Scoring Goals Is Challenge
The fact that the Galaxy has been shut out in its two most recent games is no reason to be concerned, midfielder Simon Elliott said Friday.
“I don’t think it’s a cause for panic,” he said. “We’ve got some guys who have been around for a while and have been in situations a lot worse than this.
“It’s just a case of everyone just sort of putting their heads down and getting back to basics and doing the simple things well--trying to move the ball quickly and making good options for one another going forward.”
The Galaxy plays D.C. United at RFK Stadium in Washington this evening and is seeking to break a scoreless run of 194 minutes that encompasses a 0-0 tie with the Burn in Dallas last Saturday and a 2-0 loss to the Columbus Crew at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.
“It’s tough if you’re not compact against a team like Columbus because they’ve got power and they’ve got pace,” Elliott said.
D.C. United has struggled this season and should be easier to both defend against and to score against.
Despite its recent scoring drought, the Galaxy’s 30 goals this season are second in the league only to the Miami Fusion, which has 36.
Los Angeles’ total would be higher--and its record would be better--if the midfielders were scoring goals rather than merely creating them.
The four acknowledged midfielders are Elliott, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Peter Vagenas and Danny Pena, but among them they have only two goals: one apiece by Cienfuegos and Vagenas.
Last season, the same foursome scored 13 goals.
Sasha Victorine is listed as a midfielder and Cobi Jones is listed as a midfielder/forward, but both have played up front all season.
Elliott and Pena’s responsibilities are primarily defensive, which means if goals are to come out of midfield they should be coming from Cienfuegos and Vagenas.
But because they are busy providing the passes that set up the forwards with scoring chances, their own goal production has suffered.
What the Galaxy lacks is a scoring threat from midfield, which is why Victorine, who has a team-leading five goals, might be better employed there than as a forward.
His place up front could be taken by either Marvin Quijano or Brian Mullan once they return from injury. The question is, who then gets dropped from midfield?
Chances are that goalkeeper Kevin Hartman will start today in place of Matt Reis.
TODAY
AT WASHINGTON, 5 PDT, FOX SPORTS NET 2
Site--RFK Stadium.
Radio--KXMX (1190), KTNQ (1020, Spanish).
Records--Galaxy 7-5-5, D.C. United 5-9-1.
Record vs D.C. United (2000)--3-1.
Update--D.C. United’s midfield has been depleted by injury to two of its most gifted young players: Bobby Convey (torn abdominal muscle) and Santino Quaranta (thigh bruise). Coach Thomas Rongen’s team also has been hurt by the absence of midfielder Ben Olsen (recovering from ankle surgery).
