Match Preview: LA Galaxy versus Portland Timbers
Can the LA Galaxy record an upset against an in-form Timbers team
The LA Galaxy’s season trajectory will come down to Saturday night’s clash with the Portland Timbers. A win keeps them sitting at the table with the rest of the Western Confrence playoff hopefuls while a loss makes the hallway to the playoff room much longer and complex. With the game being held in Carson, the Galaxy can’t drop points at home.
After visible discomfort in last weekend’s match in Austin, coach Greg Vanney labeled Riqui Puig as questionable for Saturday’s game. On a brighter note, Douglas Costa “will be involved” against the Timbers according to Vanney after missing the last three games with a hamstring issue.
Since Portland fired Giovanni Savarese in late August, the Cascadia side has surged up the standings. The club is undefeated in their last six games and riding a four-game winning streak. Instead of being a team that looks to hit on the counter, they have adopted a more expansive style of play under interim coach Miles Joseph.
Current Western Confrence Standings
Western Confrence games to keep an eye on:
FC Dallas vs. Houston Dynamo
Minnesota United vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Colorado Rapids vs. Austin FC
St. Louis City vs. Sporting Kansas City
The Storyline
How does the LA Galaxy offensive operate with a physically limited Puig or without him? He’s been Mr. Reliable all season long and the sole reason why there is hope the club can make the MLS Cup playoffs.
The Timbers know this and will bring physicality to the game. Puig doesn’t sprint or do much off the ball but he’s going to attract all the attention when he’s driving forward in the attacking half. Puig draws 2.4 fouls per 90, one of the highest tallies in the league. If he’s not on the pitch, the club will depend on a playmaker making his return to the pitch.
With Costa cleared to play this weekend, it will lift Puig from holding onto the team’s playmaking duties. With a possession-based style of play, you need very technical players to advance forward and play passes that stretch out defenses. Puig and Costa operate well together and make the players around them better.
If’s just Costa on the field, it is unknown how the Galaxy will look. In games with Costa playing and Puig not in the lineup, LA holds a record of 7W-11L-2D (38.9% win percentage).
Given the amount of goals conceded in the last few games, the Galaxy attack will likely need to outscore their opponents to get a point in games. With two of LA’s best playmakers not fully healthy, will it show when the Galaxy goes forward? They can’t comeback from two goals in three straight games, right?
Players to Watch
LA: Tyler Boyd, Winger
After a good stretch of games in August with goals, Boyd’s goal-scoring form has cooled down. He’s played the role of the creator as he’s accumulated two assists in his last three games with LA.
He played just 45 minutes in Sunday’s game in Austin as Vanney said postgame that he looked fatigued and disconnected from the game.
Tyler Boyd is a massive part of getting the LA Galaxy to play at their best. He’s the vertical goal-scoring threat with a great work rate -We haven’t seen that Boyd in some time. Right now is the right time for the 28-year-old to get back on the scoresheet and aid the Galaxy frontline.
POR: Santiago Moreno, attacking midfielder
Even with Evander questionable for this match, Portland has 23-year-old Moreno to pull the strings offensively.
Moreno has spent a lot of the season as a wide midfielder but has found a consistent rhythm playing centrally. He is an excellent dribbler who’s unafraid to take on players and operates at a quick pace to take advantage of transition moments.
Given LA’s current defensive form, I expect Moreno to create lots of chances on the night. The Galaxy defensive midfielders need to hold their line and limit the touches he gets in the half-space.
Winning Edge: Defensive Fortitude
The LA Galaxy backline is banged up and playing like it. With Chris Mavinga, Jalen Neal, Martin Caceres, and Calegari unavailable, LA depth is being tested.
For starters, Maya Yoshida will have to play with another center back partner - either Eriq Zavaleta or Tony Alfaro. It’s hard to establish chemistry and consistency when there is no stability in roster partnerships.
Goalkeeper Jonathan Bond is also going through a rough patch and has seen a dive in his ranking among MLS goalkeepers. The Englishman has a Post-Shot Expected Goals minus Goals Allowed record of -3.2, the eighth worst in the league. It doesn’t help he’s facing 5.1 shots on target per game.
All that the defense needs to do is prevent the Galaxy from needing to get in a shoot-out to win this game. If LA concedes first, it’s going to play right in the hands of the Timbers who will look to counter when the Galaxy loses possession in a bad area.
This needs to be the game where LA stops leaking goals.