich, a REAL professional.
Nick replies: Did you watch the game? And no, after enduring that game I wasn't going to expend more effort on it on a Sunday (while working for free I might add).
You might also have a little more credibility if could could spell, punctuate and use proper grammar. Still, thanks for reading.
Congrats to Kenny Cooper! I saw him score against Norway (?) a couple years back at the home depot center. Everyone in our group was impressed with his speed and size. I thought they were traits the US international team was sorely missing and always wondered why he didn't get more call-ups. Hopefully he works his way into the starting job at Cardiff and Bradley won't have any excuse to keep him off the Nat. Team.
Note to Galaxy PR mavens reading this blog:
You can't put lipstick on a pig.
You can't put feathers on a bat.
You can't make Fidel Castro join the Miami Chamber of Commerce.
So don't try.
Thank you.
Burma Shave.