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Defensive Showdown Brings Chivas USA Win, RSL Loss
For Real Salt Lake, the 1-0 reverse away at Chivas USA represented the club's fourth loss in four road games this year. For Chivas USA, it meant the third best start to an MLS season over nine games.
May 10, 2009 3:39:16 AM
CARSON, Calif.--Real Salt Lake headed into its fourth away game of
2009 ready to try something different. The previous approach of
entering road games guns-a-blazin' had earned exactly zero points and
zero goals in three matches.
Instead, the team focused on defensive posture in a more withdrawn 4-5-1 formation. Fourth round draftee Raphael Cox started his first Major League Soccer match on the left flank in place of striker Robbie Findley.
“We were concentrating a little more on defense this game,” the rookie said. “Defense was a big part of this game and keeping the ball and keeping our blocks of four and five tight.”
Cox and his teammates did manage to keep the game tight, but narrowly lost all three points to a second-half Paulo Nagamura strike. In some regards, however, said captain Kyle Beckerman to Goal.com after the match, the shift in formation and attitude worked.
“We didn't give up a goal in the first half, that was our goal at the start of the game, but it just didn't last,” said the holding midfielder. “We didn't hold out.”
The team was attempting to hold out against MLS's run-away leaders atop the table. Chivas USA has collected 22 points out of a possible 27, good enough for the third best start after nine games in MLS history since draws were introduced.
Chivas has built its success on a miserly defense that has leaked only three goals all year and a workaholic team ethic. Beckerman acknowledged that he was always in for a tough game against the Goats' midfield.
“They work hard; they're pretty fit guys, and Chivas plays a good style,” he explained. “They don't really have any superstars, but they play a team game. They're finding ways to win; that's something you can't really practice, you just gotta do it, and they've found it.”
That's something Chivas USA head coach Preki would agree with. After the match he brushed aside any worries over particular players not performing and focused on the group as a whole.
“I really don't care about assists and goals,” the former Kansas City Wizards attacker said. “The only thing that matters to me is how we play as a team. Assists will come; goals will come.”
On Saturday, the goal came through an unlikely source. Paulo Nagamura is known more for his defensive play in the midfield, but leads the team in goals scored in 2009 with three.
The 2008 Chivas USA defensive player of the year explained the formation that has allowed him to join attacks and score those three goals, including the long-range deflected shot against RSL.
“The way that we play, both me and Jesse [Marsch] have chances to go forward,” he said in the post-game press conference. “We worked on this all week. In the middle of the game there's going to be opportunities for me to go forward.”
At the heart of the league's stingiest defense is towering Jamaican defender Shavar Thomas. He attributes Chivas USA's ability to close out tight games to the team's work ethic . . . and a bit of luck.
“It's a bit of luck, plus hard work,” Thomas said. “It's a group thing, it's all 20 guys, even some coaches. Every week we stress defensive formation, block of eight.
“This is just a stepping stone to the playoffs, and we're just happy to get a clean sheet and a win.”
Real Salt Lake knocked Chivas USA out of the playoffs in 2008, and would like to take part once again in 2009. Despite the club's atrocious away form, Beckerman isn't too concerned just yet.
“No, we're not worried,” he said. “What are we at? Seven games out of 30? If we go 14-0-1 at home and 0-15 on the road, I think it might get us in the playoffs. I think we might be alright.”
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
Instead, the team focused on defensive posture in a more withdrawn 4-5-1 formation. Fourth round draftee Raphael Cox started his first Major League Soccer match on the left flank in place of striker Robbie Findley.
“We were concentrating a little more on defense this game,” the rookie said. “Defense was a big part of this game and keeping the ball and keeping our blocks of four and five tight.”
Cox and his teammates did manage to keep the game tight, but narrowly lost all three points to a second-half Paulo Nagamura strike. In some regards, however, said captain Kyle Beckerman to Goal.com after the match, the shift in formation and attitude worked.
“We didn't give up a goal in the first half, that was our goal at the start of the game, but it just didn't last,” said the holding midfielder. “We didn't hold out.”
The team was attempting to hold out against MLS's run-away leaders atop the table. Chivas USA has collected 22 points out of a possible 27, good enough for the third best start after nine games in MLS history since draws were introduced.
Chivas has built its success on a miserly defense that has leaked only three goals all year and a workaholic team ethic. Beckerman acknowledged that he was always in for a tough game against the Goats' midfield.
“They work hard; they're pretty fit guys, and Chivas plays a good style,” he explained. “They don't really have any superstars, but they play a team game. They're finding ways to win; that's something you can't really practice, you just gotta do it, and they've found it.”
That's something Chivas USA head coach Preki would agree with. After the match he brushed aside any worries over particular players not performing and focused on the group as a whole.
“I really don't care about assists and goals,” the former Kansas City Wizards attacker said. “The only thing that matters to me is how we play as a team. Assists will come; goals will come.”
On Saturday, the goal came through an unlikely source. Paulo Nagamura is known more for his defensive play in the midfield, but leads the team in goals scored in 2009 with three.
The 2008 Chivas USA defensive player of the year explained the formation that has allowed him to join attacks and score those three goals, including the long-range deflected shot against RSL.
“The way that we play, both me and Jesse [Marsch] have chances to go forward,” he said in the post-game press conference. “We worked on this all week. In the middle of the game there's going to be opportunities for me to go forward.”
At the heart of the league's stingiest defense is towering Jamaican defender Shavar Thomas. He attributes Chivas USA's ability to close out tight games to the team's work ethic . . . and a bit of luck.
“It's a bit of luck, plus hard work,” Thomas said. “It's a group thing, it's all 20 guys, even some coaches. Every week we stress defensive formation, block of eight.
“This is just a stepping stone to the playoffs, and we're just happy to get a clean sheet and a win.”
Real Salt Lake knocked Chivas USA out of the playoffs in 2008, and would like to take part once again in 2009. Despite the club's atrocious away form, Beckerman isn't too concerned just yet.
“No, we're not worried,” he said. “What are we at? Seven games out of 30? If we go 14-0-1 at home and 0-15 on the road, I think it might get us in the playoffs. I think we might be alright.”
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
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