On the eve of their first match of SuperLiga 2009, Chivas USA are focused on holding onto the ball. The Red-and-White will be concentrating on maintaining strong possession in Saturday's match against Tigres UANL as the key to returning to the form that helped them win seven of their first nine games in 2009.
Chivas USA have conceded five goals in the final 13 minutes of play in the team's last six matches, which means that almost half of the 12 goals that the Red-and-White have conceded all year have come at the end of the game. The cause of this problem has largely been the team's struggle to retain solid offensive possession.
"When we've been at our best, it's because we've had the ball for long stretches of time," said defender Carey Talley. "In the past three or four games, we struggled to keep the ball for more than four or five passes each time we got it. We need to be better with the ball."
The team's recent trouble holding the ball has put added pressure on the Red-and-White backline.
"Defensively, our shape has been good," said Talley. "But after 90 minutes, something is going to break down if you've been defending the whole game. You get incredibly tired if you spend all your time in a defensive mode."
Chivas USA has had a busy schedule of late. The team just finished a tough road trip to Houston and Columbus to end a stretch that saw them play three games in eight days.
"We've been playing games back to back to back," said defender Shavar Thomas. "When we are tired, we have to concentrate more on making good plays and winning our individual duels."
The absences of Sacha Kljestan and Jonathan Bornstein, who are both in South Africa at the FIFA Confederations Cup with the U.S. national team, have also played a role in Chivas USA's recent dip in form. The two have been gone since June 8.
"We miss those guys," said Jesse Marsch. "There a few key players that are important to how our team works and I think Sacha and Johnny are two of those guys."
To combat the problematic trend of always feeling like they're on defense, the Red-and-White will be squarely focused on good passing and strong possession when they take the field against Mexican side Tigres UANL on Saturday.
"We have to be sharp on the ball," said Chivas USA captain Jesse Marsch. "When you play Mexican teams, if you're careless with the ball, then they can keep it for a long time. They'll make you run for major parts of the game just by being good on the ball and moving for each other. We have to be the team that's dictating the pace with the ball."
Chivas USA is well-rested and confident heading into Saturday's match, which should help the team get back into the form that served them so well in the first half of 2009.
"We need to concentrate on what we want to do," said Thomas. "If we can stop their attack, then I'm sure that our talent up front will win the game for us."
Jeffrey King is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
