Gameday: Galaxy Vs. DC United

By: NathanHJ | September 20th, 2008

This is the place to comment on tonight’s game, but first, a game preview! Come back when the game is in full swing and leave your comments here.

The Galaxy enter today’s home game (8:00 pm PDT – FSC) in the grip of a club-record 12 game winless streak, taking just six points from the 36 on offer. They sit at the bottom of the Western Conference on 26 points, four points out of the last Western playoff spot. It’s been over 100 days since the team’s last win and it is the first time since mid-July that both Landon Donovan and David Beckham will be playing together in front of the Home Depot Center crowd.

The Galaxy faces a DC United squad racked by injuries and in the midst of a punishing schedule of MLS and CONCACAF Champions League games. United played Tuesday at home, plays today in LA, plays next week in Honduras, then next Sunday at Pizza Hut Park. For this game they are without their DP Marcus Gallardo, as well as Jaime Moreno and Joe Vide. The Galaxy, on the other hand, face United with most of their top players at full strength, though starting keeper Steve Cronin is still out with a hand injury. This means that Donovan, Becks, Eddie Lewis, Ante Jazic, Chris Klein, and Sean Franklin will face Emilio, Fred, Ivan Guerrero, Bryan Namoff, Clyde Simms, and possibly new keeper Louis Crayton.

United is occupying the fifth playoff spot from the East (one of the two that go the best of the rest after the top three in each conference are selected) on 33 points, four points ahead of Kansas City. Both teams need to win in order to firm up post season plans (and the Galaxy needs to win in order to keep any post-season hope alive).

In June, United spanked LA at RFK 4-1 in one of the most comprehensive defeats LA has suffered all season. They were outplayed from beginning to end. But today’s United team is different. Injuries, packed scheduling, and lots of travel have distrupted the rhythm the team was building earlier this season. The Galaxy, with the addition of Eddie Lewis and a new coaching staff, is looking to build on what it has been doing right, including having two of the top three goalscorers in the league in Donovan (16 goals – leading the league) and Edson Buddle (13 goals – third in the league). A few weeks ago I was dreading this match-up. Today, I think the Galaxy have a good shot at pulling out three points.

My guess at the line-up for the Galaxy in a 4-4-2 is this:

Buddle – Jordan
Lewis – Donovan – Vanney – Beckham
Jazic – Franklin – Roberts – Klein
Wicks

In my scheme, Donovan plays just behind the two strikers, allowing him to create based on their runs, or to run off of them. Lewis and Becks act as wingers and Vanney acts as stopper, with Franklin playing the sweeping role behind him. This could also be modified into a 4-3-3, with Donovan as center forward and Vanney as center mid.

These were the players that started in KC last week, but this time I expect that Donovan, Becks, and Lewis will all be rested and playing at 100%, unlike last weeks game. United, on the other hand, is in the middle of a miserable schedule and I expect them to lack bounce and tire easily, though they still possess a raft of quality players. However, without Moreno or Gallardo, Fred will be hard-pressed to create for Emilio, meaning Rod Dyachenko and Guerrero will have to step up. This matchup favors the Galaxy at this point. If they come out focused and sharp they could overwhelm United and walk away with a victory.

I’m betting on that. Galaxy 2-1.

What do you guys think? Who do you want to see start? What is your prediction for the game?