The Los Angeles Times posted an article Saturday afternoon trying to figure out the decline of the Los Angeles Galaxy. Galaxy won their third MLS Cup in 2011, but their current season has been a disaster. They sit in last place in the Western Conference with a 3-8-2 record.
Possible explanations and more after the jump.
The decline has been blamed — at various times and with differing levels of intensity — on the absence of injured defender Omar Gonzalez, on fatigue, on a lack of effort and on a changing chemistry in the locker room.
In a way, though, it's been a perfect storm of disaster, with the Galaxy losing players to rehab, injury, suspension and international duty. David Beckham even missed a start after flying back to Europe to participate in the Olympic torch relay.
"Internally, we know the issues," Coach Bruce Arena said Thursday. "And I'm confident we're going to break out of this.
The article also documents the ineffectiveness of Captain Landon Donovan, forward Robbie Keane and midfielder David Beckham. Making the playoffs isn't an impossibility, but even coach Bruce Arena isn't looking for mathematical scenarios yet:
"You can put your math somewhere else right now. It's a little early for that. But the easiest way to take care of yourself is to win games. If we don't win games we're not going to make the playoffs."
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