I think Bruce Arena said it best after the 2-0 loss in Columbus this past week, "We just didn't have any quality anywhere tonight... they basically won the match-ups all over the field."
That has to be a big area of concern for LA heading into the final three games of the season. The Galaxy have been consistent for three quarters of the year, finding ways to earn points from games, and now for the second time in three weeks they have played flat and uninspired soccer. The hope is that just as the team did in the match against Toronto after the loss to FC Dallas, winning 2-0 at home, the same will occur on Friday against a Fire team that has just one win in their last five league games.
This is a matchup of two, second place teams in their respective conferences, and coincidentally both of these teams have struggled with their home form, while finding success on the road. Chicago is just .500 at Toyota Park, while LA are just above that level in their matches at the HDC. Another parallel between these clubs is the fact that both have had their struggles defensively of late. The back four is an area where both clubs would like to see things tighten up heading toward the playoffs. The team that does this better might just book their ticket to the "second season" Friday night.
The Fire has been dealing with some injuries that, like LA, might play a significant role on Friday night. The two biggest names in question are Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Chris Rolfe. Both are a vital part of the midfield play for Chicago, and both are listed as questionable with hamstring strains that caused them to miss last weekend's 2-2 draw with TFC. Justin Mapp and Patrick Nyarko are the players that have come into the line-up for Denis Hamlett in place of the injured duo. Both players bring quality to the field, but just not to the degree of the players they're being asked to replace. After sizzling in MLS a few years back, Mapp for one reason or another has not been able to provide the regular contribution that we expect from him, while Nyarko is progressing in his sophomore season in the league. He has great pace on the field, but does not always have the purpose with his runs, although that aspect of the game is getting better. I should add, that if Blanco is able to go (and I'm guessing that the folks at ESPN are keeping their fingers crossed for a Blanco vs. Beckham duel), that will be a big lift for the Fire mentally, as well as on the field. There will plenty of fans at the HDC on hand to support the former Club America star, which will, in turn, lend plenty of support toward the visitors.
I mentioned the defending above, and when looking specifically at the Fire's defense, LA should take advantage of a missing player or two there as well. It looks doubtful that Costa Rican International Gonzalo Segares will be able to go, and Bakary Soumare is no longer with the team. Both defenders are a big part of why Chicago was so good at the beginning of the year. Segares brought attacking flair from the back to the Fire lineup, while Soumare combined with Wilman Conde in the central defense to win almost everything that came through the air. Without Segares, the runs from the outside back spot will not be as frequent. Conde will still be in, and to be honest, he is one of the best defenders in the league in my opinion. Not only does the Columbian defend very well, but his ability to combine from the back with players in the midfield is what sets him apart from the majority of defenders in the league. The Galaxy will need to find a way to pull Conde out from the central part of the field and leave Edson Buddle or Landon Donovan matched up on C.J. Brown 1 vs. 1.
LA may be without David Beckham for the second straight game, as the English International continues to battle a strain to the Achilles, though I get the feeling that #23 will not want to miss this one. In one sense if the injury is indeed still lingering, LA will more than likely give Beckham another week to rest, thinking of the big picture... i.e. - the playoffs. On the other side of the coin, remember David has only played in eight games this year with the Galaxy, and there should be concern about how well the on-field chemistry is building in these final games. Sure good soccer players know how to work together in games, but if your are going to succeed in the playoffs, you want players to know the fine details of how a teammate makes his runs, where he likes to receive the ball and what he is thinking in the crucial moments of a match. Let's hope that the injury is on the mend, I know that he trained the whole week and looked to get better as the week went on, and that Beckham will be able to go, thus making the above point moot.
Since there was some focus on the Fire' midfield above, lets take a glance at the LA midfield for a moment. I think that it was pretty clear that Sean Franklin is better suited to play in the back, as opposed to the right side of the midfield. That is not to say that Franklin can't contribute in the attack, but he just seems to do it with more confidence from the defense. In addition, the Galaxy will have a bit more firepower with say, Jovan Kirovski or Mike Magee coming into the starting line-up, depending on where Landon Donovan goes in the starting eleven. Donovan and Buddle up top gives the Galaxy one of the league's best attacking duos, and might be the best bet for the Galaxy in the remaining weeks heading into the postseason. Edson is fantastic at holding the ball with a defender on his back, while Landon's pace forces the secondary to leave Buddle in a 1vs. 1 situation. Further, if Chris Birchall, Mike Magee or even a healthy David Beckham can provide support underneath, LA will have plenty of options where to play the ball going forward. Easier said than done of course.
The finish line is in sight and if we have learned one thing from this Galaxy team in 2009 is that they respond best when facing adversity. Last weekend in Columbus, the defending MLS Cup champs gave Bruce Arena and Co. a good punch in the mouth. Now its up to those same guys to bounce back, as they have done so many times already this year, and deliver a retaliatory strike to the Fire in the form of three massively important points.
