Ahead of Sunday's match (7:00 p.m. CT) against LA Galaxy, SportingKC.com caught up with LA Times reporter Kevin Baxter to preview the Western Conference clash at Children's Mercy Park.
What kind of lineup can we expect to see from the Galaxy on Sunday?
The Galaxy have been plagued by injuries all season and Nigel de Jong will not make the trip while serving the last match of a three game suspension. Including de Jong, the Galaxy have had ten of their 11 regular starters miss games due to injury or suspension. They will very likely be without Steven Gerrard and probably be without Robbie Keane this weekend. Gerrard took a knock in training yesterday (Thursday) and didn't train today (Friday). You never say never but he's extremely doubtful for Sunday. He probably won't make the trip. Robbie Keane has been training for a couple of weeks but missed several games after undergoing knee surgery at the end of March. He's missed several games and although he's been training several weeks, he is 35 years old and we're not even a quarter way into the season yet. The Galaxy have a real tough string of matches coming up. After Sunday's game, they have a game the following Sunday, then a trip to Philadelphia, and then come back home. Three games in seven days on both sides of the continent. I think Robbie Keane will probably skip Sunday's game. In practice last week they were missing Sebastian Lletget but he's trained this week and will probably play with Gerrard out. The Galaxy are still a little bit beat up but having said that, they've scored nine goals in their last two games.
What's been the key to the Galaxy recent offensive success (nine goals in their last two matches)?
In a sense, it is true that the injuries have almost helped them in a strange way. For example, Robbie Keane is always the target guy when he's in the lineup. He's the guy up front who goes wherever he wants and that's been super effective but with him not out there, now it's Giovanni Dos Santos who gets to do that. He's scored three goals in his last two goals and was MLS Player of the Week a week ago. He's just played tremedously. He's done that because he has the freedom to sort of be a number ten but also improvise and go to spots where in the past, he and Robbie Keane would want to occupy the same spot. Now, Gio is the guy running the offense and at the same time, that's freed Gyasi Zardes to charge the net. That's been really effective. Emmanuel Boateng came on the last game and played really well with his first MLS goal and two assists. It really has been a case of guys stepping up for injured players. Gio in the case for the injured Robbie Keane and in the case of Boateng, it's simply getting a chance to play and making the most of it.
With all the injuries for the Galaxy, who are some other players who have stepped up this season?
Daniel Steres, who previous played for LA Galaxy II, was signed this season as a central defender and that was one position where the Galaxy looked like they were stacked but suffered several injuries. Leonardo, the team's Defender of the Year last year, hasn't played at all this season. AJ De LaGarza has been hurt and Van Damme missed one game with injury. Steres wasn't supposed to play much, has stepped up and is the only player that's played every minute of every game. That's a guy that nobody thought would get much action at all and he's played very well.
I think you can say the same thing about Mike Magee. He's a former MLS MVP but the Galaxy looked stacked in the midfield and it didn't look like Magee was going to get much time. Because of the injuries, Giovanni Dos Santos has missed games and Steven Gerrard has missed games, Magee's had to play a starting role and done really well.
I really think the big surprise is Brian Rowe. This a guy in his fifth year in MLS who played a career high seven games last year. The Galaxy went out and got Dan Kennedy on a quarter of a million dollar salary because they needed a goalkeeper. They didn't have a lot of confidence in Brian Rowe but he has stepped up and been one of the best goalkeepers in MLS so far this season.
What are your thoughts on Sunday's match and what things will you be looking for?
I keep looking at how the Galaxy have been phenomenal adapting to all these injuries. I think Bruce Arena is the best coach in MLS and when you look at how he's made these guys play through these injuries, it's just been amazing. I look for Bruce Arena to come up with another lineup that plays well together.
One thing that's been really interesting is that in the last two games the Galaxy have scored nine goals (four in Houston, five vs RSL) but in both gave up the first goal. They came back from that in both games. Usually when a team gives up an early goal, they usually change their attack and strategy but the Galaxy didn't. Against Real Salt Lake, they were pushing from the outset and just couldn't find the back of the net. All of a sudden they did and things started to click. If I'm looking at this game, I wouldn't be surprised if Sporting Kansas City jumped out to an early lead but once that happens, they'll really need to bunker down and not let the Galaxy off the floor. Once the Galaxy get that momentum rolling and that first goal, they're unstoppable. If I'm a Kansas City, I want to make sure my team gets the first goal and holds the Galaxy down and doesn't let them get momentum going.
