There are some serious holes in the defense that FC Dallas can expose tonight.
Do you need to re-visit a happy memory? Watch some highlights of the match from May 14th. It’s probably too much to ask to have FC Dallas put up three goals in the first 25 minutes again, but I could watch those goals again and again.
Needless to say, this is probably not exactly what the LA Galaxy was hoping for in year two under Vanney. Knocked out of the Open Cup by Sacramento last month; barely hanging on to a playoff spot this month. They enter the weekend with a record of 9W-9L-3D: good for 30 points and 7th in the Western Conference. The squad is 3-4-2 away from Carson. But perhaps a bleaker consideration – when last I wrote about this squad, they were 6-3-1. They are 3-6-2 since mid-May.
In a word, what I continue to hear about this club: is disarray. A front office that can’t quite decide what page they’re on. An assemblage of players that reflect disparate viewpoints.
Highlights are unavailable for the Atlanta game, but Atlanta is clearly struggling this season – especially away from home. Against San Jose they struggled with defensive lapses that led directly to goals (sort of like that Paxton Pomykal steal in May) and then against Colorado the balls over the top caused consistent issues (Sort of like Jesus’ first goal in May).
Offensively, the plan for LA is to cross balls into the middle to either Chicharito or Joveljic. Nothing else seems to work for them consistently.
Player Notes for LA:
- Dejan Joveljic: U22 Initiative signing, the 22-year-old Serbian has been a revelation for Vanney. The question is “What about Chicharito?” Formerly, the question was what happens to the Galaxy if Javier Hernandez is injured… but Chicharito has only scored twice since Dallas last saw him. Joveljic has eight goals in that time. Eight. In the last eight games. He’s been primarily used a super-sub, but the calls for him to start are getting louder. Look for him to make runs into the top of the penalty area.
- Gaston Brugman: A recent acquisition, the 29-year-old Uruguayan defensive midfielder arrives from Parma and got his first appearance last week against Atlanta when he paired with Mark Delgado in central midfield
- The under-performers: Cabral, Grandsir, & Costa. Will Vanney continue to give them minutes if they’re not producing? They have four goals and five assists between them this season. The folks over at MLS ExtraTime picked the Galaxy to drop out of the playoff picture and the lack of production from these acquisitions seems to be the chief problem.
Expected Line-Up: 4-4-2
Chicharito Cabral
Raveloson Delgado Brugman Costa
Gaspar Williams Zavaleta Araujo
Bond
Availability:
Out: Jorge Villafaña (left knee)
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