CARSON, Calif. – Steady progress continues for the LA Galaxy as the five-time MLS Cup champions prepare for a visit to Santa Barbara, where they will take on Armenian side Alashkert FC in a closed-door scrimmage on Saturday at Westmont College.
The Galaxy are coming off a week in which they played their first two matches of the preseason, a 1-1 tie with Club Tijuana last Tuesday at StubHub Center and a 1-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday in Las Vegas.
Head coach Curt Onalfo said the team is improving as he envisioned.
“I think every time you play a game the next week, the training gets sharper,” he said Tuesday. “I think today was a good example of that. I think we’re getting better each day and the team chemistry is building well also.
“Now it’s about fine-tuning and utilizing the remaining games to continue to get match-fit, get sharper make sure our movements keep getting better.”
There are some pieces missing – French midfielder Romain Alessandrini still is awaiting a work visa and Gyasi Zardes is recovering from a knee injury – but Onalfo has liked what he has seen from a team that underwent a number of off-season changes.
Onalfo admitted he and his staff will face some tough roster decisions prior to the regular-season opener on March 4 at home against FC Dallas. The Galaxy’s final preseason match is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25 against Portland at StubHub Center.
“Everybody’s showed well in making the job difficult,” he said. “It’s just a matter of seeing how the rest of the preseason goes and making those final decisions.”
Jermaine Jones, one of the team’s biggest off-season additions, said the Galaxy will have a new look, but that may not be such a bad thing.
“I would say last year the Galaxy was always the team with the names … Gerrard, Keane, Dos Santos is still here,” he said. “I think this year there’s not one player we try to push out and make the focus on him. You could have three main players, but it doesn’t mean you win championships.
“It’s important we trust each other and believe that we can make something possible. I think that’s the most important thing. I see the team is hungry. You want to prove people wrong, that a younger team with maybe not the names wins championships.”
