CARSON, Calif. – The last thing LA Galaxy head coach and general manager Bruce Arena wanted to do was make excuses, but he had plenty to choose from as he met with the media for the final time on Wednesday at StubHub Center.
The five-time MLS Cup champions’ season came to a premature end last Sunday in Commerce City, Colo., with a loss to the Colorado Rapids on penalty kicks in the second leg of the Western Conference semifinals. Arena rued another opportunity for a trophy wasted.
“In sports there’s only one team left standing in the end,” he said. “And to think it’s always going to be us is a way to early death.
“Sometimes you have to appreciate the fact that sometimes you fall short.”
The Galaxy tied the Rapids for the fewest regular-season losses in Major League Soccer (six), led the conference in goals scored (54) and tied Toronto for second in goals allowed (39), but Arena couldn’t help but think, “what if.”
As in what if Gyasi Zardes hadn’t been limited to just 19 games and did not play after Aug. 27 because of a broken bone in his foot.
As in what if Robbie Keane had not missed 17 regular-season matches, finished with just 10 goals after scoring 20 the season before and played much of last Sunday’s loss with an injury.
As in what if Steven Gerrard had not played in just three of the last 12 regular-season matches because of nagging hamstring problems.
“I think when you lose the players we lost throughout the year, it’s tough,” Arena said. “Gerrard misses half the year. Keane misses half the year. Zardes misses half the year. (Nigel) de Jong departs in August (for Turkey). (Sebastian) Lletget has to get moved because of that. Landon (Donovan) helps us for five or six games, then gets hurt against Colorado.
“We started losing our attacking options throughout the year. It was a mess.”
Arena praised his back line, which consisted of left back Ashley Cole (“He fit in beautifully with the team,” Arena said), center backs Jelle Van Damme (“He was excellent”) and Daniel Steres (“He was a great surprise for us”) and right back Robbie Rogers.
Arena lauded his team for its perseverance through some difficult times.
“There’s some encouraging things, but you can’t lose your top players for as many games as we lost and expect to be consistent on the field and produce the kind of points we want to produce,” he said. “Again we finish fifth or something (actually sixth) in points in the league. Having done all of that with so many inconsistencies to our team during the year is not the worst.
“We’re still breathing. We’re not in coma. We’re moving around a little bit.”
Arena admitted there will be changes on the roster, but he had not spoken to Gerrard or Keane about their future plans. Both players are up for new contracts, although Gerrard is widely thought to be considering retirement. Keane, who turned 36 in July, recently vowed he will play somewhere in 2017. Arena also did not comment on recent reports – most of them originating overseas – linking the club with the likes of Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
“Are (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi in those discussions as well?” he joked. “I’m going to give you a little hint that maybe 90 per cent of those things you see are not accurate.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing Messi and Ronaldo in line with them as well.”
