Prior to last week's matchup between the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy, MLSsoccer.com broke down the game position by position with editors picking who had the edge in every spot. With the rematch coming on Saturday we decided to bring it back, with a few tweaks.
Check out the articles from last week here:
10/13: Penedo gives the Galaxy the goalkeeping edge
10/14: LA's strong backline clearly better than Seattle's
10/15: Seattle has the potential to edge LA in midfield
10/16: Both teams boast immense firepower up front
10/17: Which bench could make the difference?
10/18: Which MLS coaching legend has the edge?
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/Sounders.png" style="font-size: 12.222222328186px; width: 70px; height: 99px;"> |
<strong>Position/Edge</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/1230_200x200.png" style="width: 75px; height: 75px;"> |
<p>Neither goal was really <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/stefan-frei" target="_blank">Stefan Frei</a>'s fault against LA but he's not known to make the save that wins the game. He might have to on Saturday.</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Goalkeepers</p><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/1230_200x200.png" style="width: 75px; height: 75px;"> |
<p><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/jaime-penedo" target="_blank">Jaime Penedo</a> did not have his best game on Sunday night but he he is still one of the best shot-stoppers in the entire league. His 64.3% save percentage from shots inside the box is fifth in MLS.</p> |
<p class="rteleft">It hasn't been great but at least there's some continuity. Defender of the Year contender <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/chad-marshall" target="_blank">Chad Marshall</a> is most comfortable next to <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/zach-scott" target="_blank">Zach Scott</a>, as the duo gives up 1.2 goals per game, compared to 1.7 goals per game when any there is any other combination. Toss in <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/deandre-yedlin" target="_blank">DeAndre Yedlin's</a> runs down the right, attacking <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/landon-donovan" target="_blank">Landon Donovan</a>, and this backline has the advantage of an Omar-less LA one.</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Defenders</p><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/Sounders.png" style="font-size: 12.222222328186px; width: 70px; height: 99px;"> |
<p>They coughed up two goals late at home, something this team almost never does, and will need to stand firm without their leader in Game 2. With his second yellow card late in the game, <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/omar-gonzalez" target="_blank">Omar Gonzalez</a> will miss the game on Saturday. That welcomes questions about whether <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/leonardo" target="_blank">Leonardo</a> can play big in a big game. LA will need to control possession on the road if they hope to limit the attacks on a center back pairing that is not their best.</p> |
<p class="rteleft">With the (likely) re-insertion of <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/marco-pappa" target="_blank">Marco Pappa</a> into the starting lineup, this group brings a little more bite to their bark. <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/lamar-neagle" target="_blank">Lamar Neagle</a> will be searching for his 10th goal of the season this weekend and the return of <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/gonzalo-pineda" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Gonzalo Pineda</a> helped out <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/osvaldo-alonso" target="_blank">Osvaldo Alonso</a> a ton. </p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Midfielders</p><strong>EVEN</strong> |
<p><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/marcelo-sarvas" target="_blank">Marcelo Sarvas</a> and <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/juninho" target="_blank">Juninho</a> are special in the center of midfield and their tandem is one of the many reasons why LA are here. <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/baggio-husidic" target="_blank">Baggio Husidic</a> contributed on both of LA's goals against Seattle and they still have the best MLS and USMNT player ever on the left side.</p> |
<p>So about that “Most Valuable Player” fellow? That’d be <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/obafemi-martins" target="_blank">Obafemi Martins</a>. He’s been essential to how the Sounders try to play, which is all about combinations right up the gut – usually with fellow running-mate <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/clint-dempsey" target="_blank">Clint Dempsey</a>. On Sunday, Martins was able to attack the Galaxy defense in that spot on the equalizer, when he fed Neagle on the right. Look for him to continue to work in that spot with Gonzalez out of the lineup.</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Forwards</p><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/Sounders.png" style="font-size: 12.222222328186px; width: 70px; height: 99px;"> |
<p><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/robbie-keane" target="_blank">Robbie Keane</a>’s been the best player in the league this year – not necessarily the most valuable – which is always a nice place to start, right? What’s made this LA team better than in seasons past is that he has a running mate in <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/gyasi-zardes" target="_blank">Gyasi Zardes</a> who A) plays the game the way Keane wants him to play it, <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/video/2014/09/28/goal-gyasi-zardes-goes-low-power-make-it-three-la" target="_blank">specifically with his off-the-ball movement</a>, and B) has the size, strength and technique to bang with the league’s giant centerbacks. But can they improve on Sunday's non-influential effort?</p> |
<p>Pappa made the difference off the bench in Game 1 but look for <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/brad-evans" target="_blank">Brad Evans</a> to be here on Saturday. He is one of the most versatile players in the league and can come in at almost any spot. Also look for the Sounders to bring on <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/kenny-cooper" target="_blank">Kenny Cooper</a> and <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/chad-barrett" target="_blank">Chad Barrett </a>in reserve if they happen to be down with less than 20 minutes to go, as both have been key contributors this season.</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Bench</p><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/1230_200x200.png" style="font-size: 12.222222328186px; width: 75px; height: 75px;"> |
<p>The LA Galaxy have gotten a good dose of that Goonie magic from midseason acquisition <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/alan-gordon" target="_top">Alan Gordon</a>, and with a close-to-full complement of players joining him on the bench, Bruce Arena can feel good about almost any option. <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/stefan-ishizkaki" target="_blank">Stefan Ishizaki</a>, who was a starter for much of the year, can provide some punch from the midfield and the defensive depth is still strong despite the absence of Gonzalez.</p> |
<p>There’s a reason the CenturyLink PA staff plays James Brown’s “The Boss” when Sigi Schmid strolls onto the field on game days. Despite being the winningest head coach in MLS history – his 206 regular-season wins are 30 more than Bruce Arena and 67 more than Dominic Kinnear – he’s been under pressure each of the past two seasons to produce something more than a US Open Cup title in Seattle. He’s won doubles before – with the 2002 Galaxy and the 2008 Columbus Crew – and he’s done a masterful job running this Sounders team, easily the best in his six seasons there. No matter what, however, he’s going to have to break that LA hex sooner or later.</p> |
<p class="rtecenter">Coach</p><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/imagefield_thumbs/1230_200x200.png" style="font-size: 12.222222328186px; width: 75px; height: 75px;"> |
<p>Arena has historically had the edge in this series in games that really matter, and he’s forged a pretty boss-like career of his own. He’s won the double twice as well – with D.C. United in 1997 and then the Galaxy in 2011 – and like Schmid, he’s had arguably his most successful year to date in LA this year. Consider the extenuating circumstances Arena and his group have endured this year – Omar Gonzalez gone for the World Cup, the Landon Donovan saga, tragedy for defender AJ DeLaGarza – and the Galaxy’s challenge for the Shield is even more impressive. But most important for now? Arena has lost just once in this matchup in the teams’ past six meetings overall – the only one came in the 2012 postseason, when the Galaxy won the two-legged Western Conference final series anyway – and his team holds the psychological edge.</p> |
