Chivas USA vs. Galaxy
Sunday, July 13th, 2008I‘ve debated since the end of tonight’s game as to how negative I wanted to be writing this. Think about it. Chivas USA had a chance to separate itself from the jewel of the MLS in the Western conference standings. It had a chance to prove that it was no longer a compliant, financial slave to AEG. It had a chance to quiet all those lame and biased Los Angeles soccer journalists with their closet love for the LA Galaxy. Oh well, it’s never a fairy tale ending with Chivas USA. I’m resigned to admit it now. Call it fatalism, I guess.
Until Chivas USA regains its magic, it will forever be a franchise that flails under a Galaxy franchise that is anything but a jewel. So what’s this about magic? What am I talking about? This Chivas team has heart and soul. It has players that have the courage to fight and not surrender. It doesn’t depend solely on one player with international fame to generate interest, nor does it depend on one player to score all the goals for the team. The magic that I refer to is the one that players like Maykel Galindo brought last year and to a limited degree, Paco Palencia and Ramon Ramirez in past seasons. This team is solid enough to play with anybody in the league and beat most of them. However, based on last nights 1-1 draw, Chivas lacks a talisman like a Pavel Nedved or Juan Roman Riquelme to elevate this team to the next level. Make no mistake, this team can pass and defend. Landon Donovan disappeared last night. David Beckham was ineffective. Carlos Ruiz was punked by Guzan and defenders time after time. Jesse Marsch and Pablo Nagamura played keep away with the Galaxy midfield and often made them look silly. However, in front of the box, our forward attack had the finishing, finesse touch of the Incredible Hulk.
I know in my heart there is only one person that can bring the magic I speak of to the pitch and it ain’t Chris Angel or David Blaine, his name is Adolfo “Bofo” Bautista. This player possesses the type of skill, technique, and magic that this team lacks right now. I’m pretty sick and tired of losing or drawing against lesser quality MLS squads because we can’t finish. Bautista is also a player in desperate need of a change and the Chivas fans would now have one Mexico’s most dynamic players to cal their own. Imagine Sacha to Bautista to Razov to Galindo, Goal.
In the meantime, Preki is going to have to stop watching “Hoosiers” and not get himself red carded. His team needed him and it would take more than Dennis Hopper to run the picket fence to break the Galaxy 8-man defense.
Did I mention that I’m a Chivas USA supporter? Well if it isn’t obvious by now then it should be. I’m biased and I hate the LA Galaxy. Chivas USA lost last night. Not the game but the chance to step on the throats of all the haters.2
Random notes: MLS teams should hire Oliver Stone to investigate the MLS-favoring-Beckham WAY TOO MUCH. I got tired of seeing Chivas USA players getting whistled for being within inches of Golden Balls. Tom Cruise was at the game administering IQ tests to potential Scientologists. Attiba Harris should be pissed for being subbed out. Que paso con Claudio Suarez? Raphael Wicky is getting surgery. Gone and soon to be forgotten. Burling is a beast. He needs header practice though. Can someone tell Panchito Mendoza to pass the ball instead of running like an escaped convict? He needs vision. Like the Franc Ribery kind. Ante Razov is back and he’s pissed. Not good for MLS defenses. Don’t call him old either. Anthony Hamilton makes me wish we still Laurent Merlin. No he doesn’t. Yes, he does. Sacha should keep his emotions in check for Galaxy games, they refs have his number. He’s potentially Chivas USA’s first mega-star. Too bad you can’t get his authentic adidas jersey anywhere in Los Angeles or Southern California. He’s from Orange County, but you have to special order his jersey and wait 4-6 years to get it. Actually, you can’t get any authentic Chivas USA jerseys anywhere in LA. Now if you’re a Galaxy fan, that’s different.
John Sandate