LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers (6/17)

[acosta19]

LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Home Depot Center
Kick-off: 4:00 p.m.



Following a two week break the LA Galaxy is back in action this Sunday hosting the Portland Timbers at the Home Depot Center. After a much needed break, the players will look to move on from the disappointing start to the season. The Galaxy went winless in the month of May, losing six out of seven games that month. During that stretch of defeats the Galaxy was eliminated from the US Open Cup, following a third round loss to the Carolina Railhawks. In each of the last three games, the Galaxy has ended up losing after gaining the lead (against San Jose, Houston, and Carolina).

The Galaxy will try to break the current eight-game winless streak. LA’s last victory took place on April 21st in Colorado. That game was also the last in which Josh Saunders played for the Galaxy. After taking care of his personal issues, he made his return in goal against the Timbers reserves in a 2-1 victory at JELD-WEN field on June 2nd.

On Sunday the Galaxy will be without Robbie Keane (Euro Cup), Hector Jimenez, Michael Stephens, Mike Magee (all suspensions), Bryan Gaul (facial fracture), Edson Buddle, Andrew Boyens, Dan Keat (surgeries), Adam Cristman (concussion), and Leonardo remains questionable after suffering an injury at the reserves game. David Beckham, who leads the club in assists (4) is a yellow card away from having to serve a one-game suspension.

The unbalanced schedule has the Galaxy and Timbers meeting again at the HDC. When they met on April 14th LA won the game 3-1 with goals from Donovan, Juninho, and Beckham. That was the Galaxy’s last win at home (and second of only 3 so far this season). When they face off again on Sunday it will mark over 2 months since the Galaxy last celebrated a victory at home. The Timbers, who last week acquired Danny Mwanga in a trade for Perlaza from Philadelphia, are still yet to record a victory away from home this year (having only 2 wins on the road since joining MLS last season).

LA Galaxy:
11 points, 15 GF, 21 GA
3-8-2, 9th in Western Conference
Home Record: 2-4-1
Away Record: 1-4-1

Portland Timbers:
13 points, 12 GF, 15 GA
3-5-4, 7th in Western Conference
Home Record: 3-2-2
Away Record: 0-3-2


Make sure you are up to date with all ACB announcements, get there early and bring streamers!

THIS IS LA!

[acosta19]

Interesting...

Take a look at the cb pairings we've had through the first 3 months of the season

[miguel]

Is Donovan still going to be away on usmnt duty? Also I think beckham will be looking to get a yellow in this game or the next so that his suspension coincides with the time he'll be at the Olympics, if they do call him up. Better to be suspended during a game he's going to miss anyways than to come back and then have to miss another game.

[Steven15]

They need to show us some Heart!!! We give them everything we got for 90+. Its about that time in the season when they lay it all on the line. No more excuses!

[Rob]

We beat em once already...
PLEASE beat em again!

[acosta19]

I'm not sure what we should expect as far as the lineup goes..

With the injuries and suspensions we'll be missing some regulars for this game. On the brightside, the reserves won today again, Villareal got a brace and McBean got a goal himself.

[Edgar1979]

sarvas better start

[jrichardson25]

Great preview as always. I'm ready to get back out there and cheer the whole 90! I can dig it. Are you ready??

[aircanada12]

It'll be nice to return to competition, I think the boys are ready to forget the first part of our season and begin to dominate again. Furthermore with the form of the reserves, I feel confident that the team will be able to pull a result.

----------------Saunders-------------
--Dunivant----AJ----Meyer----Franklin--
-Sarvas----Beckham---Juni--Donovan--
------------Barrett----Villareal-----

Villareal cant stop scoring in the reserves, why not give him a go with the big boys. Sarvas on the wing because we really dont have better options and his creativity will be helpful out there

[acosta19]

I don't know if Villareal will start..but maybe he or McBean get some minutes coming in for Pat Noonan..

Also, I think there's a possibility BJ plays rb and Franklin moves up to the midfield

[Doughboy]

Alls I gotta say is that the ACB better bring the mutha truckin noise for 90 minutes!!! It will be hot. We will get tired. So stay hydrated. NO EXCUSES!!! We cant control the play on the field from the team, but we sure as hell control the noise in the crowd!!

[acosta19]

"People have to get out and show their competitive side and really come out and push these last 21 games," Barrett said. "If we don't win two-thirds of these games, there's likely a chance we're not going to make the playoffs."

This is my chance, right? Robbie and Edson were getting a bulk of the starts, and I feel like I should be in there more. Here's my chance to show it. I thought I've had a good run of games in terms of goals and assists, but that's going to have to be a constant thing with me if I want to stay in the lineup, especially when those guys come back.

Gregg Berhalter, Frankie Hejduk, Chris Birchall – they all brought something so competitive, just that old-man championship mentality that you just can't replace, Gregg was a great guy, he kept it very serious in the locker room. And then you had Frankie there for just the banter and stuff like that and you need that coming down.

[acosta19]

[acosta19]

Standings

Team | Points (Games Played)
Real Salt Lake 29 (14)
San Jose 27 (14)
Seattle 24 (13)
Vancouver 22 (13)
Colorado 19 (13)
ChivasUSA 15 (13)
Portland 13 (12)
Dallas 13 (15)
LA 11 (13)

These next few games will be crucial..9 points up for grabs in about a week..

[NoahE]

Villareal is a midfielder. So unless we play with just Barrett up top, it would be McBean with him. Not saying that's a bad thing. McBean seemed to do pretty well over the last few months with the US U-18s.