Luis Angel Landin is one of the new faces in MLS. (Getty Images)
I guess you could really say its just been a rather slow week in terms of news. Sure rosters
were finalized on Tuesday night for the rest of the year and the league announced their big break
next summer but other than that it's been rather calm in Major League Soccer this week.
A cool and clear night at Home Depot Center, a welcome relief after the humidity and smoke of
recent weeks.
The Galaxy have a chance to (temporarily at least) overhaul Houston for the Western Conference
lead coming into the game.
The omens are good: the Galaxy have one loss in their last 10 games, haven't conceded a goal in
216 minutes and play a Dallas team that has just one road win all season.
Nationally televised on ESPN2: check.
Playoff implications on the line since the Galaxy can clinch their first playoff berth in four
years with a win over the Chicago Fire on Friday night and a D.C. United loss to Chivas USA
Saturday: check.
David Beckham returning from what was initially dismissed as a 50-50, long-standing Achilles
tendon issue: Maybe not.
Alecko Eskandarian's dismal injury-plagued season is all but over with the Galaxy conceding to
the inevitable and placing the concussion-prone striker on the disabled list for the final six
regular season games.
The former Chivas USA frontman can return for the playoffs, but you've got to wonder if
Eskandarian's career is reaching a conclusion, too.
And those words are: That's what I'm talking about!
Last week I was all about "No More Ties!", not because i have a vendetta against neckwear (and a
penchant for lame puns), but because winning teams know how to scratch out wins from adverse
conditions at crunch time. The frustrating game in DC was the catalyst, though it was the third
game in a week played in the aftermath of a hurricane at the end of August in DC's home
stadium.
