Prior to the month of June the same questions were being asked of FC Dallas and the Galaxy. Namely, most would ask, “When on earth will this awful form end?” Bruce Arena’s Galaxy, unlike Hyndman’s FCD, found points and has strung together a series of excellent results after a midseason intervention in spite of a dreary beginning to the season. But circumstances surrounding the Galaxy and FC Dallas make this a tie intriguing and less than straightforward.
You fair-weather fans shouldn’t read after this colon: David Beckham and Landon Donovan are both slated to miss Saturday’s fixture. Landycakes will miss due to yellow card accumulation; D-Becks will miss due to Olympic duties in London (speedboat > club commitments). Bruce Arena’s side has strung together a series of decent results recently, nabbing ten points in the past four matches. But with both designated players set to miss on Saturday, the Galaxy will pray that Robbie Keane will shoulder the goal burden himself; the Irish import is tied with Donovan for a team-leading nine goals in 2012.
Clearly, the delivery into Keane will be lacking with the two Designated Players sidelined. Beckham and Donovan account for 18 of the Galaxy’s 33 assists on the year. With more than 50% of his usual provisions disappeared, LA will have to call on alternative sources to find goals in Frisco.
The Wood Chipper In Frisco
Goals never flowed for Dallas so fluidly, so sweetly, than as they did last week against Portland. It was the first goal glut of 2012, and couldn’t have come at a better time for Dallas. Detractors see that five goals were let in by Portland, which, to be fair, is pretty expected of the Timbers these days. But Dallas’ possession, pass accuracy (89%), and number of passes attempted (495) were all season bests for the Frisco outfit. The performance and statistics far surpassed anything this season.
This was all done, surprisingly, without any of Dallas’ big names, save David Ferreira. The Columbian put on a majestic display alongside Jackson last Saturday, picking and stretching every hole in the Portland back line. But it is not in the center of midfield where the conundrum lies for Dallas: it is on the wings and in the striker slot.
A Growing Selection Crisis
Brek Shea will be in the squad Saturday, after a much-publicized bust-up with Schellas Hyndman in San Jose a week and a half ago. Time flies, however, and the two have reportedly since resolved their differences. For Shea, frustration due to playing out of position, lack of goals, and rumored after effects of turf toe seemed to culminate in his outburst at Hyndman in Northern California.
Whether or not Shea starts is where the mystery begins. Does Hyndman start the young US international after giving him a break and a missed performance against Portland? Odds are he comes in as substitute.
One thing is for sure – the result against the Timbers vindicated Shea, as well as Scott Sealy. For Shea, Sealy’s performance (which was quality) was proof that he should have received a fair shot the past few matches as the target striker; Shea should have been positioned on the left flank, his natural position.
The real question is: do you start Brek over Castillo, or even over Carlos Rodriguez? Rodriguez has formed a decent relationship with Jair Benitez of late. It further begs the question: do you start your young, frustrated starlet over an in-form winger?
Shea is still the most lethal for Dallas on the flanks, and should be expected to start. To be honest, I would have no qualms with Hyndman starting the same side that took on Portland (Hartman, Loyd-Pertuz-Hedges-Benitez, Hernandez-Jacobson-Ferreira-Jackson-Rodriguez, Sealy). Hyndman does have to worry about affronting Rodriguez, however: his recent form is worth taking into account.
To Los Angeles
Otherwise, Dallas should expect a Galaxy side that will be lacking in the attack, and still a shaky defensively, even with the return of the highly rated center back Omar Gonzalez. Los Angeles has conceded eight times in their past five games, but still nabbed two wins and a draw in three road matches out of the five.
Once again, provision of the ball into Keane’s feet will be limited with his two main assist men out. Juninho still can fill that role, or at least has the potential to do so. The Brazilian has as many assists as Todd Dunivant, but less than Mike Magee (two assists and three, respectively). But the Galaxy has not won a match this year when Landon Donovan has been absent (3 matches), and have only won a single match when David Beckham has been missing (out of 4 matches). To make matters worse, the two stars have never been missing in the same match in 2012.
That being said, odds are certainly against the Galaxy. Despite resting intermittently a few starters against Tottenham midweek, LA will be coming into Dallas a bit ragged. FC Dallas doesn’t have any type of fatigue to worry about, and has been fully rested since the Portland match. Overall, odds favor FCD, given especially their newfound momentum. A sellout crowd should heap some more misery on the Galaxy, to boot.
(Image courtesy of FC Dallas)
