After an inauspicious start to their season in Columbus, the Los Angeles Galaxy are looking to get things going in the right direction this weekend. They will be hoping the vast expanse of The Home Depot Center field will continue to work in their favor as they play host to expansion Real Salt Lake.
Foremost in the minds of the Galaxy players is showing their fans that last week's 3-0 loss at Crew Stadium was an aberration.
"We look forward to redeeming ourselves after the catastrophe last weekend," said veteran goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
In order to redeem themselves, the Galaxy will to have to defend better. Last weekend, the back line struggled to keep the Columbus duo of Ante Razov and Edson Buddle in check, and the task doesn't get any easier this week as a trio of proven goal scorers head into the HDC this weekend. Clint Mathis, Jason Kreis, and Andy Williams will keep the Galaxy defense busy all game long.
Despite the fact that this year's back four hasn't played together for the majority of the preseason, Chris Albright doesn't think that it will be too hard to get things on the right track.
"We're all professionals," said Albright. "It shouldn't take more than a week to get on the same page."
One week is exactly what this team has had to get it together. In fact, this past week has been the first full week that head coach Steve Sampson has had his team together. Sampson said he doesn't think that all the pressure is falling on his defense either.
"They have to defend us as well," said the Galaxy boss. "We do very well in this environment."
That environment is the Home Depot Center, where the Galaxy has been nearly unbeatable over the past couple of seasons. Bolstering the L.A. attack will be a healthy Landon Donovan, and provided the appropriate paperwork goes through, Brazilian striker Naldo Conceicao should eligible to play this Saturday as well.
The Galaxy have taken it upon themselves to show their faithful that last weekend was a fluke. Their supporters have shown up in droves at the HDC, clad in gold and green, and the team doesn't want to disappoint them this week.
"This weekend at home, with the sellout crowd, we're going to go out and score some goals," said Jovan Kirovski.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
