CARSON, Calif. – Bruce Arena and the LA Galaxy are in for a major test when they host the Colorado Rapids in the first leg of their Western Conference Semifinal series on Sunday at StubHub Center.
Picked to once again finish at the bottom of the Western Conference at the start of the year, the Rapids and head coach Pablo Mastroeni have enjoyed a dream season in 2016. Mastroeni’s group compiled a club record 58 points due to a stifling defense that allowed a league-low 32 goals this season.
According to Arena, the reason for the Rapids success stemmed from their ability to create a cohesive club identity from the defense to the attack.
“The addition of good players like [Shkëlzen] Gashi as has [goalkeeper] Tim Howard [help], you can’t question that. [Kevin] Doyle is more comfortable in his second season and the rests are mainstays from previous years,” said Arena. “They’ve worked hard to be a blue-collar type of team, and they’ve had an impressive defensive record.”
Arena was quick to praise Mastroeni’s progression as a coach, stating that his team is beginning to reflect the qualities that the former defensive midfielder held as a player.
“They’re a competitive team, and they battle. That was Pablo as a player,” Arena said. “There was some quality there as well; he wasn't just a “bring your lunch pail” type of guy. He brought his lunch pail, but he had caviar in it once in a while, not always a ham sandwich.”
As for how he’ll stop Mastroeni’s defensive-first Rapids squad? Arena believes Los Angeles simply must focus on themselves and not their opponent.
"We're going to play the way that we play and see where that takes us," Arena said.
