The LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders will battle it out in a home-and-home over the next two weeks to determine which team takes home this year's Supporters' Shield and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. It all starts with this Sunday's nationally televised match at StubHub Center (8 pm ET, ESPN2, TSN2 in Canada).
This week MLSsoccer.com's editors will take a look at the positional battles that will ultimately decide the outcome of both games. On Wednesday, we focus on the midfielders.
Monday: Penedo gives the Galaxy the goalkeeping edge
Tuesday: LA's strong backline clearly better than Seattle's
Team |
<strong>Analysis</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/1230_200x200.png" style="width: 100px; height: 100px;"> |
<p>If you look back at the Galaxy's best matches in 2014, <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/marcelo-sarvas" target="_blank">Marcelo Sarvas</a> is usually one of the best players on the field. If the Brazilian brings his "A" game alongside the steady <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/juninho" target="_blank">Juninho</a>, LA are guaranteed to win the midfield battle whether they're in a narrow diamond (featuring <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/baggio-husidic" target="_blank">Baggio Husidic</a>) or a wider wing formation with <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/stefan-ishizaki" target="_blank">Stefan Ishizaki</a> and <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/landon-donovan" target="_top">Landon Donovan</a> manning the flanks. But that's still a big "if" with Sarvas.</p> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/3500_200x200.png" style="width: 100px; height: 100px;"> |
<p>It's not just Oba and Deuce. The underrated <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/lamar-neagle" target="_blank">Lamar Neagle</a> — who essentially acts as a third forward — and playmaker <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/marco-pappa" target="_blank">Marco Pappa</a> have been big contributors to the Sounders' explosive attack from their wide mid positions. But against the fleet-footed Galaxy, Seattle will have to worry about getting back on defense, which might open the door for the industrious <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/brad-evans" target="_blank">Brad Evans</a> (for Pappa on the right?) and perhaps <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/andy-rose" target="_blank">Andy Rose</a> (over <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/micheal-azira" target="_blank">Micheal Azira</a>) to help out the Honey Badger, <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/osvaldo-alonso" target="_blank">Ozzie Alonso</a>. </p> |
<h2 class="rtecenter">
Edge</h2> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/3500_200x200.png" style="width: 100px; height: 100px;"><strong>(with Rose and Evans)</strong> |
