LA GALAXY BYE WEEK COMES AT A PERFECT TIME
The Los Angeles Galaxy do not have another match in any competition until Sept. 12, when they host the Montreal Impact. For a number of reasons, this 14 day break could not have come at a better time.LA Galaxy II do have a game on Sept. 5 on the road against the Orange County Blues.
Thanks to this break, they will not play a game short handed due to international call ups. In total, 10 of 20 MLS teams do not have league matches this weekend, during the September FIFA dates. Both Omar Gonzalez and Gyasi Zardes have been called up to the USMNT for friendlies against Peru (Sept. 4) and Brazil (Sept. 8).
Likewise, Captain Robbie Keane will lead the Ireland National Team as they continue the hunt to qualify for the UEFA European Championship. Keane did not play well in San Jose but has been on fire this season. He is tied for third in the MLS Golden Boot race with 15 goals, even though he was injured for the better part of two months earlier this season.
AJ DeLaGarza will be joining Guam for a pair of World Cup Qualifying matches this week and next. DeLaGarza did exit Friday night’s match early with a knee injury, but appears to be ok. He won’t play if the injury is hampering him.
In addition, reserve right back Oscar Sorto has been called up to the U.S. U23 team, which will have camp and a pair of friendlies in England over the same time period.
Assuming DeLaGarza’s knee is fine, all of these players are fit and healthy for their national team duty but will not miss any club matches.
This two week break will also give several injured players a chance to get fit in time for the next match.Baggio Husidic has not played in the last six games due to a calf injury. Jose Villarreal has not played in the last seven matches due to a knee injury. Both players went an hour with Los Dos on Saturday night and appear to be close to full recovery.
Another two weeks and they should be ready to participate in a game with the first team. Should they need or desire a bit more game action, they can play again with Los Dos in Orange County. Their return will noticeably improve the bench depth at midfield for the LA Galaxy.
Also on the mend is left back Todd Dunivant. Earlier this week, Dunivant announced that he will retire at the end of the 2015 season. The 34-year-old has played in only three games this season due to a foot injury but was listed as questionable this past week. Perhaps another two weeks and he’s ready to be in the 18. An appearance in the Los Dos game would be a good omen.
Lastly, this LA Galaxy bye week will give them a chance to regroup after a tough loss in San Jose. The back line was suspect for long stretches and the team never got in sync offensively. Two weeks off will give them extra time to look at film and correct their issues. It will also give head coach Bruce Arena more time to figure out a lineup with several players potentially coming back from injury and the absence of Leonardodue to a red card last match.
In Defense of MLS
There is a type of soccer fan out there that feels that Major League Soccer is terrible. That it is a weak league full of players who used to be good combined with players who aren’t good enough. They complain about the corporate structure of MLS.
They complain about the salary cap. They complain about the allocation rules. They complain about the regular season time frame. They complain, complain, complain and complain again.
I understand. I get it.
Major League Soccer is not the Premier League, Bundesliga, or even Liga MX. As a matter of fact, according to the most recent rankings of world leagues by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics, Major League Soccer comes in 49th.
Forty-Ninth.
Obviously there is a long way to go before objectively speaking, MLS can be mentioned in the same breath as the power leagues of the world. Subjectively however, the top flight of American soccer has never been better and has a long bright future. How is that possible, you say? I’ll respond to that with some facts.
Soccer has never been more popular in the USA than it is right this second.
Don’t believe me? Talk to Sacramento Republic FC, a USL Pro team that averaged 11,293 in attendance per game. Talk to Orlando City SC president Phil Rawlins and head coach Adrian Heath who built a team from nothing in 2008 and 6 years later signed Kaká ahead of their Major League Soccer inaugural season. Both of those sentences are insane.
Major League Soccer is the 10th best attended soccer league in the world. MLS’average attendance of 19,149 is higher than the NHL (17,587) and the NBA (17,274). Never has there been such a level of support for soccer in this country.
Major League Soccer has corrected 68 years of poor management of the game in the USA.
Major League Soccer is the 10th best attended soccer league in the world. MLS’average attendance of 19,149 is higher than the NHL (17,587) and the NBA (17,274). Never has there been such a level of support for soccer in this country.
Major League Soccer now has a regular national television time slot for the first time ever.
Major League Soccer is the 10th best attended soccer league in the world. MLS’average attendance of 19,149 is higher than the NHL (17,587) and the NBA (17,274). Never has there been such a level of support for soccer in this country.
The United States Men’s National Team has never been stronger
Major League Soccer is the 10th best attended soccer league in the world. MLS’average attendance of 19,149 is higher than the NHL (17,587) and the NBA (17,274). Never has there been such a level of support for soccer in this country.
If all that is not enough to convince you that MLS is poised to make the leap then not much else will. This is still a young league that just hit its 20th anniversary and it will only continue to grow in the United States.
The stars from overseas will get younger and the talent will only get better as the salaries grow and the league’s profile grows along with it. We are entering a new era of MLS and I could not be any more excited for what is to come.
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