CARSON, Calif. — Steven Gerrard has only been in Los Angeles for a year, but the experienced English midfielder can already spot the differences between this season’s LA Galaxy squad and last year’s edition.
Gerrard scored the only goal in the Galaxy’s 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Friday to help Los Angeles move to within five points of Western Conference leaders FC Dallas. The win was the Galaxy’s fourth straight in all competitions and extended their unbeaten run to six games.
Midsummer runs up the standings are nothing new for the Galaxy, but ever the keen observer, Gerrard believes that this year’s team is dramatically different than the one that was dispatched by Seattle Sounders FC in the postseason last October.
“It feels different. It feels like we’ve got men in here. Men who are prepared to do the dirty work and go the extra mile for each other,” Gerrard said. “Last year – without naming names, we were all responsible for it – we were too weak, we were too flaky, we were all over the pitch, and we were conceding stupid goals. And that’s the reason why we all went home in October. If we want to stay for the duration of this fight for the MLS Cup, we need to keep trying to build on the recent form, which has been very, very solid.”
