The LA Galaxy aren't putting much stock in their 5-1 mid-July mauling of the New England Revolution as they prepare for Sunday afternoon's MLS Cup Final (3 pm ET; ESPN, UniMas, UDN in US | TSN1, RDS2 in Canada).
It was not a particularly representative Galaxy side that ran riot that evening at StubHub Center in a game that saw both teams play the majority of the game with only 10 players, and the Galaxy know that encounter, at one of the Revs' lowest ebbs of the campaign, does not define their title-game foe in the least.
“I actually earlier today looked at the lineups from that game, and both teams are much different [now],” Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said during Monday afternoon's media teleconference involving the clubs. “I know Omar Gonzalez didn't play that day, and Jay [Heaps, New England's head coach] had some issues with players with injuries and went with a different lineup.”
Neither team played a first-choice group. Gonzalez and Robbie Rogers were sidelined with ankle injuries for the Galaxy, so A.J. DeLaGarza played at left back. Landon Donovan and Marcelo Sarvas came off the bench in the second half.
The Revolution played a 4-4-2 with A.J. Soares in midfield, Andrew Farrell in central defense, and Teal Bunbury partnered with Patrick Mullins up top. Charlie Davies wasn't in the 18 – he'd played only 91 minutes across three games at that point of the season – and Scott Caldwell was still a substitute.
Much has changed since then, and Arena is most impressed with New England's evolution since.
“For the Revolution, they've been the best team in the league over the last dozen games or so, and, obviously, the addition of Jermaine Jones has been big for their team, has brought them great leadership and solidified their central-midfield position,” Arena said. “Lee Nguyen has had a fabulous year, one of the leading goalscorers in the league. Their back four has played together for a long period of time now, [Bobby] Shuttleworth has now found his rhythm in the goal. They have talent in the attack, with Davies and Bunbury and [Kelyn] Rowe.
“They've got a well-balanced team. They've had great experiences in the second half of the season. They made it easy through the playoffs. They did a remarkable job, so they're a team that will come into LA and give us everything we can handle for 90 minutes or more. It's going to be a real challenge.”
The Revolution were in the middle of an eight-game losing streak when they visited Carson on July 16, but after two more losses – at FC Dallas and at home against Columbus – they started taking off. They have gone 13-2-3 since late July and 11-1-2 since Jones debuted at the end of August.
“They're a revamped team,” DeLaGarza said on the teleconference. “When Jermaine Jones came in, I think he kind of challenged everyone, and you see guys like Kelyn Rowe and Lee Nguyen have stepped up their games since he's been here. Scott Caldwell reminds me of a Kyle Beckerman sitting in front of the back four and winning those balls. Very dangerous midfield, and [Chris] Tierney coming out from the back or [as a] midfielder, wherever he's going to play, he's got one of the best left feet in the league. It's going to be a good challenge.”
Nguyen has been spectacular, with 18 goals highlighting a performance that has him among the league's three MVP finalists, and Davies' return to form after a deadly car accident five years ago has provided the Revs a real scoring threat. He has scored twice in two of New England's four postseason games.
The man responsible for the changes, Heaps, also drew praise from his opposite number, Arena.
“I've known Jay a long time,” Arena said. “I actually recruited him at the University of Virginia, and he chose to go to Duke, so I've held that against him for a number of years. I think Jay is a phenomenal young coach. He's got a tremendous work ethic, he's very intelligent, and he played for one of the greatest coaches in the world in Mike Krzyzewski [with Duke's basketball team], so I think he's got an unbelievable foundation to be a great coach, and he's proven that already.”
