In what is sure to be a developing story, Galaxy fans across the globe have been done wrong by AEG. We as fans have put our money where our heart is, only to be taken advantage of. We pay more per ticket than any other team in the league. We pay outrageous parking costs. We can’t get a jersey in-stadium of any player other than Beckham. And we take more scrutiny in the press than any other team in the league.

But you know what? We would let it all roll off our backs in exchange for a winning team. And we have tried.

Phillip Anschultz has been a pioneer for American soccer. Players 30-50 years from now need to know that. If he hadn’t stepped up and believed in the American player, this league may have folded long ago. So I understand his need to finally make some of the millions back that he through into the money pit that was MLS. I really do understand. What I don’t understand is why business and success don’t seem to go hand -in-hand.

The hardest part about looking for answers as a Galaxy fan? We don’t even know who to blame… We don’t even really understand what people in the Galaxy/AEG hierarchy do. In normal American sports management the blame usually falls upon the GM. So we should blame Alexi Lalas, right? Not so fast. It has been made clear that many of the player/personnel issues have been taken out of his hands and now rest with Paul Bravo. Making Alexi much more in charge of the business side of things, which one must admit is flourishing, mainly at the expense of the fan. So Bravo is to blame right? Hmmmm… What about Ruud Gullit. The coach is the one who is supposed to lead the players. But Ruud has said that the salary cap is limiting his ability to get the players that he feels can make a difference. That puts the ball back in Alexi’s court to make the financial part of the salary cap work for LA.

So you can see how it seems to be a game of finger pointing. Well, I have my finger pointed to the top. The only constant through the last 5 years of turmoil has been AEG. We have gone through two general managers, not by choice, and four coaches. So in my mind, the buck stops with AEG. It is their job to make their customer happy, and they are not.

We need someone with a different approach, someone who can bridge the gap between team and fan. Someone with a track record of getting his hands dirty and willing his teams to success. If I am Tim Leiweke I have Peter Wilt on the phone asking, “How much money do you need to come fix this?” Not that Peter Wilt is some soccer savior, but ask any Chicago Fire fan and they will tell you he was a manager they respected. Whether it truly is his fault or not, people don’t seem to be respecting Lalas, and you can’t fire your owner. So the answer, to me, is that you have to change the person steering the boat before we hit the iceberg.

This franchise is a shadow of the team we supported for 10 years. The time for change is now. More than that, AEG needs to decide what is more important to them, perceived stability in management or providing a product that is acceptable to their customer. Cuz I got news for them, Beckham looks just a good on TV as he does in person. People go to stadiums to support a quality product.

*photo credit Stephen DuBois

WANTED: Central defender under 32 years old for emergency backline upgrade.  Perks include sunshine, superstar groupie leftovers and a free copy of Alexi Lala’s new CD.  Crazy hairstyle preferred but not mandatory.

For the second home game in a row the LA Galaxy saw their hard earned goal differential slip away due to sloppy defense and mental lapses.  Normally you won’t see me call out Chris Klein in my breakdowns here at ASR.  No one out works this guy.  His endless overlaps and two way play really fuels the Galaxy’s dangerous right flank.  But he needs to be called out for what can only be defined as a senseless penalty Saturday night.  Now it is true that Robbie Rogers was probably not going to get to the ball, and to some that makes the call controversial, yet if we all knew he wasn’t going to get there, Klein should have as well which makes his foul that much worse.

While we are riding the blame wagon a few more people need to be piled on.  Steve Cronin’s “save”, the rebound from which resulted in Columbus’ third goal, was not what is expected of a starting keeper in MLS.   Cronin has two options, hold the ball or punch it WIDE.  Simply parrying the ball down into the middle of the six yard box is never an option and the Galaxy was justly punished.

But let’s give credit where credit is due.  Edson Buddle’s goal on the night was absolutely clinical.  It was the type of goal that shows a striker oozing with confidence.  For the second home game in a row Buddle has finished side netting from acute angles.  This bodes well for a Galaxy attack that is already the most dangerous in the league.   His continuing hot streak furthers my suggestion that the Galaxy should unload Carlos Ruiz in the upcoming transfer window in order to bolster their defense.

One Liners:

-How bad is Landon wishing he had chosen to hit that sitter with his left foot now?

-The call and response chants back and forth between LARS and ACB is now one of my favorite parts about home games.

-Maybe Beckham should not be expected to convert that last shot Saturday night, but he should definitely be expected to put the ball on frame.

-I am convinced the guy that sits in front of my season seats is the exact look-a-like of the captain of the Wizard from the Deadliest Catch.

-There is a 50/50 chance my fiance would leave me by my wedding day if Ante Jazic asked her out.

Coming up this weekend is cracker of a game.  Galaxy vs DC United.  It is the first MLS rivalry.  Every Galaxy fan remembers the feeling as Eddie Pope’s rain soaked head put the winning goal past our 96 team.  It is the Man U vs Arsenal of our little league.  The best part about this years matchup from a fans point of view?  NEITHER team can play a lick of defense and both are capable of dropping 5 goals on you.  It is the perfect game for a nationally televised network broadcast.

Like the Galaxy, I am on the road this weekend so check back in later this week for Julian Valentin’s blog to get your Galactico fix.

Rivalries are one of the true joys of fandom. Nothing beats the feeling of absolute loathing pumping through your veins as the opposing team takes the field. I can say with true sincerity that there are few things on Earth that I hate more than the L.A. Galaxy. I know that there are consistent attempts to pump up the Chivas U.S.A.-Galaxy derby as the number one clasico in the country, especially in the absence of the Quakes, and I appreciate the rivalries among other teams in the league, both new and old, but let’s be real here. Those who have been watching this league for awhile know that the Quakes-Scum…I mean, Galaxy, match-up is the premier organic rivalry in MLS. It is an outgrowth of true grassroots hate and mythology. As such, it is absolutely beautiful and to be celebrated.

It’s a chance for redemption. The 4-0 thrashing by Colorado on opening day must still be lingering on the collective minds of the LA Galaxy. They were embarrassed that day and subsequently torched in the the media world wide. There is no altitude to use as a crutch Saturday night, so the Galaxy need to show the West why they deserve to be the #1 team.

Back from international duty will be David Beckham, Carlos Ruiz and Ante Jazic. Of those three, only Beckham’s absence played any role in LA’s loss in Toronto. With Landon Donovan away with the USA in New York, this needs to be the game where Ruiz shows the league he is back. He went the full 90 minutes for Guatemala midweek, so we know he is back to near full fitness. What remains to be seen, however, is if he still has his scorers touch. To make the storyline even better, Ruiz could get his first start since returning from injury against the very team that blew out his knee with a terrible tackle. I suspect that El Pescadito will have no problem finding motivation for this game.

Colorado are not without their own player absences. With Mike Petke out through injury, and both Bouna Coundoul and Pablo Mastroeni away with their respective national teams, the leagues most potent offense is going up against a defense with large holes in it. Mastroeni’s absence denies Christian Gomez every attacking midfielder’s greatest asset, an enforcer doing the dirty work in midfield. Gomez will have a difficult time getting free to press forward if his defensive duties are increased.

My most exciting matchup to watch Saturday night? Herculez Gomez vs everyone. The Galaxy faithful have not forgotten what Herc meant to us in 2005. He took a lot of pride in that season, and he will be keen to show the Galaxy what they lost by trading him. If you go by stats, the Galaxy haven’t missed much, but every team would love to have a passionate player such as Herculez in their clubhouse. My bet is that Fernando Clavijo will find some way to get Gomez on the field Saturday night, whether as a sub or starter.

From a fan’s perspective, another interesting sub-plot Saturday night will be the “official” return of the Bacon Wrapped Hotdog. A Galaxy street vendor staple since the days of the Rose Bowl, and banned in LA County. The Galaxy Front Office has arranged for the sale of these illustrious items at two grill locations inside the HDC. My hope is that the concession stands can make them with the same taste as those wonderful people in the parking lots on shopping carts. Full report to follow on this breaking news…

Also, on the rumor front… Clint Mathis was seen on the sidelines of the Galaxy practices this week. Rumor has it that Ergotelis, his Greek club, has not renewed his contract. I believe the Galaxy still own his MLS rights. Could Cletus be looking for both a teammate and drinking partner in Joey Fanchino? We’ll see. I, for one, hope he comes back.

My Homer Prediction: 2-1 Galaxy

My Homer Lineup:

Cronin

Klein - X - Franklin - Vanney

Beckham - Pires - MickeyD - Randolph

Ruiz - Buddle

This was their chance. To prove that, at least for one game, they were not just a star’s supporting cast, but players deserving of the leagues respect. With Beckham away on national duty, and Donovan nursing a groin injury, the Galaxy’s lesser knowns were going to have the spotlight. What happened? Stage Fright.

Let’s be honest about this game, it was ugly. Both teams were missing big names. The result was a sloppy game where neither team could string any quality combinations together. The difference however, was that TFC seemed to work harder.

The first half ended scoreless, with the rain starting to poor. The Galaxy had a really tough time adjusting to the wet Field Turf of Toronto in the second half. Every ball seemed to require an extra touch to control. Everyone knows that Toronto has the best home field advantage in the league, but Saturday’s game showed it isn’t only because of its fans. Toronto seemed to understand the pitch and how it would react to the rainy conditions. The Galaxy were left befuddled.

Let’s talk Abel Xavier for a sec. The guy had two decent games for LA leading into Saturdays contest. But can the Galaxy afford to keep a guy around that either cannot or will not play on artificial surfaces? In a Galaxy back line that already is one of the worst in the league, can they really risk the inconsistencies this brings to the team? Roughly 25% of teams in MLS play home games on artificial turf. I don’t see how the Galaxy can expect their defense to improve when the back line will be changing week to week, especially on the road. What this defense needs is some consistency.

Give credit to Toronto. They battled and scrapped for their two goals, with their first coming from a nice aerial effort from James. The Los Angeles strikers, however, could not produce. What became quite apparent in this game, was the lack of creativity through midfield, when both Beckham and Donovan go missing. You cannot expect to start three holding midfielders in Franchino, McDonald, and Pires across a four man midfield and see offensive results. It is my same complaint of Bob Bradley at the national team level. Too many holding players and not enough creativity. And that statement really sums up the Galaxy’s performance this weekend.

So your team loses a nail biter to New York and you want to get the team back on track. What would you do if you were the Galaxy? How about play a pointless exhibition game in Canada, in order to ensure that your players are tired for their important division game on Sunday. It seems over the last two years that the Galaxy front office has put off the field success before on the field results. Decisions such as the Vancouver Whitecaps exhibition game and the grueling pre-season tour are evidence of this. FC Dallas have to like their odds coming into this game.

Priority number one for the Galaxy this weekend: Stop Kenny Cooper. The Kenny Cooper match up should be treated similar to the Jozy Altidore one from the week prior. Both strikers boast large frames and good pace. The difference? Cooper is on form, Jozy is not.

The best way to stop Cooper is to deny him service. Unfortunately for the Galaxy there is a lot of talent in the midfield for Dallas supplying Cooper. Juan Toja had a great start to the season before picking up a knock a few weeks back. He should be back to full form this week, which means Joey Franchino will have to step up and slow the ball every time Toja gets a touch. Look for Joey to get physical early with Toja and try to get his head out of the game from the start.

The other midfield threats are Arturo Alvarez and Dax McCarty. McCarty is out with a hernia injury, and that is huge for the Galaxy. This FC Dallas team has fed on McCarty’s energy through the beginning of this season. He really is the engine of the midfield. So if McCarty is the engine, what does that make Alvarez? He would be the 22″ rims, flashy as hell, everyone wants some, but they don’t necessarily improve the ride. No player finished last season with more upside than Arturo Alvarez. Yet to start the 2008 campaign, he has struggled to find a way to impose his style of play on opponents as he did last season. His two goals and 2 assists are nothing to scoff at by any means. But there is no reason, that on a team that has him surrounded by quality like Toja and Cooper, that Alavarez shouldn’t have similar numbers as Robbie Rogers in Columbus. He has that ability. On a day where he could match up against a slow footed Greg Vanney, Alvarez may see a fun afternoon.

For the Galaxy the biggest question mark going into this game is Landon Donovan. The league’s leading goal scorer didn’t make the trip to Vancouver and is listed as questionable on the teams injury report. The fact that he is making the trip to Dallas at all, is probably a sign that he will play. Also perhaps making an appearance Sunday is Ante Jazic. He saw time against the Whitecaps and may see some time off the bench against Dallas. This is a welcome sight for Galaxy fans who have watched their defense concede a league’s worst 15 goals.

My Homer Prediction: 2-2 Tie

My Homer Lineup:

Cronin

Klein - Roberts - Franklin - Vanney

Beckham - Mickey D - Fran-drink-o - Randolph

Donovan - Flash Gordon

I’m back from the brink. The brink of debauchery that is… I missed last weeks Galaxy coverage due to my pressing need to be in Vegas for a bachelor party. As any guy knows, it is against Bro Code to turn such opportunities down. Let me tell ya, I partied like I was Joey Franchino at a midget tossing competition serving a free Schlitz for every bulls eye. It’s all good anyway, because I spared my eyes the fugliness that is the Rice “Kankles” Stadium. Seriously, is there an uglier field anywhere else in the country? In my opinion the fact that his goals happened on that field, probably cost Beckham goal of the week.

Anyway, onto the New York game. The Galaxy return home after a tough earned draw on the road last week. I have one word that describes my feeling going into this week’s game: Nervous. You have the league’s worst defense in LA. Going up against an under-achieving NYRB offense that is looking to finally explode. The Angel-Altidore tandem has not met expectations yet, but you know it is there, just waiting to come out. And Saturday at the HDC may be their opportunity.

The matchups don’t look that bad on paper for LA. The one place Abel Xavier has looked good this season is in the air, so hopefully he should be able to negate some of Angel’s stellar play from his head. Along with this, Sean Franklin’s speed can definitely keep pace with Altidore’s, but where Altidore gets him is in size. Franklin has great hops, but he’s giving up at least 25-30 pounds to Jozy. Luckily for Franklin his counterpart is coming off a week that saw him miss two days of training due to an allergic reaction, so he may not be 100%.

LA has caught a few other breaks this week as well, with both Claudio Reyna and Seth Stammler not making the trip to the Golden State. The good news? The loss of these two players will make New York far weaker through the middle of the field. The Bad News? The Galaxy doesn’t have the personnel down it’s own center to take advantage of this. Unless, of course, Ruud chooses to slot Donovan into the midfield, but his league leading eight goals makes that highly unlikely.

Los Angeles instead will have to try to work from the wings, just like New York. This week we are treated to some of the best wide players in the league going head to head. The Galaxy’s combination of Klein and Beckham has been potent all season so far, and their ESP gets stronger every game. Klein’s ability to get forward, however, will be severely hampered by his need to keep Dave Van Den Bergh honest on NY’s left side of midfield.

On the other side of the field the Red Bulls have to love the idea of watching Dane Richards torching the stone feet of Greg Vanney. Look for Ruud to adjust by giving Michael Randolph a lot more defensive responsibilities so that Vanney gets help. He is going to need it.

Finally, don’t forget it is Mother’s Day this weekend. I’m taking my momma to the game, so don’t let her down G’s! Let’s keep this train rolling.

I have to give it up to Alex, the Chivas USA columnist here at American Soccer Reader. He is professional and his writing style could fit seamlessly into any publication. I, however, have no such lofty aspirations. I am a Blogger, plain and simple. I post my opinions and am in no way unbiased. That’s why I can say, I hate Chivas USA. Everything from their fans, to their players, to the fact I have to see their banners in the parking lot. Now that that’s cleared up, lets take a look at tonight’s 5-2 Galaxy win.

You’ll have to excuse Chivas’ early 1-0 deficit, they were still in shock of seeing what a full Home Depot Center looks like. Better take note Goats, because rent is due on the first and you can’t pay it in empty seats. There were no empty seats tonight though. What an atmosphere at the HDC. It must be said that all the supporters groups showed great spirit. Having both the Angel City Brigade and The Riot Squad at separate ends really fills the stadium with sound. In the last 15 minutes even the soccer moms started picking up the chants.

The Super Classico always brings out the best of these two teams and tonight was no different. Every ball was fought over and as usual there was controversy. Landon started it off early with an intentional hand ball to try and create a goal scoring opportunity. He was rightly carded, but what a great way to start the game off… instant animosity. Speaking of Landon, what a great month the Inland Empire native is having. Eight goals in five games is good enough to put him atop the league goal scoring list. Best of all he did it with grit tonight. It was a very Taylor Twellman like effort, scrappy. He fought for every goal and was rewarded with a hat trick.

Another person enjoying a great first month of the season is Sacha Kljestan. His curler into the far 90 was a superb strike. What I didn’t enjoy however was his taunting of the Galaxy supporters groups and fans afterwards. Haven’t players learned yet not to piss of Landon Donovan? Once you do, you bring him into the game. Donovan’s response? Two more goals. It felt so good to see Sacha make the walk of shame past the Riot Squad with the scoreboard reading 5-2 above him.

Not everything was rosy with the Galaxy however. Another defender goes to ground, another goal scored by their opposition. When will the Galaxy backline start staying on their feet? Abel Xavier had no need to go to ground to clear the ball that would eventually result in Chivas’ second goal. The Galaxy insist on playing a crazy style of soccer that is both absolutely infuriating and entertaining as hell.

I guess I owe Alan Gordon a bit of an apology after his two goal performance tonight. But in my defense, tonight, he was playing where he should be, up top as a target man. And credit to him for not giving up on the third goal. His desire to will that ball into the net completely eclipsed Guzan’s routine approach to a very dangerous ball.

In all, the Galaxy sent this fan home happy tonight. My belly is warm with a Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog, my heart is full of pride for my team and my mind is at ease that perhaps my team has turned a corner from the dark memories of last season.

Nothing can excite a city like a Derby. A sense of pride, a feeling of place and plenty of passion. The Honda SuperClasico is a feud that has been four years in the making and has become one of the most exciting games to watch in MLS. All the ingredients have been added including competitive clubs, world class stars and passionate fans.

The Chivas USA were introduced to Los Angeles as an expansion team in 2005. With historic ties and a winning pedigree inherited from sister Club Deportivo Guadalajara, Chivas USA have been taking MLS by storm. In three short years the team went from bottom to top, winning the Western Conference and qualifying for several prestigious tournaments. However, perhaps the most passionate trophy attained last year was the SuperClasico. The Chivas USA defeated their neighbor, the Los Angeles Galaxy, and won bragging rights in the City of Los Angeles.

In those three years, the Chivas USA have grown with the league. The team currently caters to the Mexican-American market, but is starting to attract interest from everyone with the style of play displayed by the club. The team plays a possession and passing game, not often seen in the MLS. It’s this beautiful style that attracts fans that follow different leagues and international teams.

With the quality of soccer contained by the two clubs in Los Angeles, the biggest rivalry in the league has formed. Historically, the match up has not been pretty. Last year we saw on the field match-ups as England International David Beckham and MLS original Jesse Marsch battled in the midfield. Shoulder charges from Beckham and an irrational challenge from Marsch generated a yellow card. The ejections of both Galaxy defender Kevin Harmse and Chivas USA defender Alex Zotinca due to a confrontation added fuel to the flame.

However, this year is a fresh start and both teams are looking for a win. It hasn’t been easy for either club. Chivas USA have suffered from injury and suspension, missing up to five starting players at times. The LA Galaxy has been trying to find their form, with inconsistent results the past few matches. However, all lights are green for the game this Saturday. Slowly, Chivas USA are getting healthy and stronger while the Galaxy has been finding their form. This should be the most exciting game yet.

Chivas USA are starting to take the shape of the team that was the Western Conference Champion last year. Suspensions and injuries are slowly subsiding. Upcoming MLS star Sacha Kljestan is back in the lineup after a one game suspension. The midfielder is the catalyst for the Chivas USA offense. World Cup veteran Claudio Suarez is training again after a rocky start to the season. Suarez spent the first two weeks of the season in Mexico with family after his father passed away. He then came back to training and a teammate accidentally broke his nose. Claudio will need surgery after the season ends, but is currently training with the team and should make an appearance Saturday night.

Other Chivas USA stars should be back, including midfielder Pancho Mendoza, defender Lawson Vaughn and striker Ante Razov. Razov looks to capture the record for all time MLS goals this season. He is currently in second place, four goals behind DC United veteran Jaime Moreno. Swiss International Raphael Wicky has been dealing with a few injuries but has been training with the team as of late. This new addition in the midfield is one of the strongest acquisitions of the winter. Wicky has played for several European giants, including Hamburg SV, Werder Breman, FC Scion and Athletico Madrid.

The Los Angeles Galaxy is no stranger to stardom. English International David Beckham and all time leading US goal scorer Landon Donovan have paired up this season for a strong partnership. If the Chivas USA can keep this partnership in check, the Chivas USA has a strong chance of success. This responsibility could fall on the shoulders of fan favorite Pancho Mendoza. This speedy midfielder could be responsible for applying pressure to Becks in conjunction with defender Jonathan Bornstein. Thomas will largely be marking Donovan.

Big players show up at big games. And this is no exception. Will this be an easy game for either team? No. Who will win? Probably the fans. These derby’s usually end up exciting and suspenseful.

The three game series starts Saturday at the Home Depot Center in Carson and should be exciting. If you are in the mood for excellent soccer, great company and the biggest feud in MLS, I will see you at the Home Depot Center Saturday at 7:30.

So come over to the Chivas USA!

Once the Alan Gordon Project (similar to the Allen Parsons Project but suckier) was mercifully put to an end Saturday night, the Galaxy showed the teams real potential. I’m not sure what compromising pictures Alan Gordon has of the last two Galaxy coaches, but they must be pretty juicy to get the kind of play he has been given lately. Hopefully the second half turn around will put his midfield career to rest for good. Credit to Gullit for properly diagnosing the problem and not being afraid to use two vital subs early.

I gave Joey Franchino a hard time here in my pre-game column, but I have to say he served a needed purpose against the Dynamo. The tandem of Rico Clark and DeRosario was having the Galaxy any way they wanted through the middle. The Galaxy needed a player to get stuck in and disrupt the rythem of the Dynamo offense. In this respect, Franchino served his purpose. He did, however, tire noticeably towards the end of the game. This was to be expected, since he has seen very little game time in the last year.

This game exposed two positive traits for the Galaxy to take into their Super-Classico this coming weekend:

1. The Will To Win- For two games in a row the Galaxy have battled back from deficits twice in each game. Gullit’s boys are already developing that “Never Say Die” attitude synonymous with winning clubs. The next step? Stop digging holes for themselves. Playing from behind further exposes the Galaxy’s porous defense, as the team must push forward for equalizing goals.

2. The Donovan-Beckham Pairing- With every game this combination grows in confidence. It is not unthinkable for Donovan to win the Golden Boot with the type of service he is receiving every week. Of Donovan’s league leading five goals, three have been assisted by Beckham. In addition to their offensive production, their leadership by example lifted the whole team’s play in the second half.

On a final note, it must be mentioned that for the third straight week Michael Randolph and Sean Franklin set the tone for all the young players on the team. This is extremely important, because every young player on the bench sees the effort of these two and believe that when their name is called on to contribute, they too can excel. And with the Galaxy’s current roster they will definitely be called upon at some point this season.

Post-Script:  I called this game to have at least four goals.  I am now officially looking for a bookie….