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Post Game Thoughts

Saturday, August 16th, 2008

I often wonder if this season is already over for Chivas USA. Not to be a skeptic but when you look at all the injuries, the lack of experience of the young players, and some questionable substitutions from Preki, even a Stevie wonder can see that time is running out for this team. Last night, Galaxy robbed Chivas USA of 2 points with an Alan Gordon header in stoppage time to draw 2-2. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story of the game.

Galaxy came in loose and firing on all cylinders in the first half. Goats USA looked shell shocked by the energy and pace that Team Beckham was willing to imposing. After going 1-0 into the second half, LA’s no. 1 pub team withered and faltered, thus they lost the lead. All looked pretty good for the goats going into stoppage time, but then it happened. The clock struck 12 o’ clock: Jim Curtin (all 6’4” of him) failed to mark Goatkiller Gordon on a set piece and BANG! It was all over.

Honestly, it’s almost impossible to ignore the potential of what could have been a great season for Chivas USA. At this point, one point is one point, but against the Galaxy, it might as well be no points. There are no moral victories for Chivas USA fans, this team is hurt and many fans (not including myself) are starting to lose hope. There are no reinforcements on the way, there are signs of a new stadium on the horizon, and there is no word on Jorge Flores missing persons file. Fan favorites are not always the best players on the team, but with M*A*S*H* unit for a roster, Chivas USA needs all the help it can get. Like I said, I’m not losing hope, but…………..time is running out.

GAME NOTES: Zack Thorton has decent skills for 350lb. man. It was nice to see Preki on the sidelines again, but why was he talking to himself on the way to the locker room at halftime? Roberto Nurse has nice looking braids, that’e the most positive thing I can say about him. Roberto Pires should fight Jesse Marsch in the UFC octogan. My money is on the Marsch. Who can forget the dropkick on Beckham last year? I miss Alex Zotinca, that butt head. Atiba Harris made a guest appearance in the game and made defenders looked foolish. Does Carey Talley have a mullet? Carlos Ruiz as trade bait? Good luck with that. The Union Ultras (the Official Chivas USA supporters) unveiled their new banner with players and Preki on it. Well done. It did have Jorge Flores’ image on it, so he was there at least in spirit. Carlos Ruiz as trade bait? Good luck with that. Maybe Thorton should try professional wrestling.

John Sandate

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Chivas USA vs. Chicago Fire

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

Tonight, Chivas USA won its fourth game in its last six contests. An awesome display of offensive attack and top level goalkeeping from Brad Guzan must have surely made MLS bigwigs gush with joy. Especially, since Chivas’ 2-0 drubbing of the once-might Chicago Fire was on ESPN2 before a national audience. This was Chivas USA soccer. Check that, futbol. The players may have changed slightly from past line-ups (again) but the voracious pursuit to put the ball in the back of the net was something not to common in the MLS. Don’t believe me? Even with one man down, Chicago still could not find the net in the seond half. Chivas USA is not an offensive juggernaut as of yet, make no mistake about it. However, you have wonder if Preki’s sadistically-intense practices and Denis Te Klose’s Ajax influence are starting to morph into a league version of “Total Football”. Don’t laugh. This team never stopped pushing forward and always had players shifting around to defend the ball and keep the attack flowing. Intense defense and sublime passing. The Fire look flustered.

The crowd was significantly larger than recent Chivas USA games and you can thank Chuatemoc Blanco for that. His Club America fans came out in droves. This was good for the league and most importantly, for Chivas USA finances. Unfortunately, this game also brought out the bad seeds, too. Club America’s infamous supporters, La Monumental, also came out to get their “Blanco” fix and brought their shanks to the game to celebrate. You may have spotted them during the telecast; they took off their shirts to show off their beer guts and Mexi-mullets and proceeded to spend the entire night trying to taunt Chivas fans in section 104. Thankfully, trouble was averted due in large part to the Department of Home Depot Security and a few dozen or so Las Angeles County sheriff’s deputies WITH GUNS. Oh well, it really is a double edged sword when Chicago fire comes to LA to play Chivas USA: good for business, bad for living free. Kudos to the Chivas USA front office for taking extreme security measures again to protect all the fans.

Here’s what I learned from this game about Chivas USA and not in any particular order. Raphael Wicky is still world class-quality, when healthy. Sascha Kljestan obviously is close to becoming the next Clint Dempsey or better. Pancho Mendoza is a better left back than left wing. Justin Braun plays better when knows he’s 6’3” 215lbs. Ante Razov can still play, no goals but 2 assists. Claudio Suarez is old, real old. Can he still defend? Damn skippy. Last, a copy of this game should be sent to every European football team that is in need of a goalkeeper who plays smart and fearless. I don’t think even MLS-hater Steven Cohen can’t argue that Guzan is world class now. Tonight’s game was really a global tryout for Brad Guzan. If Chivas USA doesn’t get at least 6 million in a transfer fee for this man, than something is wrong.

As for tonight, everything went right.

John Sandate

Disclaimer:

The following article is written from the perspective of one Union Ultra member and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of all the Union Ultras. The Union Ultras believe in the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press. They also reserve the right to pontificate those freedoms while drinking incessantly.

Noi Soli. Sine Metu.

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My Two Cents

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

Chivas USA lost another home game to a seemingly weaker opponent. I can think of few other words that can describe losing to Real Salt Lake, but pathetic might be too harsh. Then again it’s almost clockwork that Chivas USA finds a way to lose a game rather than just go for the jugular and impose it’s will. There was nothing flashy, exciting, or even interesting in this game. Unless you like countless, wasted scoring chances, marching bands playing USC fight songs at a soccer game, or RSL players diving continuously in the last 20 minutes, this game had all the entertainment value of a C-Span press conference.

I don’t like sounding negative, but I can’t drink the kool aid all the time. This was not Chivas USA football. This was a new line up of players coming off the injured list starting in place of players who helped this team win three out of the last four games. I believe in loyalty and rewarding players that deserve it, but this line up looked flustered and lost at times. Change is a good thing, but unlike Barack Obama’s campaign, this was not change I could believe in. This seems to be the time of the season where players start to step up and contending teams start to assert themselves for a run before the MLS all-Star game. Chivas seemed to be the victim of over-coaching. For example, Jorge Flores was rewarded for his 3 goals in four games by sitting on the bench for both halves of this game. This seemed like change for the sake of change.

Real Salt Lake came to play, however terrible to look at it may have been, they imposed their style and walked away with 3 points. By Preki’s own admission those players that started for Chivas USA were not “sharp” and as a result, Chivas USA soccer was dull tonight. The 4-5-1 that RSL ran was as easy on the eyes as Britney Spear’s shaved head, but there was no denying Robbie Findley’s speed on the flank and the constant strain he put on the Chivas backline. Proper respect to him and all the RSL divers that slowed the game to a grinding halt.

It’s hard to come away from this game and think that this team is the defending Western Conference champion and started this 2008 MLS season with high hopes. Now, I’m just praying that this team gets healthier and we stick to a successful starting XI.

On the way out of the stadium, a driver spotted Jorge Flores driving out with a dejected look on his young face. The driver asked him why he didn’t play tonight. He yelled back, “I don’t know, ask the coach.” Maybe change isn’t always a good thing.

John Sandate

Disclaimer:

Noi Soli. Sine Metu.

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