View from the Blues, Volume 12: Lousy Hit-and-Miss Week for Los Angeles

A lousy start to the home campaign for Charlie Naimo's Los Angeles Blues left a bitter taste in their mouths heading into their double-header with the Charlotte Eagles in USL PRO play.

The health of Walter Gaitan would be important to the team's success against one of the struggling teams in the league this week.

“Everybody is extremely upset about the loss—the fans, the coaches and the players,” Gaitán told LABluesProSoccer.com's Gunnar Berndt. “We played well and did everything we had been working on leading up to the match. We really just failed to finish. That’s what happens in soccer. If you miss a lot of opportunities, you usually end up getting punished.”

Still, Gaitan admitted that his absence did change the dynamics of their match with Antigua Barracuda FC, which ended in a 1-0 defeat.

“Even though I knew it might happen, I was heated when I realized I wouldn’t be able to play, and then even more so when we lost,” Gaitan said. “I still absolutely hate not being able to play, but sometimes you just have to give your body a break to keep an injury from getting worse. With all my experience, I have learned how to control my emotions now and not to take silly risks.”

Still, the Argentine international was quick to point out that individuals do not win games alone.

“We shouldn’t pay attention to anyone saying we’re one of the best teams on paper,” Gaitán warned. “Instead, we should aspire to actually become the league’s best team on the field. That kind of attitude makes you win games. We do have a lot of very good, technically gifted players with great personalities, but we have to maintain a winning mentality and prove to the rest of the league that we’re more than just big names.”

As for the rest of the players, the defeat put the players back on their feet.

“I would say the loss changed the mentality somewhat,” midfielder Jhonatan Bravo told Berndt. “It made us realize that we need to step up the intensity and become even better. The training sessions since the Antigua game reflect that. Everybody is going hard after every ball and the tackles are flying.

"That’s just part of the game when you have a hungry team. Especially after a defeat, everyone wants to win the next game and prove that they should be on the field to help make it happen.”

“As a coach, I will always notice little things that are still not perfect in terms of discipline, like one or two guys usually arriving late to training,” Naimo added. “But if the players sense an increased intensity, that’s significant. They’re the ones who know what’s going on in their own minds and who are out there getting an up-close feel for their teammates’ attitudes.

"If they say the group has stepped it up, hopefully that means we’re in an even better place than we were ahead of the last game.”

Nelson Akwari was a former Charlotte Eagle player and knows the team well.

“I know Charlotte very well,” Akwari said. “They’re a very strong team that’s capable of gritty defending. They’re always working extremely hard, challenging every single pass and fighting for every defensive tackle. I feel like we have to really match their intensity going in. It will be a true test for us.”

Akwari's prediction was correct. And Gaitan's injury apparently healed well enough to give the Blues a 2-1 victory over the Eagles at Centennial High School in Corona, Calif.

Mike Randolph opened the scoring in the sixth minute of play, and after Charlotte's Darren Toby made it 1-1 in the 83rd minute, it was the heroics of Chukwudi Chijindu via assists from Randolph and Cesar Rivera in the 88th minute that sealed the win for Los Angeles.

With Centennial High being a friendly venue of sorts for the Blues, it was up to Naimo's men to take back Titan Stadium. They failed in deplorable fashion, losing 2-1.

Jorge Herrera scored the game-winner on a penalty in the 90th minute, while Weston Roberts made it 1-0 Charlotte in the 22nd. Gaitan got his third of the season in the 75th minute of play.

It doesn't help matter when you have to play a man down, and Erlys Garcia was sent off in the 42nd minute.

If the Los Angeles Blues expect to be a title contender in USL PRO, then they certainly cannot drop contests against the league's worst teams. It is completely unacceptable, and it only puts more wind in the sails of teams like Antigua Barracuda.

Next week, Los Angeles will look to avoid another slump when they hit the road to take on the Dayton Dutch Lions and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

Kickoff against the Lions is scheduled for Friday, May 20 at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET at Miami Valley South Stadium in Dayton, Ohio.

Kickoff against the Riverhounds is scheduled Sunday, May 22 at 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET at Chartiers Valley High School in Pittsburgh, Pa.