CARSON, Calif. -- It was a rare sight to see the LA Galaxy's 2012 Regular Season minutes played leader Sean Franklin removed at the half of LA's 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Thursday but LA's coaching staff and Franklin are optimistic that he'll be back in time for Thursday's match.
Franklin was substituted at the 45 minute mark in favor of rookie Bryan Gaul, due to what Franklin described as "tightness in his left hamstring." The match was just the second time that Franklin -- who accrued 2937 minutes this season -- had been subbed out of a match, the first coming during LA's 4-0 defeat to Seattle on Aug. 5.
"Just feeling little tight. Knowing the more important game is Thursday, it's good to be smart about it. I could have gone the (second) half, but its better not to go and be safer for Thursday," said Franklin. "We were going to be in fourth place and we know we were going to play Vancouver, so it wasn't that big a difference to miss the second half."
Head coach Bruce Arena was in agreement, stressing that it is important to have Franklin back in time for Thursday's match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
"He just felt a little tight at halftime. We were definitely going to make the change with Beckham and felt that let’s just be smart about it; it wouldn’t be wise to lose a player," said Arena. "Once we made the Beckham substitution and another one that Sean is playing...f we had to do it at half time then we’d really regret that. It was really a precautionary move to make sure that he’s ready for Thursday."
