View from the Booth: A soccer treat
Galaxy to face world's best in a spectacle for LA fans
If you think of the match a couple of weeks back versus the Italian club as a warm up to European competition, then Saturday before 80,000+ fans at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena should serve as a true barometer of where this Galaxy squad is headed ... back to the elite level in domestic play.
What I mean is that Barcelona, arguably the best club team in the past calendar year, is further along in their preseason preparation for league play than Milan was, and no doubt will be looking to put on a show of world class proportions! Thus if LA can play at a high level in this match, it should give the team an even higher confidence level heading into the final 11 games of MLS play.
This will be the first of three matches state-side for Barcelona, and their coach 'Pep' Guardiola will be looking for his team to show just how far along they are in the preseason preparation for the upcoming La Liga campaign.
Barcelona is a team that plays attractive, attacking soccer and it will be a challenge for LA to keep up. Coming off an impressive 2008, which included winning the Champions' League, Barca bring a long list of international stars: Messi, Henry, Marquez, Iniesta, and the recently added Ibrahimovic should have soccer fans salivating when this one kicks off. For me in particular, watching Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic partner in the attack will be incredible.
Sure, the Swedish international has just made the switch from Inter Milan to the Spanish Champions, but his is a match made in heaven. He is a big and physical player that has incredible skill with his feet, while Henry might not be in his prime anymore, but can still run like a gazelle and make defenders look silly at times. This will be a great test for some of the younger Galaxy defenders, and again, if the same defenders have success against these world class players, think of how confident they will be matching up against the best MLS has to offer in the weeks to come.
What is tough for Los Angeles is the fact that they are not riding at full strength right now. Both Edson Buddle and Aleko Eskandarian picked up slight injuries in the friendly against AC Milan, and the Galaxy's MVP to this point in the season, goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts is nursing a hip pointer after colliding with the post in the first half versus the Wizards.
I would imagine that none of these three will see time this Saturday, and that is fine because the bigger picture is having eyes for the MLS playoffs and the chance to return to MLS Cup. But that still means playing without all of the starting eleven. While players like Josh Saunders and Alan Gordon have filled in and had success, as a fan of the Galaxy, you still would like to see the eleven that started against, say, New York a few weeks ago line up against Barcelona. Either way it will still make for a one-of-a-kind evening in Pasadena.
In closing, I think a huge pat on the back needs to go to Bruce Arena. Arguably the all-time best coach in American soccer history, Arena has done a fantastic job turning this club around. The complete roster turnover after last season had many fans and media members wondering how it all would go here in '09. The answer so far has been a resounding, GREAT!
Players have settled into their roles, Landon Donovan has been restored in the captaincy, and the return of David Beckham has only strengthened the side. Yes, there have been a few bumps in the road on and off the field, but if it translates to success for LA, I am all for it. Along those same lines, as a member of the media it is not always easy to get the information you want or to put yourself in a position to get the "inside scoop," but if that means that the Galaxy are winning games and climbing their way up the table and into a playoff spot... I'm in! Great work guys, keep it coming.
