Los Angeles Galaxy vs. FC Dallas: Picking Up The Pieces

Now what?

Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy dropped stinkbombs earlier this season, but nothing left as decomposing a stench as their 3-0 defeat to the Portland Timbers earlier this week.

Time to pick up the pieces, maybe?

The loss sets the stage for a must-win situation when the Galaxy take on a team they have yet to earn a point against this year: FC Dallas. That's right, the same FC Dallas team that LA lost to on May 1 before their 14-game unbeaten streak that ended on Wednesday against Portland.

The match is the final tune-up game before CONCACAF Champions League group play begins on Aug. 16 against either Motagua of Honduras or Municipal of Guatemala. Motagua leads the Preliminary Round tie 4-0 on aggregate leading up to the second leg on Aug. 4.

Schellas Hyndman's FC Dallas are on a tear, defeating El Salvador's Alianza FC 1-0 in 104-degree heat at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, to progress to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.

The Hoops are on a seven-game unbeaten streak and a three-game win streak in all competitions and defeated the Galaxy 2-1 earlier this season.

Los Angeles will have their crosshairs set on Brek Shea and Marvin Chavez. Shea leads the team in goals with nine, while Chavez has recorded four goals this season.

The Galaxy will be wise to mind the playmaking ability of Andrew Jacobson (five assists) and team captain Daniel Hernandez (four assists).

Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has had a solid year in goal for Dallas, with a 12-5-6 record, a 0.91 goals against average and a 70.2 percent save percentage to go with 59 saves.

Ugo Ihemelu, George John, Jair Benitez, and Zach Loyd were solid in containing Landon Donovan and David Beckham at the Oven and are capable of dealing more of the same on Saturday.

The speed of the backline, combined with the play of Chavez, Jacobson and Shea could put the Hoops even on points with LA at 45.

Donovan leads the Galaxy in goals with 11 this season, while Beckham's deliveries have resulted in a team-high eight assists. Goalkeeper Josh Saunders has a 6-2-3 record and, prior to the Portland match, had a 0.98 GAA and a 76.9 percent save percentage on 30 saves.

Critical to the success of the Galaxy on Saturday is the performance of the defense. The backline of Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Sean Franklin and Todd Dunivant played one of its worst games of the season against Portland and must neutralize the direct football Dallas plans to implement on them.

Arena will need to consider sitting midfielder Chris Birchall and forward Juan Pablo Angel for Saturday's contest and have them come off the bench. Birchall and Angel severely underperformed by not winning the possession battles they faced.

In addition, Angel has not been the scoring messiah he was hyped up to be following the move from the New York Red Bulls, and though he is a designated player, starting Angel off the bench might improve the team chemistry on Saturday at Victoria Street.

Maybe starting Mike Magee and Landon Donovan in the midfield might work for Arena...

Prediction:

The Galaxy need to redeem themselves and not let the month of August slip away from them. Expect an inspired Los Angeles side to get some revenge and earn some fresh wind in their sails as they prepare for the CONCACAF Champions League.

Los Angeles Galaxy 2, FC Dallas 1

Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Sports Prime Ticket on tape delay at 8:30 p.m. PT/11:30 p.m. ET.