Hello everyone. I needed a day or two after that loss Thursday. It's not my style to write in the first person on the blog, but the loss to RSL packed a wallop. Going into the second leg LA were a goal up, just like New England. The popular theory was that LA were LA, capable of rising to any challenge. Then they weren't. They were average in a playoff tournament with some above average teams.
National team news sheds some light on why they came off as so average. Landon Donovan has been playing through an injury since his last national team stint, and he told reporters he needed time to heal but there wasn't time. Now he's left off of Klinsmann's squad for the upcoming friendlies, though Omar Gonzalez made the cut. Klinsmann isn't expected to call up anyone currently involved in the MLS playoffs, despite MLS taking the weekend off to accommodate the international weekend.
Robbie Keane was called into duty for upcoming Ireland friendlies against Latvia and Poland.
The BBC profiled the current state of MLS this morning, and for fans the themes should be familiar. Teams try to make it with budgets similar to England's third tier, though the DP rule allows those who can afford it to spend like a second tier side. Expansion has cause dilution of a limited talent pool, while at the same time encouraging MLS teams to look into new sources of talent. The rules, born out of cautionary tales, now hold back a league which has outlasted its NASL predecessor.
The LA Times spends most of this article eulogising, but toward the end we get some interesting news for next year. We've known the Galaxy hold Baggio Husidic's rights, but the article claims he's now been signed. It also claims the Galaxy have reached terms with Todd Dunivant to return. Sean Franklin is mentioned as someone that could have to go due to salary concerns.
The MLS playoffs do carry on, and despite LA being out the West does have a compelling final in Real Salt Lake vs. Portland Timbers. Will you be watching later today?