CARSON, Calif. – What exactly do the LA Galaxy know about Thursday’s CONCACAF Champions League opponent Central FC?
Well, according to Galaxy head coach and general manager Bruce Arena, “very little.”
“They haven’t played a game since May so it’s one of these games that we have to go in and be concerned with ourselves,” said Arena. “We have to win. It’s win or go home. That’s the strategy.”
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Tasked with leading the Galaxy’s scouting efforts of the 2015 Caribbean Football Union Club Championship champions was assistant coach Pat Noonan. Searching for info on Central FC certainly wasn’t an easy task for Noonan and the rest of the Galaxy coaching staff but the former U.S. international is confident that the club will have an understanding of the Trinidadian club come game time.
“It’s mostly unknowns because they’re bringing in a new coach in and toward the end of last year, they had a system of play and won a lot of trophies but that could all change,” Noonan told LAGalaxy.com. “We expect to see a physical team with good size that is good on restarts. Although they pressed teams at the end of last year, they could sit back and try to hit us on the counter.”
Since lifting the title, the Sharks have undergone a major overhaul with Kevin Jeffery replacing title-winning English boss Terry Fenwick. Thursday’s match will also mark the official start of the team’s 2015-16 campaign as the Trinidadian will play their first two CCL group stages matches against the Galaxy and Guatemalan club Comunicaciones before the start of the TT Pro League in September.
Despite the managerial change, Central FC still boast several accomplished Trinidadian internationals including goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams and forwards Willis Plaza and Ataullah Guerra. Although information has been relatively limited, the Galaxy are confident that they can open the group stage with a victory.
“You know what you’re going to get when you’re dealing with a Caribbean team. They’re going to be big, physical, fast and strong,” forward Alan Gordon said. “Maybe we’ll be able to exploit some of their disorganization in the back. We’ll be looking to pull them out of spots and attack their weaknesses.”
The match will have a little added significance, as Mexican international Giovani dos Santos will make his club debut in CCL play after being unveiled on Tuesday. During the press conference, Arena confirmed that 26-year-old El Tricolor star will be included in the game day roster, and could very well make his first start for the Galaxy as soon as Thursday.
No matter who takes the field for either team, Arena has warned his side to expect the unexpected.
“These games are always unpredictable,” Arena said. “The officiating you never know in CONCACAF. We just have to have the right focus and the right attitude, win the game then we’ll move forward from there.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
LA Galaxy vs. Central FC
2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League
August 6 | 7 pm PT | StubHub Center
TV: FOX Sports 2, UDN
If there’s a favorite among MLS teams to finally hoist the CCL trophy, LA Galaxy have to be it. And their deep and star-studded team – bolstered recently by the addition of Mexican international Giovani Dos Santos – will be put to the test in their tournament opener Thursday at StubHub Center against Trinidad and Tobago champion Central FC. On paper, LA are a heavy favorite against Central, a team founded in 2012 who are coming off a CFU Club Championship (a Caribbean champions league).
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WELCOME TO THE SHOW: Dos Santos, only introduced to Galaxy fans this week, is expected to make his LA debut against Central in “some capacity” as head coach Bruce Arena put it. Dos Santos’ addition, along with the previous big-name signing of Steven Gerrard, joining existing star Robbie Keane and emerging talents Sebastian Lletget and Gyasi Zardes, signifies a major push by LA to add a CCL cup to their already impressive trophy case. Team president Chris Klein said in Dos Santos’ introductory press conference that the time is now for the Galaxy to put MLS over the top in the continental competition.
BEEN HERE BEFORE: While Central are making their first appearance in the CCL, many of their players are no stranger to the tournament. A number of Sharks players were part of fellow Trinidad and Tobago club San Juan Jabloteh that played in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 editions.
“We have a lot of players from Jabloteh, most of the senior players come from Jabloteh, so we have a unit together,” Central attacker Jason Marcano told CONCACAF.com. “With some younger players, we’ve formalized a unit, got it together and got it right.”
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PLAYERS TO WATCH:
DOS SANTOS, GALAXY: Whether he starts and how much he plays are questions only Arena can answer. And where the El Tri star lines up in LA’s loaded attacking third likely won’t be indicative of his long-term role with the team, keeping in mind the fact that Arena is likely to use a number of reserves against a club they should overwhelm talent-wise. But Dos Santos’ debut will be a momentous moment for many Galaxy fans, regardless.
WILLIS PLAZA, CENTRAL: The Vise (Belgium third division) striker was Central’s co-leading goal scorer in the CFU Club Championship with two goals in four games. He also appeared in two of Trinidad and Tobago’s four Gold Cup matches last month and has five goals in 12 games for the Soca Warriors.