Speaking Ways
At MLS Cup, Particular person Effort Triumphs Ways
That is Omar Gonzalez’s world, and the remainder of us are simply residing in it. ASN ways maestro Liviu Chook takes a have a look at how the defender dominated each ends of the sector on Saturday afternoon.
BY
Liviu Chook
Posted
December 03, 2012
5:41 AM
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MLS Cup 2012 resulted in a deserved and anticipated 3-1 win for the Los Angeles Galaxy over the Houston Dynamo. The sport turned on an damage to Houston’s greatest participant and the attacking and defending prowess of LA’s greatest man.
The match featured competing 4-4-2 programs, rendering the tactical battles easy and simple. The sport was gained on a person degree fairly than by directions from the bench.
Contrasting Ahead Pairings
Dynamo ahead Calen Carr was his workforce’s greatest participant, and his damage within the second half turned the sport within the Galaxy’s favor. His alternative, Mac Kandji, was nowhere close to as efficient at holding up the ball and retaining stress off the Houston midfield and defensive traces.
On the opposite finish of the sector, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane weren’t as efficient on Saturday as they’ve been throughout the playoffs. Their partnership relies on being two energetic gamers combining by means of the protection. Their mixture towards Houston was sporadic, though they narrowly missed on a number of events.
Carr and Will Bruin performed a extra staggered fashion, with Bruin appearing because the goal and Carr because the shadow striker. Goal strikers do what Bruin did, which is attempt to discover the ball in superior positions; shadow strikers make runs off the goal and discover large channels, as Carr did. Houston’s purpose got here as the results of considered one of these large runs, with Carr splitting defenders and making the second-man run in behind Bruin, who was checking to the ball. Adam Moffat did properly to select his head up and look past Bruin to the streaking Carr.
Heady Play on Each Ends
A defender by no means gained the MLS Cup MVP award till Omar Gonzalez did so on Saturday. From the primary minute, he was into the sport and carried his inexperienced middle again companion, rookie Tommy Meyer, by means of the powerful moments. Within the first 10 minutes, Gonzalez was six for six within the air on the defensive finish of the sector. As Houston pressed early, he performed a significant function in breaking apart any attacking play the Dynamo had.
As Los Angeles gained a couple of set items in its personal attacking half, Gonzalez discovered alternatives to get ahead into harmful areas on the opposite finish as properly. It was his header that tied the sport, and it was his aerial problem that arrange the play that resulted in Landon Donovan’s penalty kick.
Rumblings of inclusion within the January camp and a doable contract in Europe are plentiful and deserved for Gonzalez after such a key efficiency. His solely mistake was leaving Carr onside for the Houston purpose.
Unimpressive Goalkeeping
After the highest three, the depth chart on the goalkeeper place on the nationwide workforce drops off dramatically. It was by no means extra obvious than throughout the MLS Cup Ultimate, particularly with regard to the Galaxy’s Josh Saunders.
Saunders was shaky within the air and on the bottom. Inside the first 5 minutes, he didn’t win a ball cleanly that was properly inside his vary, panicked on a simple clearance together with his toes that gave away possession, and punched a no-pressure cross that was proper at him when he might have caught it.
It wouldn’t get any higher for him, as he flailed hopelessly at Carr’s end on the finish of the primary half. In that state of affairs, goalkeepers are anticipated to face up and make the near-post save. If Carr beats him to the far submit, then he’s at the very least earned the purpose.
Down a purpose late within the sport, Houston might need discovered success lumping the ball towards the highest of the six-yard field and seeing if Saunders would make a multitude of one thing else. As a substitute, he loved a comparatively quiet second half.
Houston’s Tally Corridor couldn’t be faulted for any of the three objectives, though he did give away the second penalty kick with a determined attain again after he was overwhelmed on the dribble. Gonzalez’s header was out of attain, and conceding two penalties is something however shameful.
