Watch Bruce Arena’s press conference after the Galaxy’s 5-2 loss to Portland on Sunday.
Hit the jump for a transcript provided by the LA Galaxy of what he said.
Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff photographer
The Galaxy control their own destiny when it comes to clinching a first-round bye in the MLS Playoffs. If they win at least one of their final two games, then they will avoid a knockout round. But after that, getting that second seed in the Western Conference gets complicated.
Continue reading “LA Galaxy game day: Fight for playoff seeding in full force” »
After picking up an injury against Seattle on Oct. 4, Giovani dos Santos said he is feeling healthy for the Galaxy’s final two games of the season. Photo by Steve McCrank/Staff Photographer
After a slew of injuries this season, the Galaxy are getting healthy at the right time.
Head coach Bruce Arena said Friday “this is as close to us getting healthy as it’s been the whole year,” with Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard echoing that sentiment.
Arena was coy about specifics concerning Giovani dos Santos (groin), Robbie Rogers (hip) and Baggio Husidic (hamstring), saying simply “we haven’t ruled anyone out” due to injury.
Dos Santos, who missed last week’s epic CONCACAF clash due to a groin injury, said Friday he felt fit after training for the past three days. He said it is the same injury that hampered him at the Gold Cup this summer. Initially, dos Santos was expected to miss two to three weeks with the injury.
The 26-year-old said he feels fit enough to go 90 minutes in Sunday’s game against Portland.
With the playoffs around the corner, dos Santos said it is also important to ensure his health for the stretch run of the season.
“If I don’t feel healthy enough I don’t want to put myself in a bad position,” dos Santos said. “I am smart with that, if I feel something tomorrow or during the game, I won’t risk my body.”
A snippet of shooting practice at training
Speaking of dos Santos, he was at the grand opening of a Nike store in East L.A. on Thursday and showed off some of his skills.
A little @oficialgio ⚽️ in East Los. https://t.co/tLEDpmjenQ
— Adam Serrano (@LAGalaxyInsider) October 16, 2015
Giovani dos Santos at the opening of a new Nike store in East L.A. Photo courtesy Nike
Untouchable? What magnitude of screw-up will it take to get this guy fired? (Associated Press Photo)
Is it time for Jurgen Klinsmann to go as boss of the USMNT? Read my take in this week’s 100 Percent Soccer column.
Photo by Robert Mora/LA Galaxy
The Galaxy are coming off a bye week with two more regular season games left. On Sunday, they host Portland at 4 p.m. and then end the season on the road at Kansas City on Oct. 25. In between their final regular season games, the Galaxy have a CONCACAF Champions League game in Guatemala on Oct. 21.
Some midweek links to get you prepared for the game:
And because it’s cute:
⚽️ http://t.co/us3h8AR2FB pic.twitter.com/z3jFFuTq1s
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy_Es) October 14, 2015
Photo by Will Lester // Daily Bulletin
When Bobby Wood snuck behind the Mexican defense and slotted the equalizing goal against Mexico into the back of the net in the 108th minute on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl, the United States men’s national team was thinking penalty kicks to decide the winner of the CONCACAF Cup.
Paul Aguilar changed that.
The Mexican defender one-touched a volley home in the 118th minute against the United States to give Mexico a thrilling 3-2 win and the right to represent CONCACAF in the Confederations Cup in 2017 in Russia.
Continue reading “Recapping Mexico’s thrilling CONCACAF Cup win” »
Geoff Cameron scored the first goal for the United States, heading in a free kick from Michael Bradley in the first half to even the game 1-1. Photo by Will Lester // Daily Bulletin
On playing in this game: It’s an honor. You represent your country, put on the national team jersey and get to play in a stadium like this. In fron to f90,000 people, whether they’re Mexican fans or American fans, it’s an amazing feeling. Every day that you get to represent your country, you walk out in front of 90,000 people, whether they’re hating you or cheering for you, it’s an amazing feeling.
Feelings on the game: I’m pretty disappointed. To fight back 1-1 then give up a goal, then tie it 2-2, you feel like you’re going into penalties, a couple minutes left in the game, then the guy scores a good-looking goal. If you’re going to lose, you might as well lose like that. But obviously disappointed because we showed resilience, we showed the effort that we had, never say die attitude and we left it all on the field. It’s a tough one to swallow.
On what his team showed: I think we showed how tough we are to break down, even though they had three goals, 3-2, it’s just disappointing to come so close then the last couple minutes of the game, you can do back through the 90 minutes or 120 minutes and you can break down when we could have been better, but at the end of the day, we showed the resilience we had and we showed the passion. It’s just one of those.
On the stakes that were riding on this game: We’re almost playing an away game, you could say. You can definitely feel it here, our fans supporting us for sure. I’m sure they’re disappointed just as much as we are. With a rivalry like this, you always want America to beat Mexico and I’m sure Mexico wants to beat America. That’s what the rivalry is all about and that’s why it makes it such a special game. To be a part of it, this is a game where you go to extra time, we wish it was a better ending for us, but we gotta move forward. We can’t dwell on this, we got another game Tuesday and we gotta turn this around.
If he though it was going to PKs after Bobby Wood’s goal: Yeah, they changed their formation when they went up 2-1. They kind of dropped back and allowed us to get back into the game. We started getting possession and we started creating some chances. Bobby gets into the back of the net then we’re tied 2-2, it’s going back and forth and all of the sudden a couple of minutes left, a free kick, we clear our lines, the ball pops up and it’s a goal. In my mind, I’m thinking, let’s keep it tight, let’s make it very difficult for them to score like we always try to do. You always want to close out games, take it into penalties. For me, seeing the guys training this week, practicing our penalties, I believe in Brad. I thought we were going to win it, but it’s just one of those you have to swallow and go into the next one.
Photo Will Lester /// Daily Bulletin
Hit the jump for a transcript of what Michael Bradley said:
Continue reading “Video: Michael Bradley after 3-2 loss to Mexico” »
Hit the jump for a full transcript of Klinsmann’s press conference:
Continue reading “VIDEO: Jurgen Klinsmann press conference after CONCACAF Cup loss” »
U.S. midfielder Alejandro Bedoya will miss Saturday’s CONCACAF Cup matchup with Mexico after suffering from a fever this week, U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann said Wednesday.
Bobby Wood will replace Bedoya, who missed the past two days of training.
“It’s a bummer because he was burning,” Klinsmann said of Bedoya.
Klinsmann also confirmed that Michael Bradley, who was also at the press conference, will captain the U.S. side on Saturday. Bradley said he is optimistic about how his team will respond with Bedoya out.
MB on Bedoya’s absence: “We’ll miss Alejandro for sure…We all have faith that whoever steps on the field tomorrow will be ready to go.”
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 9, 2015
Hit the jump from other notes from the U.S. press conference: Continue reading “Alejandro Bedoya out for CONCACAF Cup, Bobby Wood in” »