but they will have to wait another week before they can end their current slide.
The Galaxy, along with the battered Columbus Crew, have the week off. They won't play again until next Wednesday, when they travel to Colorado to face the Rapids in a rematch of their last match. It's common for teams to use an extended period of time off to heal wounds, but the Galaxy are relatively injury-free at the moment. Instead, the club is trying to get the mental side of the game back on track.
"We're trying to clear our heads and keep the spirits high and wait for that next game so we can get a win," said striker Alan Gordon.
Gordon made his first appearance for the Green and Gold this past weekend, and is one of a few players returning from injury who will use this week as an opportunity to improve on their fitness.
Aside from fitness, Galaxy head coach Steve Sampson highlighted a few issues that his team will be working on this week. Among them is working on moving the ball quickly through the midfield, finishing -- the Galaxy haven't scored a goal in nearly a month -- and trying to find a consistent lineup that can play with each other all week.
Sampson admits that it was a bit of a challenge to get his side focused early on in the week without a match ahead on the weekend.
"These guys hate losing. When they first come back it's a bit of a grind to get concentration and focus," said Sampson. "But these guys are good pros, no one's giving up."
The Galaxy will have Friday and Saturday off before reconvening on Sunday to prepare for their next match. Inevitably some players will hit the golf course, while some others will be watching the U.S. take on Venezuela on Friday night. Regardless of how they use their time off, Sampson knows that this is a rare chance to take advantage of some R & R.
"This is one of the few times during the entire season that these guys will have a chance to have a couple days off," said Sampson.
To date the Galaxy have had one of the most crowded schedules. Only FC Dallas has played more regular season games than the Galaxy, the Hoops playing their 10th game on Wednesday night in New York (L.A. has played nine).
Couple the regular season schedule with the fact that the Galaxy also competed in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and the early season shock with the tragic death of president and general manager Doug Hamilton, it shows just how hectic the past few months have been.
"We just need to catch our breath a little bit," said Todd Dunivant. "We've just been so tense and there's been so much pressure put on ourselves. It'll be good to step back, take a breather, and regroup a little bit."
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
