CARSON, Calif. -- LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena spoke to reporters following Tuesday's training session about a number of topics including the rise of Jack McBean, who has started the club's last four league matches.
Arena's comments are below...
(On Carlo Cudicini, Landon Donovan and Todd Dunivant getting the day off from training…)
ARENA: “Yeah, they’re in the gym today.”
(On whether the team is finally getting healthy…)
ARENA: “You’re never completely healthy during the season, but we’re making some progress, but not all the way there.”
(On whether the team has more depth and options…)
ARENA: “Yeah, we’re getting there and a little better.”
(On the ways that Jack McBean is a better player…)
ARENA: “Experience. Age. Minutes. Everything a little better, tactically a little better, physically a little stronger and [with] a little bit better balance and technically getting better.”
(On whether there were any areas that he has to work on or is it simply everything?)
ARENA: “Everything, he’s 18-years-old so I don’t think that he’s mastered the game yet, but if he keeps working hard then he’ll get better.”
(On his continued growth…)
ARENA: Everything is a little bit better; they should have a natural growth in their game at this age. They should be getting incrementally better every year. He has shown that since he first came in here three years ago so he’s getting a little bit better every year.”
(On how much McBean learns from playing with Robbie Keane…)
ARENA: “A lot. It’s also getting used to the tendencies that Robbie has as a player. He’s much more aware of how Robbie plays now then he was even in preseason so that’s all part of the growth pattern from a player like Jack.”
