Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders: Analysis, Reaction and More

Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy take on the Sigi Schmid's Seattle Sounders in MLS FirstKick, scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT. The Los Angeles Galaxy look to begin the long road back to redemption, after seeing their 2010 MLS Cup campaign end at the hands of FC Dallas. Meanwhile, Seattle has not been having their way against the Galaxy and saw their hopes for the Cup end up in smoke. Los Angeles is hoping that the acquisitions of Juan Pablo Angel, Adam Cristman and Chad Barrett will help in starting their 2011 Major League Soccer campaign on the winning track. The Galaxy are ranked first in MLSSoccer.com's preseason Power Rankings and third in Bleacher Report's MLS Power Rankings. Seattle will need a breakout year from Colombian international Fredy Montero and midfielder Steve Zakuani. Bleacher Report will provide live updates on all the action from Qwest Field in Seattle.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Los Angeles Galaxy Ins and Outs, March 14, 2011

So what's their motivation?The desire to meet high standards are a mantra for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy, who made final preparations before the season opener against the Seattle Sounders.“We are clearly driven to win a championship this year,” Arena said. “No question about it.”When asked the question, midfielder David Beckham echoed the same sentiments.“It’s something that we’re always passionate about,” Beckham said. “Everyone wants to be successful. Going into this season, it’s no different than going into every other season. You have to be up for it. You have to want to win."“Not every team has the talent we have and our ability to win a championship every year," said team captain Landon Donovan. "So we want to take advantage of it.”“It’s almost one of those things that doesn’t need to be said,” defender Todd Dunivant said. “To be honest, it hasn’t been much different the last couple of years.”Case in point: the 2009 MLS Cup defeat to Real Salt Lake. Another case in point, the 2010 Western Conference Final defeat to FC Dallas.“It was such a disappointing end,” Dunivant said, “sort of a shocking end last year, to let the season get away like that. Without a doubt ...

Los Angeles Galaxy Ins and Outs, March 11, 2011

Down go the Bruins...On Wednesday, Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy completed their final tune-up game, a 2-1 victory over the UCLA Bruins. Juninho, who is looking to build on his first year with the club on loan from Sao Paulo FC, opened up the scoring in the 22nd minute on an unassisted goal.In the 50th minute, expected starter Juan Pablo Angel sent in a delivery to Chad Barrett, who then played a through ball to Galaxy team captain Landon Donovan to make it 2-0.UCLA made things interesting in the 55th minute to cut the lead to 2-1, but backup goalkeeper Josh Saunders did a good job in fending off any forthcoming threats from the Bruins.“As far as the way we move, the way we’re passing, the way we’re defending, we’re there,” Donovan said after the match. “We just need to get a little fitter and that’s going to take a little bit longer. You need a real game of 90 minutes before you can get that final piece of fitness.”Angel also believed more work needed to be done in terms of building a connection with Barrett.“We’re working on it,” Ángel said. “It takes time to build a partnership. Hopefully, throughout the ...

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Seattle Sounders: On the Road To Redemption

The Los Angeles Galaxy's 2010 quest for the MLS Cup ended at the Home Depot Center, where they fell to FC Dallas in the Western Conference Championship to the tune of 3-0. The bitter taste lingered in the lips of Bruce Arena's club, and it was the bitterness that drives this team for a big season in 2011.They begin their Major League Soccer campaign on Mar. 15 at Qwest Field against an opponent that they have been for the most part successful against, the Seattle Sounders.The Galaxy will rely on the power trio of team captain Landon Donovan, forward Juan Pablo Angel and midfielder David Beckham to establish scoring continuity after Edson Buddle took a chance overseas.Angel scored 13 goals for the New York Red Bulls last season. Donovan finished last year with the most assists, recording 16. Beckham only returned to the pitch in September of 2010 after suffering a torn Achilles. Chad Barrett adds scoring depth to this combination.Newcomers Miguel Lopez and Paolo Cardozo have impressed the coaching staff during preseason. Watch for these two Argentineans to hone their potential in the midfield, taking slack off Chris Birchall and Mike Magee.Defensively, the Galaxy will need a solid performance ...

Los Angeles Galaxy Can’t Wait for Business to Begin Ahead of Season Opener

At the Los Angeles Galaxy training camp, Bruce Arena's men were itching for the fight, even though the team has a week to go before its season opener with the Seattle Sounders.“The anticipation is building. You could really tell that today,” said Galaxy forward Chad Barrett. “He was yelling at us right from the get-go, from the very first pass.“It really woke me up and I know it woke a couple of other guys up and got training going. I like that. It just shows you straight from the top it’s time to go.”For Barrett, he embraced the opportunity to challenge Juan Pablo Angel for one of the starting forward positions.“The competition is great,” said Barrett, who scored seven goals with Toronto FC in 2010. “In Toronto, we didn’t have much of an issue because we were so thin up front, but here? Maybe two starting spots up top and spots all over the field? That competition means the team is going to be that much better.”No pity is needed for Barrett, who understands that self-criticism will need to be cast aside for the good of his new team.“I’m still very hard on myself, but it’s gotten better,” Barrett said. ...

Los Angeles Galaxy Ins and Outs, Mar. 6, 2011

Youth Academy UpdateOn Friday, the Los Angeles Galaxy announced that the Youth Academy will be participating as founding members in the new Southern California Developmental Soccer League (SCDSL) beginning in September of 2011. The Galaxy Academy will have four teams participate this fall in the inaugural season of the SCDSL in the Under-12, Under-13, Under-14 and Under-15 age divisions.The SCDSL Founding Clubs are (in alphabetical order):Arsenal FCChivas USACosmos AcademyIrvine StrikersLA GalaxyLaguna Hills EclipseLegends FCNomadsOC RevolutionPateadoresPVSC ExilesReal So CalSlammers FCSo Cal BluesSo Cal InfinitySouth Bay ForceSouth Coast BayernSurfUnited FCWest Coast FCTryouts for the Under-12 and Under-13 teams will take place on Sunday, March 27 on Field No. 7. The Under-12 tryout will be held from 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and the Under-13 tryout from 12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. To be eligible to play for the Under-12 team, players must be born after July 31, 1999 and Under-13 players must be born after July 31, 1998.More information can be found at the Galaxy's web site.Dusting off the young CanadiansThe Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Canada Under-23 national team 4-0 in a training game at the Home Depot Center on Saturday.Miguel Lopez opened up the scoring 15 minutes into the contest off the delivery from ...

Los Angeles Galaxy Choke Against Club Tijuana, Fall in Penalties 4-3

The Los Angeles Galaxy seem to be making a nasty habit of choking in penalty shootouts as well as giving up leads at the worst times possible. If Bruce Arena's side expects to defend their Supporters Shield, let alone contend for the MLS Cup, well...they probably would be wise to keep their expectations low.  After Frankie Hejduk became Goat No. 1 for a foul that led to Club Tijuana even the score at 2-2, the Galaxy proceeded to lose in penalties 4-3 with Jovan Kirovski becoming Goat No. 2 for his inability to learn from his transgressions at the 2009 MLS Cup.  Granted, Los Xolos played like a side in midseason form, but on the other side, the Galaxy played discombobulated football for the good part of 90 minutes with Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Juan Pablo Angel lacking the communication and know-how to be contenders.  Omar Gonzalez equalized for the Galaxy in the 41st minute off of Beckham and Donovan finished off the delivery from Chris Birchall to make it 2-1.  Joaquin Del Olmo's Club Tijuana took an early 1-0 lead in the 38th minute thanks to Gilberto Mora and equalized on the penalty from Miguel Lopez in the 82nd minute.  The Galaxy will ...

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Club Tijuana: A San Diego-Sized Measuring Stick

With the Los Angeles Galaxy set to begin their 2011 Major League Soccer campaign on March 15 against the Seattle Sounders at Qwest Field, Bruce Arena's men will be due for some fine tuning when they take on Club Tijuana tonight at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego in San Diego, California."It's our first real preseason game," midfielder Landon Donovan said. "We've played a lot of scrimmages but this is our first chance. We're two weeks out now so this is a big test."While the Galaxy have played preseason matches against the Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Colorado Rapids and Vancouver Whitecaps, those were mere scrimmages. This time, it's for real.Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles De Caliente, managed by Joaquin del Olmo, are a team that plays in the Liga de Ascenso, the second division of Mexican football. Having won the 2010 Apertura, they are another league title or a victory over the 2011 Clausura champion away from promotion to the Primera Division de Mexico. Currently in the 2011 Clausura, Tijuana are 2-5-1 (11 points) and are on track to make the Liguilla (playoffs)."Any time you play against a Mexican team it's exciting, certainly a different style of play from ...

Los Angeles Galaxy Ins and Outs, Feb 27, 2011

McBean, USA U-17 win CONCACAFOn one hand, it does help that Mexico is hosting the FIFA Under-17 World Cup this year.On the other hand, the Los Angeles Galaxy's Jack McBean will return to Los Angeles Galaxy training camp a winner.That's because McBean—coming off the bench later for Wilmer Cabrera's USA Under-17 Men's National Team—defeated rivals Canada 3-0 in extra time at the Catherine Hall Stadium in Montego Bay, Jamaica to win the 2011 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship.This is the first CONCACAF Under-17 title for the Stars and Stripes.Nathan Smith opened the scoring for the USA in the 92nd minute. Andrew Oliver made it 2-0 for the Yanks in the 100th minute before Alfred Koroma put the game out of reach in the 120th minute of play.Whether or not McBean's success will internationally translate to a huge payoff on the Galaxy Reserves is up to the fates to decide.If Mr. Becks fits, all the betterGalaxy team captain Landon Donovan shrugged off the worries that midfielder David Beckham would have a rough go at meshing with the team at training.“Like always, he fits right in,” Donovan said. “He looked great, he looked fit, he looked sharp. He and I always get back on ...

Los Angeles Galaxy’s David Beckham Returns to Training

David Beckham, fresh off a few months of training with Tottenham Hotspur FC, returned to the Los Angeles Galaxy this week as the team camp continued.“My main objective was to get fit for the Galaxy and for the MLS season," Beckham said after training. "My main objective wasn’t to play for a Premiership team. Even if I would have been on loan, even if I would have played the games, this is the time I was always going to come back.”No loans were in the horizons for the the 35-year-old Beckham, who chose to emphasize his match fitness ahead of the 2011 Major League Soccer campaign.“If there was an option to play, I was going to take it," Beckham said. "But without a doubt, I 100 percent wanted to go somewhere and train and not take the three months and just sit around doing nothing. At this stage of my career, and especially after the injury I had, I realized it was more important to train than to sit on a beach.“Speaking with Bruce and speaking at the level that the players came back at at the end of January, it was sensible to continue the program I was doing ...