Coaches will always be second guessed when it comes to decisions that don't go their way. But when a coach gets things right, it can have a profound impact on a game.
That's exactly what happened for Frank Yallop and the LA Galaxy in Kansas City on Thursday night. Five minutes after Jimmy Conrad was sent off after being shown a straight red card, Yallop started going to his bench. His moves paid dividends, as two of his substitutions had a direct impact on the game winning goal.
Mike Randolph, who started the game at left back, was pushed up into the midfield when Ante Jazic came on for Kyle Martino. Gavin Glinton came on a bit later in the half. It was Randolph who crossed the ball into Glinton, who then nodded home the winning goal.
"Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you don't," said Yallop about the moves he orchestrated. "I was pleased. It was a good win for us."
At first glance, when Jazic came on, it looked like a defensive move, bringing on a defender for a midfielder. Yallop didn't see it that way though.
"I felt Kyle (Martino) was running out of steam and I felt Mike would give them problems down that left side," said Yallop. "It worked out because Mike (Randolph) crossed the ball in for the goal."
Randolph, who assisted on the goal, agreed with his coach, saying that the move really helped out both sides of the ball.
"I was pretty much spent when I pushed up into the midfield, so it was a good thing when Ante (Jazic) came in and gave us fresh legs at the back," said Randolph. "The subs changed the game for us and definitely allowed me to get a couple of crosses off and be more dangerous."
Glinton was the second sub off the bench for the Galaxy, coming on in the 70th minute. Rather than throw numbers at Kansas City immediately after they went down a man, Yallop waiting for things to settle down. It was a move that ultimately decided the game.
"I thought if we were nil-nil around the 70th minute then let's go for it," said Yallop. "What you don't want to do is get crazy and just throw forwards on and play in different shapes and formations. It worked out well in that one."
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
