The previous two visits to Toronto for the LA Galaxy have not been good ones. A 0-0 tie the first time in 2007, and then shut out again in a 2-0 loss last year. So for starters, LA will need to find a way to get on the scoreboard north of the border. In addition, if that goal could come in the opening 30 minutes of play, it will go a long way to taking some pressure off the shoulders of the players. A win for LA would not only keep the unbeaten run intact, but also serve as a big boost for the confidence of the team collectively. Let's take a look at some of the match-ups:
Both teams will be missing players to international duty, and oddly both teams will play without their team's top scorer for Saturday's game. Landon Donovan for the Galaxy and Amado Guevara for the Reds (they will face each other in USA vs. Honduras WC Qualifier) both account for creating and finishing chances for their squads. But Toronto will also be without Marvell Wynne, a speedy outside back, who has caused problems for the Galaxy before. Wynne is solid with the overlapping runs, but more importantly, he can run down opposing forwards even when he does not have the best starting positions in defense. So although Donovan and Guevara are the bigger names that will not be in attendance in Toronto on Saturday, it actually might be the absence of Marvell Wynne in the TFC defense that might have a bigger overall impact on the outcome.
The Galaxy are going to have their hands, or heads full defensively with the Toronto attack. Danny Dichio and Chad Barrett are big and physical strikers that like to impose their will in the area. Barrett has the ability to get in behind defenders and Dichio is arguably one of the best in the league in the air. No joke, this guy is a beast. Without Gregg Berhalter in defense, Tony Sanneh is going to have to play his best game to date in a Galaxy uniform. I have preached the Galaxy focusing on their shape before, and it will be top of the priority list in this game. If the back four can stay compact, and make it difficult to play the ball in behind their line, that will make life easier for Donovan Ricketts. You know that Ricketts will make one or two big saves to keep LA in the game. But if you expect him to do that four or five times, then you are asking for trouble.
Defending is obviously not just the job of the defenders, but of the eleven on the field as a whole. As numerous coaches have explained in the past, it starts with the forwards up top, and works back to the goalkeeper. One player that all eleven players will have to keep their eyes on is Dwayne DeRosario. In the past whether with San Jose in the beginning of his career or the past few seasons with Houston, DeRosario is a player that can change a game. Even when you think he has been marked out of the game for 85 minutes, he will find a way to either hit the back of the net in the final minutes, or come up with a run to create a scoring chance for someone else. There are few better in the league at getting the ball around the center circle, and then starting the counter attack. DeRo can also hit a pretty good free-kick. So, if Josh Tudela or Dema Kovalenko can limit the space, as well as the number of touches he sees - it will lead to LA dictating the tempo of the midfield and maybe even the game as a whole. A few lucky bounces off the dreaded BMO turf might not hurt either!
Edson Buddle, if you are listening, we all want more of what you did this past week. Let's hope that just like last year, once Buddle got going in the beginning of the campaign, the flood gates came open and led to a career year for the New York native. In the absence of Landon Donovan, this could be the right situation for Buddle to get himself going. While Alan Gordon will be able to attack the service inside the box in the air, Buddle has proven in the past he has the knack of finding the second ball or a loose ball for a chance to finish in front of goal. Saturday Buddle will be working against a group of defenders that he is equally as athletic, but physically stronger then. This sets Edson up to have an "eye- opening" game against one of his former teams. Remember, the lone time the Galaxy beat Toronto in their short history against one another, it was Edson Buddle that came in and hit the winner for LA... can you say "Déjà vu!"
Mike Magee let yourself run free. Yes I stated above that Edson Buddle will need to step up in the absence of LD. But the determining factor in the game just might be Mike Magee. The MLS vet has already shown that he can be a key contributor for LA this year, but this is a game where he could win over the Galaxy faithful. He will need to continue the style of play that has me questioning where he found the fountain of youth. Several times last week Magee had some good looks in front of goal that went unfinished. If those same opportunities come around this week, I have a gut feeling Mike gets his name on the score sheet.
Finally, I have a brief message to Galaxy fans. With the frustration and struggles that you all have endured in the past few seasons, it might only be natural to question the direction of the team. But this squad needs your backing more than ever. This is a new chapter in Galaxy history, and though the progress seems slow, I can tell from Bruce Arena down this is a different LA Galaxy. The next couple of games will be telling in terms of which direction this season will go. I urge you to get behind the boys and come along for the ride. There are the makings of something special here.
