Then why bring it up?
Games of the week....
- Thread starter younothat
- Start date
Then why bring it up?
SuperNatural
SILVER ELITE
Just curious...you think anyone is worth talking about?
SuperNatural
SILVER ELITE
Yea.
Clearly, not half as much as you do, but continue ignoring my original question.
SuperNatural
SILVER ELITE
I don't usually engage with members under 40 posts, but I'll make you the exception for this one.
Okay.
I was merely laughing @the meaningless tournament. You're the one who wants to talk about it and now you're mad because I won't.
Haha! Well, color me honored. I'm not mad, far from it; just curious since you brought it up. I don't think I read anyone else mention the tournament, except for you. Based on that, I suppose your comment was meant to be as meaningless as Vegas cup. Kinda like the bum that hangs out outside the local liquor store and occasionally blurts random things.
Seven SoCal teams in Vegas Cup Gold flight, only one of them won more the one game, ouch.
I think it's obvious that it wasn't SoCal's tops teams. Based on the results the top teams were from Vegas and Seattle.
So is that LVSA Silver team the real deal? How do they compare to top SoCal teams?
SuperNatural
SILVER ELITE
Vegas Cup has been weakened by 1) DA League, which pulled out a lot of the top SoCal teams and 2) CRL which pulled out probably all of the rest of the top SoCal teams.
The fact is DA is watering down all the tournaments including Surf. I wouldn't even want to bring my kid to a DA tournament and pay for a hotel all week to play 1 game per day, especially if most of the teams in the tournament are from SoCal, because he will play them in DA League.
The fact is DA is watering down all the tournaments including Surf. I wouldn't even want to bring my kid to a DA tournament and pay for a hotel all week to play 1 game per day, especially if most of the teams in the tournament are from SoCal, because he will play them in DA League.
LVSA Silver made the finals of Surf Cup. They are big physical and fast and have stayed together for the last few years and lost no players in the age change. I asked one of the parents as I had never heard of them. They possess the ball well, cover defensively. The are very good.
The final with Vegas Heat was close and came down to an odd goal with about 3min left. Not sure how it got in from where I was standing. Vegas Heat was smaller and a step slower. Those two must play each other a lot because they did not seem to get along on the field.
The final with Vegas Heat was close and came down to an odd goal with about 3min left. Not sure how it got in from where I was standing. Vegas Heat was smaller and a step slower. Those two must play each other a lot because they did not seem to get along on the field.
DA is a 2 team league. Everyone else would come in second at all the other leagues and tournaments. Oxnard and CDA are better than the rest of the DA teams. DA. Great way to spend a couple hundred a year and your son play half the games the rest of the SoCal kids are playing. If you're not at galaxy. You're wasting your time and a lot of money
mahrez
SILVER ELITE
Ussda has about 6 good teams on this AG and a bunch of great players in the league.
The top 5-6 in da are sponsored for the most part and play plenty of games, scrimmages and training 3-4 days a week for the 10 months.
That LVSA silver & Heat NPL from Vegas are good but the both lost to SC ussda teams in the top 5 in previous tournments or comps.
So far Oxnard nor CDA has played any big tournaments like Vegas, Surf, and Cerritos and done anything. Until the step up and play better competition we really don't know how good they might be?
The top 5-6 in da are sponsored for the most part and play plenty of games, scrimmages and training 3-4 days a week for the 10 months.
That LVSA silver & Heat NPL from Vegas are good but the both lost to SC ussda teams in the top 5 in previous tournments or comps.
So far Oxnard nor CDA has played any big tournaments like Vegas, Surf, and Cerritos and done anything. Until the step up and play better competition we really don't know how good they might be?
younothat
PREMIER
THIS WEEKEND'S CRL SLATE OF GAMES AT SILVERLAKES HAVE BEEN CANCELED DUE TO FORECAST RAIN & FIELD CLOSURES
USSDA Futsal showcase Jan 22 LA Galaxy Soccer Center
http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/regevent/index.php?containerId=MjkwMzU4MA==&partialGames=0
9:00 LA Galaxy U-13 (Blue) vs FC Golden State U-13 (Blue)
9:00 Los Angeles United Futbol Academy U-13 (Blue) vs Albion SC U-13 (Blue)
11:00 FC Golden State U-13 (Blue) vs Albion SC U-13 (Blue)
11:00 LA Galaxy U-13 (Blue) vs Los Angeles United Futbol Academy U-13 (Blue)
1:00 Albion SC U-13 (Blue) vs LA Galaxy U-13 (Blue)
1:00 FC Golden State U-13 (Blue) vs Los Angeles United Futbol Academy U-13 (Blue)
USSDA Futsal showcase Jan 22 LA Galaxy Soccer Center
http://www.ussoccerda.com/sam/standings/regevent/index.php?containerId=MjkwMzU4MA==&partialGames=0
9:00 LA Galaxy U-13 (Blue) vs FC Golden State U-13 (Blue)
9:00 Los Angeles United Futbol Academy U-13 (Blue) vs Albion SC U-13 (Blue)
11:00 FC Golden State U-13 (Blue) vs Albion SC U-13 (Blue)
11:00 LA Galaxy U-13 (Blue) vs Los Angeles United Futbol Academy U-13 (Blue)
1:00 Albion SC U-13 (Blue) vs LA Galaxy U-13 (Blue)
1:00 FC Golden State U-13 (Blue) vs Los Angeles United Futbol Academy U-13 (Blue)
Oxnard is a good, big, fast team that is much better on defense than offense. It's a huge stretch to say that Oxnard would be the third best team in DA League. I have never heard anyone else say this. No disrespect to Oxnard, but not once when I watched Oxnard play did the thought cross my head, "This could be one of the top teams in SoCal at this age group." I assessed Oxnard as a good, solid team and think they would do OK in the DA League.
CDA Slammers has the talent to match up with the best DA teams. The GSA dads here will give me holy hell, but I think CDA Slammers matches up very well against GSA, because GSA has struggled against teams with both speed and physicality in the past. I think CDA and Galaxy are the two best teams in the age group, and it would be a great match with the result dependent upon reffing, with GSA a close third.
I think you underestimate the benefits of DA League, especially the quality of the coaching and the emphasis on team and individual passing and receiving skills as opposed to direct connections to physically mature players, but since you seem happy with your situation, in your case ignorance is bliss.
I also agree 100% with the DA philosophy of fewer games and more rest time and practice time. My son has more time and energy to practice on skills, less time traveling and playing games vs. weak teams in a watered down league and tournaments that he gets very little out of. He has improved a lot in areas where, he was quite frankly, shit for several years.
mahrez
SILVER ELITE
Big fair weather fish in a small pond syndrome. Seen this repeat several times over the years.
Just look at the Strikers or Real SoCal,. Strikers took NC and far west and RSC was near the top in league winning tournments prior to this DA year. Last time I looked both where in the bottom half of the table in the da league. Coaching, formations, requirements changed and they had to "relearn" how to play properly, making up for lost time. This is similar to what would happen if those other teams played DA IMO. I doubt any of them would fair any better than the Strikers have. Good for those two teams taking in the long term rather then looking to win at all costs now, but too bad they didn't do that sooner.
GSA, Galaxy and some of the other teams or players don't have to relearn, adapt to a new coach, or style of play because they have been doing this all along.
When a medium to smaller club only has a couple teams doing well, there is no real long term history, or anything but local play getting into top tourments in the top flight like a Dallas cup or better league (DA,ENPL, etc) is very difficult and most won't. This becomes the rub for these teams, no real place to play up on another internal team, or in other leagues. Not necessarily a dead end but what happens often is they rely on a couple players (IE.. 2 players have 75% of the goals) too much to keep winning and the others players don't develop enough.
U15 is the age HS starts for most and when things begin to change even more. When you take a player out of their comfort zone and the have to prove themselves again to a new coach with a different system than you know if they can swim in the bigger pond.
Don't know much about Real SoCal, but last year's Strikers beat last year's GSA and everyone else en route to tearing their way to State Cup. This year's Strikers lost their right winger (who was their best offensive player), their best center mid, and top notch GK due to the age change, they were moved to 02 academy team. They also lost quality defensive player and their replacement right winger, whose a very skilled and fast player, is recovering from a serious injury and has not been in top shape or form.
You are attributing the Strikers drop in standings to move to the DA League and change in style of play while ignoring the huge impact of the loss due to age, injury or players changing teams of 5 talented players, 3 of which (the 02 winger, GK and center mid) were among the top players at their position in the league.
Last year's Strikers did not have issues moving the ball. They were clearly the best team in the 8/02-8/03 age group. This year's 03 Strikers is a different team because it's a different age group and they lost a lot of talent.
mahrez
SILVER ELITE
So losing's 3 players is a lot of talent but they retained what 11? Stretching a bit or maybe to much realiance on too few players? Again a perfect example of the bigger fish in the small pond. When things changed what happen? Oh I know let's see if we can "re- learn" to move the ball around now, text book example.
I've seen the Strikers play last season 02/03, they dont play the same syle or formation as the ussda team does now after and the scouting reports came out.
Every team is new this year,. Galaxy has like 10 returning players and the ones added played for teams will silmar pocession styles.
You clearly know a lot about soccer but I think you are placing way too much emphasis on the DA label and style of play, and not enough on talent on the field. Losing 3 top players is a huge loss. Losing a defensive starter to another team and another top winger to injury means that 4 of their starting 11, or 5 of their top 12 has to be replaced. Percentagewise that is a huge loss, nearly 40% of the starters and loss of top offensive reserve.
I'm really not sure what your point is because you make no sense. Saying last year's Strikers was a big fish in a small pond is false. There was no DA League last year, they beat up on GSA, Galaxy and everyone else's academy team and they did it in great style. That was a great team. They were the big fish in the ONLY pond.
I'm sure transitioning to new systems added to Strikers difficulties. But they ran a 4-3-3 last year that was winger oriented and a 4-3-3 this year that involves their center mids more. I don't think the transition from one flavor of 4-3-3 to another flavor of 4-3-3 is that difficult. What made the transition difficult is they added a bunch of players, mainly defenders, that were new to academy several of whom were flight 2 players the year before. The GK and right winger who used to bail them out of trouble are gone. So they are struggling. I know they are still looking for players, and they added to their roster a new defensive player over the break.
Galaxy is a brand new team. Most of their starters are new, or they were rostered with the 03 Galaxy team but played up a year and have now moved back down. You were wrong to say that Galaxy has been successful this season because they were continuously good with the same players, coaches, and systems, and should just admit it.
There is no continuity in this Galaxy team. They recruited top players from a bunch of teams and got a new coach for this new group, and he has them playing more direct. Last year's team actually played more of the passing system you seem to favor.