Throughout the season, Chivas USA's defense has been a source of pride. Through 25 games, Chivas has allowed a league-low 10 goals at home. The club's tough defense has helped Chivas to a plus-five goal-differential, the third-best figure in the league.
Lately, however, the defense has not played up to those statistics. The club has seven shutouts this season but has none since July 15.
If Chivas are to claim a postseason berth and take the next step towards becoming a championship-caliber team, the defense needs to step up and get a shutout soon, Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley said.
"The ability to win some games 1-0 or 2-0 where you score and hold on and then at the right moment get the second goal, I think that's critical in the latter part of the season," Bradley said. "A lot of playoff games are won 1-0 or 2-0. I think that's something we've got to be able to do here."
The Chivas task is not easy as the club will play FC Dallas home and away in the next six days, followed by a visit to Houston.
But if the club is to reach the postseason, better results are necessary. While the defense has been shaky at times recently, there is no one player who is to blame, defender Tim Regan said.
"(The defense) always has room to improve. Unfortunately at this time everybody is taking their turns at making mistakes and it's costing us goals," Regan said. "I think all of us in the backline would say that we made a crucial mistake that's led to a team scoring a goal."
Lately, opponents have not been scoring goals on clear-cut scoring chances. In Sunday's 2-1 loss to D.C. United, goalkeeper Preston Burpo let a ball past him that Bradley said the goalkeeper would stop "999 times out of 1,000." Against Houston on Aug. 26, Chivas surrendered a goal on a penalty kick. Also, Chivas has allowed freekick goals in three consecutive games.
"We've given up odd goals of late and in particular it's hurt us to give up some goals at very bad times," Bradley said. "An example is certainly the game against D.C."
Burpo's error came one minute after Chivas had battled back to even the score when Claudio Suarez scored on a penalty kick in the 32nd minute.
Still, while Regan conceded the defense has been shaky, overall team defending has been strong.
"I think our defense has been great. We're plugging holes. We're solving problems that we weren't solving even a month ago," Regan said. "In the grand scheme of things we're looking pretty good but in the back we just need to tighten it up."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
