The Los Angeles Galaxy were outplayed, outworked and outhustled by in-stadium rivals Chivas USA on Thursday night, losing 3-0. But all three goals could probably have been put down to one factor: fatigue.
The Galaxy were playing in their 10th game in just more than a month on Thursday, and the blistering pace of games will continue as they head Colorado on Sunday for yet another league game. Making matters worse was the fact that the Galaxy have limited healthy bodies to use. The Galaxy's depth is so thin that Frank Yallop was forced to start David Beckham, who had played the full 90 minutes for England on Wednesday then took a transatlantic flight followed by a transcontinental flight just hours before kickoff.
"I can't remember, maybe ever in the history of professional soccer, that a team has had more games in closer succession with travel, with injuries. It sounds like excuses but we're humans, not robots," Landon Donovan saidfollowing the match, who played the final 30 minutes after playing 64 minutes for the USA in Sweden on Wednesday. "Eventually guys are going to break down. A few more guys got muscle strains tonight because you just can't physically do it. Your body can't do it."
Fatigue and scheduling was the prevailing theme in the locker room following the game. Galaxy right fullback Chris Klein joined the team midseason, but has been one of the few players who has played the majority of minutes for the Galaxy over the last month.
"I really don't want to sound like I'm making excuses but our schedule has been unbelievable. We've had no chance to recover," said Klein. "We're literally looking for guys who can play games. On our part we didn't do as well as we could -- at some point what are you going to do? Then (they're) going to run us out again in a couple of days then a couple of days after that. Ideally if you have a 30-man roster that can play you're OK, like they do in Europe, but that's not the case here."
It was that fatigue, especially with one less man on the field, that really opened up the spaces in the Galaxy defense over the course of the second half. Chivas truly looked like the fresher team -- by contrast with the Galaxy's schedule, Chivas was playing in just their fourth game in the same stretch that the Galaxy has played 10. When the holes opened up after the Galaxy's Kevin Harmse and Chivas USA's Alex Zotinca were sent off just before halftime, Chivas took advantage.
"Going forward if you give (Chivas) space, which we had to push to try and get back into the game, they're going to break you down," said Donovan. "That was kind of bound to happen."
Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop looked as dejected as he's ever looked following the match. His demeanor was one of quiet frustration as he was clearly not pleased with the effort or circumstances surrounding the loss.
"I'm not sure where to start, but obviously results-wise it's not the worst result I've had since I've been here, but it's pretty close," said Yallop. "It's a disappointment altogether. I didn't see much fight. Some players tried hard tonight but some didn't know how to try and didn't give everything they had."
The question that is starting to creep into the Galaxy locker room is the reality of the playoffs. It seems to be slipping away at the moment, and the concept is starting to set in with the players.
"(The schedule is) not going to get any easier. We play again in two days with probably a few less bodies," said Donovan. "I don't know if we're allowed to sign 10 new players in the next few days. They can't expect to dump this on us, with all the traveling and everything, and expect us to win. It's impossible."
The schedule finally caught up with the Galaxy. They had lost a series of one-goal games, but against Chivas USA they clearly had nothing left in the tank as their rivals ran away with a convincing win.
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
