Watched a bit of the LA Galaxy (1-2) Dallas Fire last night. (Yeah, I know, I missed Man U-Roma the other day but I caught Galaxy-Fire. I guess my high school guidance counselor was right to impugn my 'priorities') The Galaxy suffer the same malady as Team USA: when Landon Donovan is double-marked, he disappears and the offense dries up with him. And Donovan is really surrounded by a bunch of stiffs out there. Every time a defender pushed up, seemed like it was just to rip a ball into the stands. They'd make these 70-yard runs and then not bother to make the next pass and, man, those guys can't shoot worth a shit!
LA controlled the ball well at times but Dallas was more effective around the goal, just more determined to score. And in the second half, Dallas was effective at packing in the D (their goalie is Shaka Hislop, sweet) and grinding the Galaxy out. Galaxy stuck in a goal after I went to bed but it must have been pretty late in the game (yeah, 86th minute by Findley who came off the bench). The Galaxy got 3 yellow cards, each of which was well deserved.
The game got MLS-style sloppy out there: they're athletic and speedy enough to get the pace of the game up pretty high but then they don't have the skill to control the ball. So (and this is a major problem for MLS) the most exciting parts of the action are the sloppiest. At its best MLS is high action fast-break soccer; at its worst, its high school soccer with bigger dudes.
I'm curious to see what kind of difference Mr. Posh Spice will make out there, but the next month until he arrives will be a painful time for Donovan. Once Beckham arrives to suck up some defense and deliver some service then I think Donovan really shines out. If they can make some magic then they should breeze through the MLS. And I'm guessing Donovan will be your MLS MVP this year.
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