Ahead of Thursday’s second-leg of this Western Conference semifinal series, here are the must-knows about Bruce Arena’s LA Galaxy (Thursday’s match kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2):
- Still waiting for delivery from Robbie Rogers
His brave work in moving domestic sports into a better and more accepting place has been one of the great off-field stories of MLS in 2013. Maybe ever.
But Robbie Rogers simply isn’t delivering on the field. Rogers started once again along the right on Sunday in Los Angeles, but his body of work was pedestrian, at very best. If not for the great performance from Sean Franklin, whose big night in behind Rogers on the right included a lot of great defensive work, and generally so much more than that wonderful and important goal, then we would probably be spending more time dissecting Rogers’ night of lesser.
(By the way, that was Franklin’s first goal in 17 MLS playoff matches. And what a way to get No. 1 ! You’ve seen that thing, right?)
- Can the Galaxy hold off RSL late?
The troubling statistic that has gotten better lately, but just won’t go away for the Galaxy is this: The Galaxy gave up 18 goals after the 75th minute this year, second highest in the league, ahead of only woeful Chivas USA.
The team has done better lately, particularly after Jaime Penedo summer addition helped stabilize the Galaxy in goal. And it hasn’t hurt that Omar Gonzalez (pictured), the club’s U.S. international and recently enshrined DP, has mostly been able to concentrate on club duties lately rather than toggling between national team and Galaxy chores.
Still, it’s something to consider if RSL, behind by a goal in the series, has to press for a late one to level the score on aggregate.
(MORE: Real Salt Lake-LA Galaxy second leg preview)
- Donovan: “We are going there to win … not to tie”
A tie will do for the LA Galaxy – but that will not be the aim.
So says the club’s all-time leading scorer. He’s certainly correct in that so few teams, particularly if we aren’t talking about Serie A sides out of Italy, truly know how to play for a draw. Here’s what Donovan told the LA Galaxy blog:
“We have to be very good defensively, but we’re not going there to defend for 90 minutes, we’re going there to try to keep the ball and move the ball and put them under pressure too,” he said.
“I’m sure that they’re not going to go crazy because the reality is that they just need a goal at some point. For us the mentality is to be aggressive and get around the ball and get after the ball, but also when we have chances to possess and go forward. We’re going there to win the game, we’re not going there to get a tie.”
(MORE: What we learned from LA Galaxy-RSL first leg)
- LA Galaxy strong in conference semifinals
Playoff experience and understanding how to manage the matches (and the series) is clearly important. Just ask the Red Bulls, who just got knocked into off-season nether world by one of Major League Soccer’s ultimate playoff grinders, the Houston Dynamo.
But do you not give the Galaxy enough credit for their gift of grind?
The Galaxy has, after all, gone a perfect 6-for-6 in their last half dozen conference semifinal series. The fell in the semifinals in 2003 (the first year Major League Soccer’s current home-and-away format was adopted. Since then … they just don’t lose in this round. The Galaxy is 9-3-2 overall in this round in the current format.
(MORE: MLS playoff scheduling, timing and pace make no sense)