CARSON, Calif. – The Galaxy return to StubHub Center for Wednesday’s game against FC Dallas (7:30 p.m., Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Time Warner Cable Deportes) without a victory to show for their just-concluded four-game road trip.
They’re also in last place in the Western Conference.
The Galaxy are ninth with a 2-3-3 record and nine points, but they’re only one point behind San Jose, Chivas USA and Portland, all of whom are tied for sixth with 10 points.
The Galaxy haven’t played at home in more than a month and are tied with Toronto FC for having played the fewest games in the league.
Yes, things don’t look particularly promising at the moment, but coaches and players insisted it’s no time to panic.
“What do you think, we should fold up the tent now?” head coach Bruce Arena asked sarcastically. “We may not show up tomorrow, is my guess. Yep, they (FC Dallas) get a forfeit.”
Said defender A.J. DeLaGarza, “We’re playing great and creating a lot of chances, but the ball isn’t rolling our way.
“With a little more hard work it will start turning.”
The Galaxy’s Robbie Keane said he’s actually been pleased with the team’s recent play, aside from late mistakes that have proved costly.
“I didn’t even know we were last until Bruce mentioned it,” he said. “I’m not too worried about our performances. We’ve been playing quite well, just the luck of the draw at the moment is not going for us.
“I wouldn’t be hitting the panic button yet. There’s a lot more to come from this team. I think we’re due.”
The Galaxy will be facing an FC Dallas team (5-5-2, 17 points, third in the West) that has had its own recent misfortune. Dallas started the season 4-0-1, but has cooled off lately. A 1-1 tie with Chivas USA last Saturday helped snap a four-game losing streak, but they’re still winless in their last five matches (0-4-1).
The Galaxy are undefeated in Carson over the last five meetings with FC Dallas dating back to the start of the 2010 season. The teams also split last season’s series at 1-1-1.
Arena believes the Galaxy, who host the Philadelphia Union on Sunday at StubHub Center, soon will snap out of its recent lethargy. He also downplayed the team’s record and its place in the standings.
“Am I concerned? Yeah, I think we should be undefeated,” he said. “I’m not saying all wins but we shouldn’t have any marks in the loss column. We’ve actually played much better than our record indicates, but that’s no one’s fault but our own.
“We have plenty of time to demonstrate that we’re a team that belongs at the top of the table and not at the bottom. All these things are deceiving; the season is not determined by eight or 10 games. It’s determined by 34.
“That’s when you can draw some conclusions, I think.”
