Last week the Revolution went up against a DC United team that was exactly as advertised: we saw ball after ball go straight into Wayne Rooney, and the Revs’ defending corps were up for the challenge. They smartly negated Rooney’s influence on the match from the run of play, clearing the ball before it got to him in the attacking third.
Can lightning strike a second consecutive time when The Boys In Blue head to Carson to take on another European star in Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Los Angeles Galaxy (Sunday, 10:30 p.m.)?
On low line drives, quite possibly. Simply marking the Lion and waiting for the incoming service, much like they did with Rooney, will keep Zlatan — yes, we’re going with his first name — honest. But aerial service… Zlatan is 6-foot-5, and you can’t teach height. Marking at that point is useless, and the only thing stopping the Swede from scoring is either poor aim or the rock-hard hands of Revolution goalkeeper Brad Knighton.
Is it possible to beat the Galaxy? Of course it is. Colorado — you read that right, Colorado — did it a couple of weeks ago. Can the Revs beat them? Remains to be seen.
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Los Angeles is a team that is going to get after you practically from the opening whistle: watch how the Galaxy will race off the midway line and get right into pressing situations. LA can set up a high line of contention which can force teams to play out of the back.
But if there’s one thing about the Galaxy that is perplexing: they will sit back with eight and sometimes nine men behind the ball, purposely yielding possession — they did that in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City, where Galaxy only had 34.6 percent of the ball — and then creating a turnover, hitting you on the counter.
In fact, Galaxy have done that in three of their last four matches:
vs. Sporting Kansas City (W) 34.6 percent
vs. Orlando City (W) 43 percent
vs. Colorado (L) 67.6 percent
vs. New York City (L) 41 percent
In the six prior matches going back to April 5, LA has had more of the ball, and were 4-1-1 in that time. Over the last 10 matches, LA has averaged 51.46 percent of the ball.
The Revs, in that same time, have averaged 41.6 percent. That number may seem inflated to some, but keep your eyes on what they did against Atlanta (53.5), Red Bulls (52.8), and Montreal (56.2) last month.
Expect LA’s play to go through either Zlatan — who will more than likely be Galaxy’s first option — and he’ll distribute as he sees fit, or though Sebastian Lletget, who is pretty crafty with the ball. And be wary of Jonathan dos Santos, who can have a go from distance with a solid right.
And if there’s one thing about Zlatan’s game that the Revolution defense has to be aware of, he will peel away toward the back post. You cannot give him space, or let him make his own.
Defensively, they are organized in the back, but they have been known to falter, their center backs switching off. That happened against New York City as Diedie Traore ball watched on one of NYCFC’s goals. One defensive central midfielder will join the back line, but the Galaxy defense can give space, especially on long balls like they did Wednesday against Sporting Kansas City.
Another player to keep your eyes on: Uriel Antuna, a Mexican striker on loan from Manchester City who has been used primarily as the secondary striker. He’s good on the ball with a tight dribble.
A Revolution win, provided Montreal beats Orlando City, can move the Revs into 10th in the East.
Also in the league this weekend...
Vancouver and Toronto get your MLS weekend started on Friday night.
On Saturday, a whole slew of action: Montreal — who are now without Ignacio Piatti for the next 8-12 weeks with a fresh knee injury — hosts Orlando City, Atlanta United hosts Chicago (6 p.m., UniMas), Red Bulls host Real Salt Lake, Columbus hosts New York City FC, FC Dallas hosts Seattle, DC United hosts San Jose, Colorado hosts FC Cincinnati, Houston hosts Sporting Kansas City, and Portland hosts LAFC (10:30 p.m., ESPN2).
On Sunday, Minnesota United hosts Philadelphia in the other Sunday tilt.
In the USL Championship, Hartford Athletic hosts North Carolina FC at Rentschler Field (7 p.m.). Hartford’s, of course, making this one personal:
They stole our team. They disrespected our goal song. This one's personal. Wear your blue and green, break out the whalers gear, and bring the noise.#nobonanzanoparty #fortresshartford
?: https://t.co/VLiW7u7o60 pic.twitter.com/HuGMQ4FyRN
— Hartford Athletic (@hfdathletic) May 30, 2019
