Galaxy-Toronto Postgame
Galaxy 2 Toronto FC 0
Toronto's Nick Garcia paid close attention to Edson Buddle. (AP Photo).
Best line of the night goes to Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena explaining why last weekend's debacle and this Saturday's game were so dissimilar:
"In all honesty Dave Sarachen coached the team last week and this week I was fully in charge."
Arena on the differences between last week and this week:
"Last week's game against Dallas was a lesson for us and hopefully it got our attention. It appears like it did and if that makes us a better team down the stretch, great. I'm not sure I did anything different this week than I did last week. It is was it it is. There's an expression: shit happens. And it certainly happened last week. I can't explain it. I'm happy it passed though."
Arena on Sean Franklin's progress:
"Sean probably learned a lot through observing over the last three to four months. ... He played a very intelligent game tonight. I would have thought that after some of the runs he made tonight in the first half his runs were certainly going to be limited. ... Sean worked his tail off the past four months and got himself into the sort of physical condition you saw tonight. It was remarkable. ... I'm still shocked we got 90 minutes out of him. He looked like a much more mature player than I saw last year."
David Beckham on the rebound win:
"This week we worked well in training. The manager shouted at us every day and sometimes you need a kick up the backsides to get going and we deserved it - we deserved a kick up the backside after last week.
On whether this was his best performance in a Galaxy jersey:
"I don't know I've had a couple of good ones and a couple of bad ones, but tonight I was happy with my goal. I'm always happy when I score. I was happy with the assist I gave to Landon, then to Eddy, but it was the overall performance of the team that was the exceptional thing tonight.
On his rapport with Chris Burchall:
"He's come in, he's worked really hard for the team and he's done well. We understand each other with the language thing so it works well."
Here's Burchall on his role in the game:
"It gives a license for David to get forward and take a bit of a risk because I'll be filling in from behind. It's the way I like it and it's just nice to get 90 minutes."
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Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. 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 and follow him on Twitter.
Much better performance than last week, other results also went for the G's :)
Beckham on his rapport with Chris Birchall:
"He's come in, he's worked really hard for the team and he's done well. We understand each other with the language thing so it works well."
Do most Americans not speak English?!
At least he also provided the talking on the pitch for the right reasons tonight...
Did I read that this game was going to be televised in the UK (along with a few other MLS games)? That could have given Beckham a little boost, knowing that his countrymen and national coach might be watching.
Bruce:
"I'm not sure I did anything different this week than I did last week"
Well dude, you made a huge difference by not starting Kirovski and Magee upfront. It was suicidal to start them upfront with a tired Donovan and a travel weary Beckham in the middle of a 4-4-2 formation last week. All that did was to shake up the confidence of a back line that was holding its own until then.
This was Beckham's best game by far in a Galaxy uniform.
Re Donovan, I am convinced his best position is a withdrawn forward in 4-4-2 or the free-wheeling midfielder in a 4-5-1 formation which ever way you care to see it.
Kudos to Toronto for actually trying to play good soccer. Even Garcia had a civilized game for the most part. De Guzman is a quality player. Glad to see him in MLS. Also looking forward to seeing real grass at BMO field next year. If only the Sounders get around to it. Vancouver and Portland should not be allowed to come in with the fake fields.
Second goal was for me the best of the year: hustle by Beckham, positioning and technical execution by Donovan and Buddle.
Keep doing that, and they can beat Columbus, Chicago and Houston.
OT: Chivas remain the dark horse with two games in hand, and it doesn't seem like anybody's paying attention. If they get six points out of those two games, they could win the division, cashing in on their strong first half.