Friday Galaxy Gameday
A four-year wait could be over for the Galaxy this weekend.
The Galaxy will qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the MLS Cup-winning season of 2005 if they defeat the Fire and Chivas USA ties or wins at D.C. United.
How long ago is that?
That was a team that featured Naldo, Pablo Chinchilla and one-season wonder Herculez Gomez, scorer of 11 goals in 22 games. It was a team fabulous in its total mediocrity you'll recall; the Galaxy barely qualified for the playoffs with a 13-13-6 record and then improbably went on to win the MLS title when Pando Ramirez belatedly recognized what a goal net was and actually scored.
Among the worst things that ever happened to the Galaxy.
It meant Steve Sampson stuck around until mid-2006 and Alexi Lalas joined after GM Doug Hamilton died on a airplane coming back from a CONCACAF Champions Cup clash the following season.
And we know what happened from there.
Tonight is an opportunity for the Galaxy to put that unpleasant past behind them before a national television audience (8 p.m. ESPN2).
It won't be easy. The Fire can also clinch a post-season berth with a win (and if D.C. United fails to defeat Chivas USA).
Pulling for Chivas USA isn't the only thing the clubs have in common. There are all sorts of unusual similarities between the teams right down to home goal differential. Check out the statistical parallels here.
The Fire are the best road team in the league and have the aerial arsenal of veteran Brian McBride at their disposal after his return from injury.
Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Rolling Hills Estates' John Thorrington are out for the Fire, although David Beckham and A.J. DeLaGarza are expected to return for the Galaxy. Galaxy midfielder Dema Kovalenko faces a late fitness test; Stefani Miglioranzi is out.
There's more here.
Updated bonus quotes from reporter Phil Collin:
Here's Landon Donovan on the implications of the game:
"We realize that most likely if we win this game we're in the playoffs. We worked very hard this year at putting ourselves in this position and now we control our own destiny, which is great. And we have an opportunity in front of our fans to seal it.
"We have done a really good job starting with Bruce and then with our veteran guys of changing the way our team functions on a daily basis. That doesn't come down to one person or one coach or one player. That comes down to a lot of people stepping up to take responsibility and we've all done that. The teams that are successful in this league have those qualities."
Here's Coach Bruce Arena, on why there have been some topsy-turvy results lately:
"Tension is part of it and I also think as we've said all along there's a real fine line between all the teams that are just a step out of the playoffs. The teams that have played well lately are teams that have been at the bottom of the standings. Perhaps there's no pressure on them.
One last thing: Win or lose DeLagarza, Chris Birchall and Miss LA Galaxy will be at the newly-opened Chipotle in Hermosa Beach, 1439 Pacific Coast Highway, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Yum.
Updated: BTW, since we're reminiscing here, The Seattle Times has a profile of former Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid today. Check out the article here.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
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.
Re Pando - Ha! Hey, a goal is a goal, Mr. Critic-of-the-Game. (o; (Guess I know where I'm eating Sat night...)
Now now, Pando scored in the regular season as well...I was at the game. Against Colorado at home, the Galaxy won a penalty when they were comfortably ahead, and Landon let Pando take it. Joe Cannon dove the correct way, Pando's shot hit the bar and bounced off the back of Cannon's head to roll in.
Yeah, I remember that, too. Except it was more minor miracle than goal. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't miss that one right at the end of the game. It was possibly the most hilarious goal ever scored by a Galaxy player.
Ahh, but the goal that won the cup, which (if I remember right) he scored as a late sub. That was golden, and I'm not saying that sarcastically. I remember it being well-taken from some distance, tho the distance has probably grown in my memory.
I think the team released him about five minutes after the game. Awwwwkward.
For those that don't know, Pando returned to Guatemala where he immediately started burning up the league with Municipal, and he's won 3 league titles since then. It seemed like every weekend he would be on "VW Gol" on GolTV with a great goal.
Don't get me wrong, he was not good for the Galaxy, but I always felt kind of bad for him...signed for the Gs thinking he would be playing alongside his close friend and national team teammate Carlos Ruiz, then finds out that Ruiz is traded so Donovan could come in. He doesn't know anyone, is played out of position, and the head coach is a joke. I always wished him well.
Years of on-field soccer mismanagement kicked off under the Hamilton/Sigi's reign. Why both of these gentlemen are being diefied in LA is beyond me. Doug promised a return to soccer glory for LA when he was brought in but could not deliver an attractive team. Sigi rode the Ruiz hot-streak for a while, but the team played horrible soccer.
All of this coincides with the lack of central midfield leadership since the retirement of Cien. Hard to fathom that no one has been able to correct that obvious mistake and we are suffering because of it even with Landon and David in the line up now.
Excellent points, Studs Up, especially about Hamilton.