When Bruce Arena took over as the head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, he said he wouldn't make any drastic changes to the team this season. International call-ups have forced his hand a bit, but there have been some consistencies in his tactics.
In all three games, Arena has paired Troy Roberts in the center of his defense alongside Sean Franklin, and the pair is starting to gel.
"I think (Roberts) is going well, and he and Sean Franklin are players with a lot of potential," said Arena. "I'm sorry that I haven't had more time to work with him. It would have been nice to have more than 10 games in the season. But I think they are a tandem that has potential."
It isn't the first chance that Roberts has had in his time with the Galaxy to earn a starting role. Last season, Roberts looked like a lock to start. A preseason injury allowed Ty Harden to step in and kept Roberts off the field. This time, Roberts isn't taking anything for granted.
"Things haven't been that stable the past four years that I've been here," said Roberts. "It's something to build on, and you have to start somewhere, so hopefully I can do that."
Making Roberts' transition easier is the fact that he has played all along the backline in his four years with the Galaxy, and his teammates know what to expect out of him.
"Troy always does a great job. He's very athletic and I think he's starting to read the game much much better," said Chris Klein. "I think that's helped him. I think he's done a great job and it's fun to play next to him."
In fact, the only player along the backline with whom Roberts has not had a lot of time with is rookie Franklin. The two comprise one of the youngest center back pairings in the league, and has Roberts excited to continue his partnership with Franklin.
"I like working with Sean at the back. Every game we're getting a better understanding of each other," said Roberts. "I think we're playing better."
The future is now for the Galaxy though. The club has struggled all season long on the defensive side of the ball, and with the regular season speeding to a close, there is little time to build a relationship. The focus in Galaxy training has been on the defensive side of the ball since Arena arrived, giving Roberts and the Galaxy a clearer perspective of what's expected of him.
"Everybody is taking responsibility when it comes to defense. Here and there, when we're in training, if he sees something, he'll tell me to make sure my communication is good," said Roberts. "We keep our backline tight. There's just little things here and there that we haven't done well in the past."
Between Roberts and Franklin, there is plenty of speed and athleticism in the center of the Galaxy defense. With Arena taking a more hands-on approach in training, the tactical awareness between the two should also develop. Whether that all clicks into place in time to see the Galaxy into the playoffs remains to be seen, but for right now, it's Roberts job to lose.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
