Major League Soccer 2008 Season thread

[Zeno]

David Beckham 2 goals against RSL. Both were quality finishes, Donovan should have won it if not for Rimando's good save off his header.

 

[Chaplin]

David Beckham 2 goals against RSL. Both were quality finishes, Donovan should have won it if not for Rimando's good save off his header.

The first half was awful. The Galaxy were lucky they didn't have a 3 goal hole to get out of. And then the last 20 minutes or so of the game you could tell LA was just interested in getting the single point instead of the 3 points.

As for Franchino, to me he seems to be more of a possession midfielder. He only needs to intimidate and keep the ball moving in the midfield, which can be a huge weakness with the Galaxy (not as bad as their soft defense, but close). I really like the guy, he's a definite enforcer, but you can tell he still needs another game or two to be used to his teammates and vice versa.

 

[Zeno]

DC lost again, they are maddeningly inconsistent. They score 4 goals last week against RSL and then zero against Colorado (only 2 shots on goal!).

Last place in the East??? What a joke!

 

[Chaplin]

I just looked at the standings, and there are only 6 total draws in the East, while the West has a whopping 14! That Eastern Conference is a monster. The top team in the West (Dallas FC) is in 6th place in the entire league! So either the East is incredibly good, or the West has almost complete parity.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

What was up with Donovan yelling at a Houston defender after scoring a header on a Beckham cross? It was rather odd.

 

[Zeno]

God, DC United is looking awful...figures the year I finally pick a MLS team to follow I pick one playing bad soccer.

 

[Chaplin]

What was up with Donovan yelling at a Houston defender after scoring a header on a Beckham cross? It was rather odd.

Just showing some emotion--I think they had been jawing earlier, and he was played pretty roughly in that game. That header is one of the best goals I've ever seen scored, so it's no wonder that Donovan was pumped up.

You wouldn't have seen him do that 2 years ago.

 

[gr000000vy]

Just showing some emotion--

How about just showing some lack of respect for the game? Yea he is a big tough guy now... Comes in at a Colorado player.. Taunts a Houston player and celebrates like he won the world cup right in front of the Chivas bench..

your right he wouldn't have done that two years ago... every since Beckham came to the team he feels like he isn't "the man" anymore......

 

[Chaplin]

How about just showing some lack of respect for the game? Yea he is a big tough guy now... Comes in at a Colorado player.. Taunts a Houston player and celebrates like he won the world cup right in front of the Chivas bench..

My guess is that you didn't see the game.

your right he wouldn't have done that two years ago... every since Beckham came to the team he feels like he isn't "the man" anymore......

Good job making up this fiction about how Donovan feels about Beckham. I've seen every game the Galaxy have played this year, have you?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Just showing some emotion--I think they had been jawing earlier, and he was played pretty roughly in that game. That header is one of the best goals I've ever seen scored, so it's no wonder that Donovan was pumped up.

You wouldn't have seen him do that 2 years ago.

I figured there was some story behind it, considering how weird it looked. But if he can score goals like that in a US jersey, he can yell at whoever he wants as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Chaplin]

I figured there was some story behind it, considering how weird it looked. But if he can score goals like that in a US jersey, he can yell at whoever he wants as far as I'm concerned.

Amen to that. He's in a zone right now, that's for sure. Looking forward to tomorrow when we take on the Red Bulls.

 

[gr000000vy]

My guess is that you didn't see the game.

Good job making up this fiction about how Donovan feels about Beckham. I've seen every game the Galaxy have played this year, have you?

Have I seen every Galaxy game? hell no... what kind of question is that? i've seen three and each one donovan tried to act like billy big boots....

I have no idea how donovan "feels" about beckham... beckham is a stud player and donovan is a wannabe..

have you ever played the game? there have been plenty of times people get hacked.. it's part of the game. you still don't stand over the guy like your ali.. you still don't cheer in front of your opposing bench and you still don't go after a guy at the neck regardless if he fouled a guy on your team or not...

But if he can score goals like that in a US jersey, he can yell at whoever he wants as far as I'm concerned.

are you really sure about that? sure i hope he scores plenty of goals for usa.. i don't think he will, but i'm hoping. If he does i hope he shows class.. you wouldn't see adu, dempsey or jozy act the way he has been lately....

 

[Zeno]

are you really sure about that? sure i hope he scores plenty of goals for usa.. i don't think he will, but i'm hoping. If he does i hope he shows class.. you wouldn't see adu, dempsey or jozy act the way he has been lately....

Well considering he has scored more goals and had more assists than any US National Team Player and is still only 26 yrs old I think he'll be scoring goals for the US for some time.

I think him yelling at opponents is a bit out of character for him but I didn't see the whole game, not sure if he was getting hacked all game or smack was being thrown at him prior to the goals

Dempsey has a temper of his own...or don't you remember the suspension he received for getting in a fist fight with a player on his own team? He had a reputation as a hot head coming out of college too.

Adu has been known to talk smack in a game too. Not to the level that Donovan has shown this year but he still is a talker, one of the reasons he was disliked by veterans when he first came to MLS, he talked too much for his own good.

Jozy, I agree is a class act. I never see him show any disrespect to a ref, teammate or opponent.

 

[Chaplin]

It's out of character for Donovan because he's always been passive--that has been a knock on him throughout his career--at least in the MLS, it has. But once he does show some competitive fire, you start throwing out words like "disrespecting the game".

You have no idea what led up to that exchange. History says that Donovan wouldn't just go off on someone like that. That's what YOU expect! So why is it SO easy to believe there was no provocation? I don't get it.

 

[gr000000vy]

You have no idea what led up to that exchange. History says that Donovan wouldn't just go off on someone like that. That's what YOU expect! So why is it SO easy to believe there was no provocation? I don't get it.

i'm sure he was baited, hacked, smack talked too.. all of the above but he needs to rise above it.... even if you take out the Houston game can you say its ok for the Chivas incident and the Colorado incident? If so when does it end?

Can you not have competitive fire without putting down your opponent? Honestly I know what your trying to get at and I like his drive that he is showing this season... it's ok to play with an Edge within reason and not disrespecting the other team is all i am saying.... If he acts like he has been in Europe he ends up starting a riot...

Zeno have you honestly seen Dempsey or Adu do what Donovan has been doing lately? Getting into a fight within practice is pretty much a norm.... Adu smack talking I can't really say anything about, but I know if some 14 yo came into my profession and started making way more money than i ever would without the production I'm sure I would get some extra hacks in there as well.....

And yes I know Donovan will score goals for the USA for a long time.. I just hope they are MEANINGFUL ones and not in friendlies from the PK spot against concacaf teams we always pound.....

 

[Milgod]

I have no problem with Donovan showing a bit of passion. Lack of respect you say? Roy Keane did alright 'disrespecting' other players as you put it. It's a passionate game, sometimes stuff like that will happen, it's one of the reasons I love the game. Doing it to the ref is a different matter though, when somebody does that they should get called up on it.

 

[Chaplin]

i'm sure he was baited, hacked, smack talked too.. all of the above but he needs to rise above it.... even if you take out the Houston game can you say its ok for the Chivas incident and the Colorado incident? If so when does it end?

Can you not have competitive fire without putting down your opponent? Honestly I know what your trying to get at and I like his drive that he is showing this season... it's ok to play with an Edge within reason and not disrespecting the other team is all i am saying.... If he acts like he has been in Europe he ends up starting a riot...

Zeno have you honestly seen Dempsey or Adu do what Donovan has been doing lately? Getting into a fight within practice is pretty much a norm.... Adu smack talking I can't really say anything about, but I know if some 14 yo came into my profession and started making way more money than i ever would without the production I'm sure I would get some extra hacks in there as well.....

And yes I know Donovan will score goals for the USA for a long time.. I just hope they are MEANINGFUL ones and not in friendlies from the PK spot against concacaf teams we always pound.....

We essentially agree on most of your points. Donovan needs to play with an edge, if not for himself, certainly for the LA Galaxy. Who's to say it wasn't the Houston defender who was disrespecting Donovan or "the game" or whatever? The point is you don't know.

 

[gr000000vy]

Please let's not compare Donovan to Keane... Next you will think he will be the next Cantona!

ok let's kinda change gears for a second and move away from Donovan....

Was Zidane right to head butt Materazzi in the world cup?

 

[Chaplin]

Please let's not compare Donovan to Keane... Next you will think he will be the next Cantona!

ok let's kinda change gears for a second and move away from Donovan....

Was Zidane right to head butt Materazzi in the world cup?

COMPLETELY and UTTERLY different situations. Again, you cannot get past the fact that you know NOTHING about the circumstances of the play. Donovan WAS getting beat up in that game by Houston defenders, so it's not inconceivable that he was provoked. And it wasn't like he was given a card for taunting or anything. Seems like you're the only one who won't move on from it, and you don't even watch Galaxy games!

Methinks you are taking this waaaaay too seriously. Donovan has been a good but passive player in his career, and look what happens when he shows some emotion... regardless of the fact that you have no clue of the circumstances.

 

[Zeno]

I have no problem with Donovan showing a bit of passion. Lack of respect you say? Roy Keane did alright 'disrespecting' other players as you put it. It's a passionate game, sometimes stuff like that will happen, it's one of the reasons I love the game. Doing it to the ref is a different matter though, when somebody does that they should get called up on it.

Doing it to a coach/manager is just as bad as doing it to a ref. Anyone remember Clint Mathis and his classless display in Germany a few years back? Showing up his own manager was terrible. Donovan yelling at an opponent..whatever. Plenty of players do that, its new for him though so it seems out of character. There are so many people that dislike him though, I just don't understand. I think he could have been a better player had he competed in a better league but thats not going to change the fact he is one of the best US born players in history. Why not appreciate him for what he is rather than hate him for what he didn't do?

 

[Chaplin]

Doing it to a coach/manager is just as bad as doing it to a ref. Anyone remember Clint Mathis and his classless display in Germany a few years back? Showing up his own manager was terrible. Donovan yelling at an opponent..whatever. Plenty of players do that, its new for him though so it seems out of character. There are so many people that dislike him though, I just don't understand. I think he could have been a better player had he competed in a better league but thats not going to change the fact he is one of the best US born players in history. Why not appreciate him for what he is rather than hate him for what he didn't do?

And he's only 26 freaking years old! The guy will be playing at a high level for at least another 5-10 years. Regardless of his screaming at another player, that header goal that he made on that play was a thing of beauty. There are probably only 20 players in the world that could make a goal like that.

 

[Milgod]

What always makes me laugh about the people who seem to put Donovan down is the fact that he IS still only 26! He is meant to be hitting his prime starting about now, yet people for years have been saying how he doesn't do this or that. He will have many good years left in him yet.

I also wasn't comparing him to Keane on a talant level.

 

[gr000000vy]

sorry but am i the only who thought it was hilarious when donovan hurt gordon after he scored his goal? lol well at least he isn't attacking the other team he has moved on from that....

this whole topic started by his lack of class not his lack of talent..... yes he can play the game at a high level i was never disputing that.... i think we are going to just have to agree to disagree on donovan though because i'll just never understand the love fest for him and hopefully Jozy steps up so we will finally have a true US striker....

i was going through withdrawal with no prem games to watch on saturday so i watched TWO mls games.. first the colorado choke job vs Houston and then the LA/NY match.. thats 4 Galaxy games I have seen so far this season! ugh...

 

[Chaplin]

sorry but am i the only who thought it was hilarious when donovan hurt gordon after he scored his goal? lol well at least he isn't attacking the other team he has moved on from that....

this whole topic started by his lack of class not his lack of talent..... yes he can play the game at a high level i was never disputing that.... i think we are going to just have to agree to disagree on donovan though because i'll just never understand the love fest for him and hopefully Jozy steps up so we will finally have a true US striker....

i was going through withdrawal with no prem games to watch on saturday so i watched TWO mls games.. first the colorado choke job vs Houston and then the LA/NY match.. thats 4 Galaxy games I have seen so far this season! ugh...

Jozy disappointed me in that Galaxy game, they hardly called his name, and that's against a defense that's porous at best. I know he's one of the best we have, so I figure it's just an off game.

Love fest? Ok. We'll definitely disagree on him. Seems to be a pretty irrelevant argument since you're only talking about one instance.

Oh, and Gordon is a pansy. He's probably my least favorite player on the Galaxy. Talk about overrating. That guy should be scoring multiple goals a game with Landon Donovan and Beckham taking up a lot of attention. I can't WAIT until Carlos Ruiz comes back.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Details on the new CONCACAF Champions League:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/05/14/concacaf.champions.ap/index.html