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The LA Galaxy continued their 2014 preseason warmup defeating FC Shirak 2-1 at the StubHub Center in front of 12,447 at the StubHub! Center Saturday night. Samuel pushed one home in the first half, and in the second half Gyasi Zardes had a calm shot from zone 14.
Bruce Arena: "Gyasi Zardes had a good night." #LAGvFCS pic.twitter.com/vBqb2UVts1
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 9, 2014
The events of the match aren't that important at this point, even with a little extra pomp and circumstance. What's most important is my amazing pre-season minute tracking chart.
There are references online to a scrimmage played between the Galaxy and the Orange County Blues. However, there's no record of who played and for how long that I can find. So for our purposes, this was the second outing.
Injuries: Robbie Rogers - Left ankle sprain
Unavailable: Todd Dunivant
Not yet in full training: Robbie Keane
Just to see the point of this exercise, if we were to predict an opening day lineup based on minutes played thus far it would be: Penedo; too close to call, Leonardo, Opare, Cochrane; Ishizaki, Juninho, Sarvas/Husidic, too close to call; Friend, Samuel
While that's nothing resembling a lineup, it does show us where there's competition; even when competition is simply the result of players getting to camp late or not participating at all yet. It brings up important questions: Is Bruce Arena confident enough in Leonardo to stick with DeLaGarza at right back. Will Rogers picking up a knock mean he has to fight to get back into the A-squad? Is Cochrane ready if he's needed for extended periods this year?
Without further ado, the chart:
GK | Apps | Minutes |
Penedo | 2 | 107 |
Perk | 2 | 73 |
DR | Apps | Minutes |
Hall | 1 | 45 |
Sorto | 1 | 45 |
DeLaGarza | 1 | 45 |
Gargan | 1 | 45 |
DC | Apps | Minutes |
Leonardo | 2 | 107 |
Opare | 2 | 90 |
Venter | 2 | 73 |
DeLaGarza | 1 | 45 |
Gonzalez | 1 | 45 |
DL | Apps | Minutes |
Cochrane | 2 | 107 |
Gaul | 1 | 45 |
Riley | 1 | 28 |
MR | Apps | Minutes |
Ishizaki | 2 | 90 |
Mendiola |
2 | 75 |
Jamieson IV | 1 | 15 |
MC | Apps | Minutes |
Husidic | 2 | 90 |
Juninho | 2 | 90 |
Sarvas | 2 | 90 |
Garcia | 1 | 45 |
Walker | 1 | 45 |
ML | Apps | Minutes |
Zardes | 1 | 45 |
Hoffman | 1 | 45 |
Gaul | 1 | 45 |
Donovan | 1 | 45 |
FW | Apps | Minutes |
Friend | 2 | 107 |
Samuel | 2 | 90 |
Rugg | 1 | 45 |
McBean | 1 | 45 |
Zardes | 1 | 45 |
Hoffman | 1 | 28 |