CARSON, Calif. -- The LA Galaxy have Major League Soccer's best offense (2.07 goals per game), best defense (1.07 goals conceded per game) and the most points (58, even with Seattle), and a big part of the why is the work done by veterans Juninho and Marcelo Sarvas, often quietly, in central midfield.
The additions this season of Stefan Ishizaki and Baggio Husidic, Gyasi Zardes' goal production, and Landon Donovan's presence in midfield has altered what LA (15-5-9) needs from the Brazilian duo, whose contributions to the attack aren't as vital as in seasons past.
That's a positive. They're playing deeper than before, especially Juninho, and it has helped provide a stronger foundation for the Galaxy on both sides of the ball.
“There's so many moving parts in our attacking half of the field, and what allows that to work is the understanding Marcelo and Juni have of holding when balls turn over or being in positions to collect second balls,” associate head coach Dave Sarachan said Friday as the Galaxy prepared for Sunday's StubHub Center showdown with the New York Red Bulls (8:30 pm ET, ESPN2). “That gets lost a little bit because of the movements of Gyasi and Robbie [Keane] and Landon and so and so forth.
“We've given up the least amount of goals this year, and, obviously, you have to have good goalkeeping and defending, but out central midfield pair has been a big contributor to that.”
Juninho, 25, hasn't scored this year after netting just one last year. He had 13 goals, plus four more in CONCACAF Champions League play, in his first three seasons with the Galaxy, and Arena told him in preseason that more production would be required.
“Early on with the Galaxy he was expected to get forward,” Sarachan said. “He's been asked to do a little more on the defensive side, and Marcelo, because of the ground he covers, it's kept Juni a little further away from the goal. But his influence has been as good or better than when he was banging in a few here and there.”
Juninho says his job is to clean things up in midfield and get the ball to the playmakers.
“That's my work,” he said. “I win balls and try to find guys in front of me as fast as I can.”
Sarvas, 32, often is one of those guys. He has popped up in good attacking spots all over the field and has assisted nine goals -- he says he should have credit for another two or three -- while scoring two more.
“The only thing that has changed is that we have more and more people ahead of the ball that can create situations and score goals,” Sarvas said. “Especially for me and Juni, we don't need to get forward all the time. We can be behind the ball, more free to run and steal balls and make them play. That's the only change. Our function in the team is the same.”
The Galaxy's dynamic attack has relied on Keane, Donovan and Zardes, who have combined for 39 goals and 31 assists. Ishizaki and Husidic have together added another eight goals and 10 assists.
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“It takes a little bit more of that [attacking] responsibilities away from them …,” head coach Bruce Arena said. “But we have very few that do the job that Juni and Marcelo do.”
Sarachan says too many observers miss the “balance” that that they bring to the team. It's “so crucial, whether we're defending or attacking.”
“They've really understood their relationship and the balance of when one goes, the other holds,” Sarachan said. “If they can't get to a ball, the ability to close blocking lanes. And the ability to keep things tiny centrally to allow our wide guys the freedom to come inside or come wide. It's been really important for our success.”
