CARSON, Calif. -- Steven Gerrard says he's “super excited” for his MLS debut Friday night, when the LA Galaxy are home for a California Clasico showdown with the San Jose Earthquakes (11 pm ET; UniMás/UnivisionDeportes.com).
The Liverpool legend had two had 45-minute stints in non-league encounters since joining the reigning MLS Cup champions at the end of June, and says he can't wait for his first taste of an MLS rivalry.
“I love derby matches,” Gerrard said Thursday morning following the Galaxy's final training session ahead of the Western Conference clash. “When I first met Bruce [Arena, LA's head coach and general manager] and Chris [Klein, the club's president], they told me the main game to prepare for was [the San Jose] game, so I see it as game one in the MLS, and I'm really looking forward to getting into it. Hopefully I can get off to a winning start, but I'm super excited for the game.”
Gerrard, 35, is slated to start, but where he'll be positioned isn't certain. He played the first half of last weekend's International Champions Cup friendly against Mexico's Club America as a central midfielder, just above Juninho, and he was something of a hybrid attacking midfielder/forward during most of his second-half appearance in Tuesday's US Open Cup defeat at Real Salt Lake.
It seems likely he'll partner captain Robbie Keane up front, perhaps as something akin to a withdrawn forward, with Gyasi Zardes and Alan Gordon away at the CONCACAF Gold Cup with the US national team and Jose Villarreal dealing with a knee injury suffered against America.
“The reason [he played so high against RSL] is that we have a shortage of strikers right now,” Arena said. “We were limited with Alan Gordon the other night from US Soccer because of the Gold Cup. Zardes is, obviously, with the national team, Villarreal is hurt, [Edson] Buddle's just coming back [from injury], so we've been a little short, so it forced us in that situation to push Steven a little higher. ... Wherever we play him, he'll be a factor.”
Arena says Gerrard's position going forward will be as a central midfielder, “because he's played there all his life.”
“We're not reinventing the wheel with Steven Gerrard,” the coach added. “He's going to play exactly like he's played in his career. ... He's still going to be the same player you saw at Liverpool -- obviously, not 25 years old and running all over the field like he did in his early days, but he's still going to demonstrate the same qualities he had in his career at Liverpool.
“Where we position him in the midfield will be dependent on the players on the field. Right now, half our team is missing, and to have a picture of our team now would be incorrect. You've got to wait until our full team is here and see how Steven fits in.”
Gerrard was raised on the Merseyside rivalry between Liverpool and Everton, and he understands that the Galaxy's “clasico” against the Earthquakes doesn't inspire quite the same passion, but it is meaningful to both clubs and especially their supporters.
“I get a feel off the team, and this game has been on everyone's lips for a few weeks ...,” Gerrard said. “It's slightly different, this derby match from what I'm used to, because Liverpool vs. Everton is very aggressive, very intense within the city. It seems a little bit of relaxed buildup [to Friday's game], but I'm sure once the whistle blows, there will be some good tackles and some good battles going on.
“I'm ready for that. I've played in numerous derby matches, and I know what they're all about.”
Gerrard said the plan all along was for him to play 45 in the America and RSL matches “for fitness purposes in preparation for this game,” and the level he's seen from the Galaxy impressed him.
“I've been very pleased with my teammates and the standard here at the LA Galaxy,” he said. “We've got a good team, and it's only going to get stronger with the arrival [next month of Giovani] Dos Santos and when we get the national team boys back. I'm really excited.
“Club America was a very quick and intense game -- it was very tough for my opening game; I've not played for six, seven weeks [since the end of the English Premier League season]. And Real Salt Lake, a disappointing result, but I come away very pleased with the level of the opposition, and I feel very confident that I can do some damage and get some goals at this level.”
