The temperature at game time Saturday in Oakland isn't the only thing that will be heating up, as the Galaxy get set to face the Earthquakes in their second meeting of the 2008 MLS season. The action should also be hot, as an old rivalry starts to smolder once again. Both teams come into the encounter looking and feeling much better than when they met at The Home Depot Center in early April (LA won 2-0, on goals by Beckham and Donovan). Los Angeles is coming off a 3-2 win over Colorado, and San Jose beat Columbus 2-0.
Frank Yallop has done quite well assembling an "expansion" side, stocked with many former Galaxy faces. The Quakes do have some veteran leadership with Ramiro Corrales, Ronnie O'Brien, and of course Joe Cannon to lead some of the less experienced players. Defensively it appears the Quakes are starting to find some chemistry, and as Coach Yallop pointed out, "getting results in games certainly helps the chemistry process... guys are starting to believe in one another."
Their forwards have not been as consistent. Kei Kamara has opened some eyes with his play, but there have been mundane periods of soccer where there is not much rhythm and cohesion. At times the Quakes are able to string together some attacking sequences, but they also find some scoring droughts from time to time.
Scoring is not the problem for Los Angeles, that might be an understatement! Seriously, though, if this team can find a way to start defending for 90 minutes, they have the opportunity to do some damage in the Western Conference. LA has had some fortunate bounces of the ball and also has come through in opportune times to get to the top of the West right now. But think where they might be had they taken further advantage of the chance to take points from the Toronto games, late stages of the game in Salt Lake City and versus New York. Of the four games I just mentioned, the Galaxy earned one of a possible 12 points.
A good start will be essential during this week's tilt. Just as LA did against Colorado, they must put the opponent on their heels early, and force them to defend what the Galaxy are doing going forward. The Earthquakes will have their best crowd of the season, and I'm expecting some very energetic fans ... typical from some of the core fans from the original Earthquake days! Franklin and Xavier must pick up where they left off in minute 60 of last weeks match. Believe it or not, the Galaxy are 4-0 when these two pair together in the center of the LA defense. Centrally, Vagenas made a huge difference. There has never been doubt about Pete's ability to link players with quality 10-12 yard passes, but it was his vision in the middle that really aided LA last week. Many times Vagenas was the one who delivered the "springing" ball out wide or into space so the Galaxy could get into the attacking third of the field so he will be missed, but I think that Brandon McDonald, Josh Tudela or whomever Ruud slots into Pete's vacancy should be able to get the job done. Finally, Edson Buddle has been HUGE! The Galaxy might need him more than ever this weekend. Donovan and Ruiz are gone on international duty, and Alan Gordon is suspended. Buddle has 5 goals in eight games so far in 2008, and a sixth or seventh this weekend could deliver a massive three points!
