LA Galaxy Vs. Seattle Sounders: Well, A Tie Is Better Than A Loss, Right?

L.A. supporters group singing “you’re just a suburb of Portland” was amusing… particularly from a team that plays in Carson.

The lower seeded of the wildcard teams that advance will play the SS winner in the playoffs, and we’re almost certainly going to be the highest WC spot if we get there. That means that we get seeded into a much easier Eastern conference bracket if we win our WC game. If we get 4th place overall, our path to the cup, assuming higher seed wins, our WC draw looks something like Colorado (home) → Philadelphia (home and away) → Columbus (away) → Dallas (MLS Cup). That’s actually probably an easier schedule than our third or second place in the west draw, which looks like: LA (home and away) → Dallas (away) → Philadelphia (MLS Cup).

Of course, if we can make it all the way to the shield, things look a whole lot easier. In that case, we’re looking at San Jose (home and away) → Dallas (home) → Philadelphia (MLS Cup)

and he played i think 90 today in the reserve game..

Noonan and Jaqua made it over him

In fact, I predict you’ll see it as soon as Sunday. We’re playing Portland, remember?

numbers have shown that if you hit it hard and on frame you are very likely to convert a PK. Finesses PK’s must be perfectly placed or deceive the keeper because with lack of power, a keeper actually has time to react to the kick, or read the kick taker.
With power, the only chance the keeper has is to guess correctly, and even then they may not be able to reach it and parry it away from the goal.

is actually our PK taker but with Evans not starting yesterday Montero took it.

given how far off his line Perk came (he’s about 3 yds up before he starts his dive), and don’t think Perk saves it if he doesn’t get the additional help. Hard, low, to the corner, doesn’t get much better than that.

Aside from the one instance, Levesque was less than invisible IMO. He routinely was positioned around midfield even when play had progressed beyond there, and his passing left a lot to be desired as well (chalkboard shows about 50%, don’t care to calculate the actual). He’s certainly playing above his previous level, but that puts him at mid-level substitution, not starter. I can’t say, however, that I necessarily prefer to see Fucito in his place, and certainly don’t see anyone else to take the spot, so I suppose its his by elimination of others.

and “hate” are two words I’d like to see dropped from discussion boards.

Levesque’s run preceding service to Montero was decent enough. The cross was nothing special- well behind the forward and didn’t involve any particular play in the box to create a clear opportunity. Montero’s touch and skill made that play.

The skied ball at the beginning was one of the better chances to test Perk.

The headers Levesque did win on the day were not directed dangerously (there’s a reason long balls started seeking out Fernandez instead, and therefore a reason why Fernandez didn’t break often for the endline… the other reason being Alvaro can’t beat Franklin for pace). He generally failed either to advance the ball or retain possession when the ball was put to feet.

Used correctly, Roger Levesque has a good place on the team. He provides a lot of energy and defensive pressure in an attacking role. He is not a starting-caliber MLS forward. While that was not the only reason for a somewhat disappointing offensive performance yesterday, it was nevertheless a factor.

I thought Rosales had an average night, I think Evans would have done better on the wing.

Rosales and Friberg were primarily responsible for the decent attacking buildup throughout the first half, and Mauro was key to starting both plays mentioned above. He slowed down in the second half primarily because the team stopped finding him/he stopped finding space. Evans was completely ineffective when he came into the game.

Alonso’s effectiveness is insane.

There, at least, we agree. Seattle had the better run of play overall, and that was primarily attributable to Alonso, Friberg and Rosales.

I think there is a distinction between a deliberate handball and a ball that hits a defender’s hand when it is not in a soccer-playing position. This is one area where it seems the referee has to make a really subjective call, which somewhat involves guessing the intent of the player involved. If it was a card-able, deliberate handball in that case, and it prevents the ball from going into the goal, I think it has to be a red card.

Disciplinary sanctions

There are circumstances when a caution for unsporting behaviour is required
when a player deliberately handles the ball, e.g. when a player:

• deliberately and blatantly handles the ball to prevent an opponent gaining
possession
• attempts to score a goal by deliberately handling the ball

A player is sent off, however, if he prevents a goal or an obvious goalscoring
opportunity by deliberately handling the ball. This punishment arises not from
the act of the player deliberately handling the ball but from the unacceptable
and unfair intervention that prevented a goal being scored

To me, the laws seem a bit unclear on this because they seem to use deliberate in two different ways. I think the word “blatant” is a big key here. It’s almost just like any other foul. If you trip a guy because you got your feet tangled with his, you’re probably not going to get carded. If you take a swipe at his feet, you’ll probably get carded. Similarly, if you get called for a handball on what looks like an instinctive reaction, but is still clearly a case of the player moving the hand to block the ball, you’ll probably get by without a card. But if it looks like you’ve thought it through, blatantly handled the ball to stop an attack from developing or something, then you’ll get carded appropriately (yellow or red depending on whether it is a direct goal-scoring opportunity.)

Basically, we know that not all handballs are cardable offenses. If Gonzalez wouldn’t have gotten a yellow outside the penalty area, then he doesn’t get a red for the same handball inside the area. But if he would have gotten a yellow outside the penalty area, then he would get a red inside the area for preventing a goal from being scored.

He is transforming in to a Lichen…

Come on DeRo