Galaxy Must Shine Without Stars
Odd things can happen to a team--even an unbeaten team--that loses two of its best players.
Suddenly the Galaxy coaches and players, who sailed through the first eight games of the season, are talking about “overcoming adversity” and “a period of adjustment.”
Gone is Cobi Jones, an offensive whirlwind on loan to the U.S. World Cup squad.
Gone is defensive and emotional anchor Dan Calichman, nursing the leg he broke against the Colorado Rapids on May 6.
It’s enough to make defender Robin Fraser sound brave when he says: “We will persevere.”
But if things seem glum, the Galaxy needs only to look across the field today at the Columbus Crew, a team that has given new meaning to pain and suffering.
The Crew sent four players--more than any other Major League Soccer team--to World Cup ’98. Two remaining starters were injured in a 2-0 loss to the Miami Fusion last week.
“You start to wonder,” Crew Coach Tom Fitzgerald said. “What did I do to deserve this?”
The national team took forward Brian McBride, midfielder Brian Maisonneuve, defender Thomas Dooley and goalkeeper Juergen Sommer. Against Miami, forward Stern John dislocated his elbow in the first half and defender Mike Lapper tore a knee ligament in the game’s waning moments.
“That put the icing on the cake,” Fitzgerald said.
So it goes in the MLS, where nearly every team has lost national-team players.
Soon the league will know if it made the right decision to play through the World Cup, an attempt to grab some of the global spotlight. Fitzgerald, of all people, says, “We’ve got to stay in the public eye.”
His players are less certain.
“The timing is pretty tough,” midfielder Billy Thompson said.
The Galaxy is doing its best to ignore Columbus’ woes.
“I never talk about stuff like that,” Galaxy Coach Octavio Zambrano said. “Let the other team deal with whatever they have.”
The Galaxy has Paul Caligiuri and Danny Pena to try in Calichman’s spot. Mauricio Cienfuegos and Welton remain to fuel an attack that is scoring at a league-record pace 3.25 goals per game.
Harut Karapetyan will replace Jones for now and rookie Daniel Hernandez will get his first start at midfield because he is well-suited to the small Ohio Stadium field.
“It’s going to be a little different when you can’t depend on Cobi to finish off plays,” midfielder Clint Mathis said. “Everybody is going to have to step up.”
That precludes showing mercy on a hobbled opponent. As Fraser said: “I don’t think we can afford to take anyone lightly.”
