Landon Donovan's deeper midfield role for LA Galaxy

Without much direct involvement with the forwards on Wednesday, the question has been asked what Landon Donvan's current attacking role is. Leaping to conclusions over an emergency substitution with a one goal lead is misleading as best, but against a tough team like Kansas City he may have to be a deep facilitator again.

Donovan played the CAM role in the diamond midfield over four straight matches, but coming in as a sub for Baggio Husidic after halftime he played a deeper midfield role. He didn't make a single pass into the penalty area, instead he sat back and controlled things around the dead center of the pitch. Take a look at his heat map from the match last night.

Almost half of Donovan's events took place in the central part of the playing area, with no events in the penalty area or either of the corners. He was accurate on 90% of his passes, so mostly what he did is sit back deep and distribute letting Robbie Keane continue to be the biggest distributor with Gyasi Zardes finding space.

@SeanSteffen He's more comfortable creating from other spots. I think he's working on ball circulation and MF shape when he's out there now.

— Matthew Doyle (@MLSAnalyst) July 18, 2014

Against Salt Lake Donovan had two key passes, one in zone 14 and one closer to the midway line. Against Portland, Donovan had seven key passes and an assist the majority of which came in that zone in front of the penalty area. Donovan's role against New England was more about keeping the Revs from being able to counter, he was given lengthy instructions on the sideline before coming in, and less about creating.

When the Galaxy take on Kansas City, they get an opponent who will try to control possession with short passing. The Galaxy are going to need to meet them head on with a possession passing style that sees the ball switched from side to side and a rhythm established.

Donovan playing deeper could be best to facilitate that, which means direct service to the forwards is going to have to come from wide play.