April 14th, 2012. A must-win game for LA. I’ll let that settle into your brain for a second. The idea that the Galaxy would need to win a game in April would be laughable at the beginning of the season. Yet, here we are. 12 points behind the conference leaders Real Salt Lake and in-city rivals above them in the table, the Galaxy seem to have realize this is a must-win game…at least in word anyway.
What will be the constant worry for Galaxy fans is whether they show it on the field. After 2 torrid performances, Bruce Arena has called out his players several times to no avail. That action is something that we’re not used to seeing from Bruce Arena, but the start to this season is something that the Galaxy aren’t used to seeing either
LA’s defensive hopes, at this point in the season, may lie in the play of newcomer David Junior Lopes. The 29 year old defender will hope to help the woes of the defensive line and bring a bit of physicality to a defense that was pretty much beaten at will by Sporting Kansas City last week. On the other side of the ball, it’s still a toss-up for the second forward position besides the team’s leading scorer, Robbie Keane. In any case, that may not matter if the Galaxy can’t find a way to put shots on goal and challenge the keeper. Another sore spot for the Galaxy has been ball distribution. LA could not get into a rhythm with many passes easily cut out by Kansas City’s midfield and defense. That cannot happen again if the Galaxy expect a win this week.
As much as it seems that LA is fighting themselves, there will be another team on the field Saturday night in the Portland Timbers. The Timbers, who are above the Galaxy in the West at 7th, come to LA having lost 3 out of their last 4 games and giving up 6 goals during that span. On top of that, the Timbers have had their own defensive line issues with a foot fracture to Futty Danso and players having issues with their International Transfer Certificates. Portland will be just as hungry to get a win in what now seems a very venerable Home Depot Center.
There’s nowhere to go but up for the Galaxy at this point in the season. But if they want the remainder of their season to mean anything, they’ll need to start figuring out the issues plaguing the team…and they’ll need to start doing it soon.
Hopefully, the real LA Galaxy show up on Saturday.
(image courtesy of Getty Images)
