After nearly one month of having to exercise an absolutely undesirable level of patience, it's time: A few short (though seemingly long) hours now, and we'll be looking to continue the Galaxy's plummet into the doldrums of MLS while continuing our meteoric rise to the top, rather like water and oil, or, you know, two liquids with different specific densities.
When the season started, you wouldn't have been mad to suspect this could be a vital game — one of the veritable games of the season for both clubs involved. The match is coming just before the half-way point of the campaign, and a win should see us ride out the top position until then. We'll see, though, as many things could happen.
If we're to take a historical look at this matchup — one that I'd argue is threatening to supplant the Rocky Mountain Cup as our biggest rivalry (it's not there yet, though) — you'll notice something interesting. In fact, why don't you look for yourself?
- 2012-03-10: LA 1 - 3 RSL
- 2011-10-01: LA 2 - 1 RSL
- 2011-03-26: RSL 4 - 1 LA
- 2010-06-09: RSL 1 - 0 LA
- 2010-04-17: LA 2 -1 RSL
- 2009-06-13: LA 0 - 2 RSL
- 2009-05-06: RSL 2 - 2 LA
You'll notice that, since the start of the 2009 campaign, that we hold a bit of a lead in the considerations (regular season only). If we create a mini-season out of these results, we hold a lead: We're on 13 points, while the Galaxy are on seven points. That's not so bad, is it? We're ahead a net total of six goals as well. But if it weren't for that magical season opener in LA this year, we'd be level with them. Now, that doesn't really mean much for today, but it gives a nice historical backdrop against which this match can be framed, and it lends a little credence to the fact that we're developing a little bit of a rivalry with them.
Right, like most match days, let's run through the lineup and talk tactics a bit. Yesterday, I mulled over some of the threats they're likely to provide as well as some of their more prominent injury and absence issues. Of course, as it's so in vogue to say right now (I say this after seeing multiple headlines, that's it, nothing more — heh), the Galaxy are better than they look and they aren't to be taken lightly. Why, their win over Portland proves this. (Hey, wait — Portland's not doing very well, are they?)
At the back: Nick Rimando. No surprise. He'll have to be, as usual, aware to the danger of high crosses sent into the box, which have, at times, caught us out. Of course, they've caught a lot of people out, but still, I think my point stands. Now, if we play a high line, we might obviate that issue a little bit — high crosses are fine and good, but they're rendered rather ineffective when the opposition can't reach the box. Of course, we'll have to be ready for bursting runs from the midfield (not from David Beckham, though, who I haven't seen on a bursting run in some time) and from up front should we do that, but that seems something we can deal with.
In front of Nick should be our first-choice four: Tony Beltran on the right, Chris Wingert on the left, with the inimitable and indescribable Borlave in the middle. Now, there have been some issues with Olave and a calf injury of some sort (I am, of course, light on details. Sorry.), but I reckon he'll be fine, having been rested in the latter stages of that Chivas match (what a match it was!) I'd imagine we'll see all four for all 90 minutes, but should we need another option, we'll have… um… Chris Estridge and Terukazu Tanaka.
In the midfield, we'll see our fearless leader, Kyle Beckerman, and some other generals: Ned Grabavoy, Will Johnson, and if I'm to take a guess, Jonny Steele. Now, we'd clearly like to see Javier Morales in there, and I suspect he will be given a run in the second half, but if he's deemed 90 minutes fit, we might see him start. I doubt we see him start otherwise. As such, Mr. Steele should get a chance to face up against the player he's a little like — Mr. Beckham, of course — and perhaps he can provoke him into getting a yellow card and missing his next match. That would be a bit funny.
Up front, who else? Alvaro Saborio and Fabian Espindola. They're both in fine form, and with Fabian's renewed focus on shifting between the left and right flanks and sometimes even pushing through the center, we should be able to find space easily.
So, in short: Rimando; Beltran, Olave, Borchers, Wingert; Beckerman, Steele, Johnson, Grabavoy; Saborio, Espindola. Most excellent.
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