CARSON, Calif. – Center back Jelle Van Damme understandably was in a good mood last Saturday afternoon in Seattle, where the LA Galaxy had just fashioned an impressive 1-0 victory over the Sounders.
The Belgian international said he was “proud” of the team after making Robbie Keane’s first-half goal stand up for the hard-earned victory.
“These are the games that make you stronger mentally and give you confidence,” he said.
The five-time MLS Cup champions haven’t been lacking in that lately, thanks to three consecutive shutouts across all competitions. The last time the Galaxy allowed more than one goal in a match was a 3-2 loss on May 28 at Montreal, where Didier Drogba scored the game-winner on a free kick well into stoppage time. Since that game the Galaxy have allowed just two goals in six MLS matches – or seven matches overall, counting a 1-0 victory at Portland in the U.S. Open Cup.
Head coach Bruce Arena has had to mix and match because of injuries and league disciplinary absences to the likes of left back Ashley Cole and Van Damme. There also was the loss of right back Robbie Rogers to ankle surgery in mid-June and A.J. DeLaGarza has been limited to 12 appearances because of foot problems earlier this season.
Despite the constant flux in personnel, the Galaxy are second only to Colorado in goals allowed with 18 (to the Rapids’ 13) and their disturbing penchant for allowing late goals – five times beyond the 85-minute mark this season – could be a thing of the past. Goalkeeper Brian Rowe is second to Vancouver’s David Ousted in saves and has a 0.94 goals-against average.
“Over the last couple of games we’ve had a little more continuity in the back line, which helps,” Arena said. “We’ve only generally had to replace one guy, which is a miracle in itself.”
So what has made the difference? No one on the back line knows for sure.
“Maybe it’s just a mentality,” center back Daniel Steres said. “We’ve been preaching it all year, but it just hasn’t happened. At the very end of games something would happen, just one mental error or we lost focus.
“I think we’re starting to really tighten it down toward the end of games and come together as a group. Everyone is coming together collectively to keep those clean sheets.”
“I think the whole team got tired of it, not just the back line,” said DeLaGarza, whose stunning, goal-line clearance of a scoring attempt by Seattle’s Jordan Morris helped preserve last weekend’s win. “A bunch of us just weren’t doing what we had to do.
“We’ve been coming up big now, and hopefully we can continue that.”
Holding midfielder Jeff Larentowicz, who has started the last four MLS games and, along with Van Damme, was named to MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Week, said Saturday’s victory was an indication the defense will remain strong.
“I think we’ve done it for several games now,” he said. “I think we look at it as a blueprint for us defensively, whoever is in there.”
Arena was quick to praise Steres, who has 16 starts in 17 appearances and has played much of the season with a torn ligament in his right thumb. Dave Romney also was cited for his ability to step in as a capable replacement on the back line.
“He’s been real good,” Arena said of Steres, like Romney a former standout on Galaxy II before joining the first team. “He’s played the most games on our team this year. Romney’s been asked to fill in for a couple of guys over the last few weeks and has done a very good job as well.
“It’s really encouraging.”
