Saturday featured a battle between two teams with similar standings on the table but vastly different underlying numbers. The LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake came into the game boasting a healthy 1.8 and 2.3 points per game, respectively. The numbers hinted that the two teams came about those marks in very different ways, however. LA had posted a league leading xG differential of about 6.9, hoisted primarily by their astonishing 3.44 xG against, by far the best in the league. RSL’s defense was not exactly as strong. They compiled 9.5 xG against through six games while only conceding six actual goals which was cause for some concern. RSL wasn’t “due” for last Saturday's 5 goal stomping but their defense wasn’t as solid as it may have seemed.
High Line, Low Pressure - Throughout the game, RSL demonstrated the difference between a defense playing with a high block and a defense playing a high press. Yes, RSL set up deep in LA’s half when the Galaxy’s defenders and center midfielders were on the ball yet they didn’t look to win the ball back high up the field. Instead they kind of, um, just stood around.
