I feel like we’ve fallen back into the dark days of soccer media again. No stream for the LA Galaxy’s biggest game of the European Tour? It was our chance to see Robbie Keane worshipped like the king he is, by people who simply can’t get enough of him, in his hometown. IT’S IN DUBLIN!
But, not to despair fine LA Galaxy fans, for we have a magical machine that gives us text updates from someone who was actually there.
Therefore, we bring you a full (almost) TWITTER RECAP OF THE GAME.
#LAGalaxy Starting XI: Rowe; Gargan, Gonzalez, Leonardo, Rogers; Ishizaki, Juninho, Vayrynen, Zardes; Keane, Gordon #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
Rowe is in goal. Gargan returns from a training knock and Omar and Leo are paired in the center. Hey, there’s that Vayrynen guy again (He’s from Finland). Be interesting to see if he shows up in LA after the 14 hour flight back. And then Keano and Gordo go up top with Zardes in place of Landon Donovan.
#LAGalaxy substitutes vs. @ShamrockRovers: Perk, Villarreal, Maganto, Meyer, Garcia, Sorto, Walker, Auras, Jamieson #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
I have nothing interesting to say about the bench. Except to say that Dunivant isn’t there (although we’ll see him later) and a little birdie told me that Jamieson has some sort of bug. So not surprised to see him resting.
Here come the teams. #GalaxyTour pic.twitter.com/UYTqg2xRa6
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
Here we go!!!
0: And we’re off in Tallaght! No stream tonight. You’ll have to follow along via this handy twitter account. #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
This is awkward… no stream? Oh, yeah – twitter!
3: Keane looking dangerous early. He beats a man and earns a free kick 25 yards from goal. The keeper saves the ensuing shot. #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
Do you think when Keane gets out of bed in the morning he looks dangerous? Because other than that one time Alan Gordon plowed over him on the sideline, he’s always looked dangerous to me!
6: A brilliant through ball from Gyasi Zardes (see: US vs. Panama) has Keane on goal but the captain can’t get his shot off. #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
All together now: Ahhhhhhh
26: So. Close. Ishizaki! The Swede beats two men in the box but his back post chip is cleared off the line! Almost the opener. #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
The back-post chip is basically Robbie Keane’s influence on the LA Galaxy. And now he’s got Ishizaki doing it. I wouldn’t put it past Keano to back-post chip his wife in a charity game. Wait, did that sound dirty? Minds out of the gutter, please!
31: Juninho tries his luck from 30 yards out but his speculative effort goes wide. Still 0-0. #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
With no regards to Hu… the goal. With no regards to the location of the goal.
44: GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAL VAYRYNEN! The Finnish trialist’s deflected shot opens the deadlock. 1-0! #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
The Finnish finish. If you also made this joke on twitter then congratulations, you also swing at low hanging fruit.
But this is good news for the trialist. Vayrynen looked quick in the Hammarby friendly and I’d like to see more of him. But at this point, it looks like the Galaxy are going to “think about it.”
Bruce Arena says no decisions made yet on the status of #LAGalaxy trialist @MikaVayrynen – http://t.co/XYHgP15kXw #GalaxyTour
— Adam Serrano (@LAGalaxyInsider) February 21, 2015
I do not look forward to spelling his name (V-A-Y-R-Y-N-E-N) if he does join the LA Galaxy. But without actually seeing this game, I’m not sure I have a great opinion on whether Bruce should sign him.
HT: Mika Vayrynen’s deflected shot is the difference at the break. pic.twitter.com/Vwcj70m2Rr
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
HALFTIME! Let’s get some tacos! Breakfast tacos that is.
51: Gordo on his bike! Keano chips a cross to Gordon at the back post but his acrobatic effort goes just high! #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
If Alan Gordon had a bike, would it be a mountain bike or beach cruiser? I know you immediately all said beach cruiser. But Alan seems like the kind of guy who likes to eff stuff up on occasion. Doesn’t a Mountain Bike give him a better chance at that?
59: Three subs for the #LAGalaxy: Perk, Auras and Maganto will replace Rowe, Vayrynen and Gordon. #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
At Halftime Omar Gonzalez came OFF for Tommy Meyer.
67′ – Gargan OFF for Dunivnant.
75: SUB! Rafael Garcia will replace the little Brazilian Juninho. #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
Juninho is going to have to stop being the ‘Little Brazilian.’ Need HUGE things from him this season. Goals, defense and attack. He needs to do it all. Including turning into the handsome Brazilian. I think he should wear his glasses more.
77: Shamrock Rovers are starting to find their way into the match. Meanwhile, Jose Villarreal has replaced the excellent Stefan Ishizaki.
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
Uh, oh. Can we put the starters back in?
Side Note: The first time the press was able to talk to Ishizaki Scott French asked him if he was comfortable answering questions in english. Ishi says “what?” and shakes his head like he doesn’t understand. Then proceeds to tell us that that he’s been speaking english since 2nd or 3rd grade and puts us all to shame with his vocabulary. Proof that I’m basically a lazy american.
84: The game has started to get a bit sloppy with no clear cut chances for either side. Also, Oscar Sorto has subbed in for Robbie Rogers!
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
Rogers getting 84 minutes is a good thing. Like to see him healthy.
90: Robbie Keane leaves the field to a standing ovation as he is replaced by Kenney Walker. #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
This is the big moment we missed. There is no one bigger person in Ireland than Robbie Keane. His hometown salutes him and this tweet almost gave me goosebumps… almost.
91: SO CLOSE NACHO! Nacho Maganto chips the keeper but a defender clears his effort off the line! Almost! #GalaxyTour
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
Zardes got the oil change promo, so now it’s time someone spends some money on the Nacho promo. I want free Nachos from someone when Maganto scores. Is this too much to ask? Stupid question – No! Also, when Nacho “chips” the ball I chuckle.
FT: The #LAGalaxy top @ShamrockRovers, 1-0, in a very scrappy match at Tallaght Stadium. #GalaxyTour pic.twitter.com/G5I9QUfy8Q
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 21, 2015
That’s it. The LA Galaxy get their preseason record to 5-1-0. The only actually impressive win comes against the Sounders. A Hammarby win would’ve been much better than that loss, but it’s still just preseason.
WHAT DID WE LEARN
Not a whole lot. Especially not being able to see the team.
Bruce showed he’s not afraid to mix up the lineups and he seems to have a plethora of options available to him. Zardes at left-mid is an easy one to point out, but starting Keane and Gordon up top is also interesting. There will be times, when Bruce may want to use Gordon’s size on a smaller defense so don’t be surprised when you see him starting up top with Keane.
And if Nacho or Robbie Rogers isn’t pressed into service at left-mid then I’d expect it to be anchored by Zardes. Although I’m not sure I love that lineup, it’s still something Arena could put out.
Really this just sets up more questions for the LA Galaxy as they head back from a 14 hour flight and start prepping for their preseason finale against San Jose. I’d expect to see an almost complete starting lineup with a few question marks thrown out for final looks.
The season is almost upon us and you can feel it. As long as a CBA gets signed, March 6th at the StubHub center is right around the corner.