Los Angeles Galaxy In Desperate Search Of Form

Aug 11, 2013; Frisco, TX, USA; FC Dallas forward Fabian Castillo (11) shoots on goal while defended by Los Angeles Galaxy defender A.J. DeLaGarza (20) during the second half at FC Dallas Stadium. The game ended in a 3-3 draw. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy must be asking the question: “O Form, Where Are Thou?” A cold road spell saw LA go 0-2-2, with two draws and two defeats. As they return home to host FC Dallas, the question must be posed: Can the Galaxy return to form for once and get back on the winning track?

“We just didn’t finish; it’s hard to believe they even got a goal tonight,’ Arena told the press on Saturday after their 1-0 defeat to the Houston Dynamo. “They weren’t going to get a goal and we gave them a chance and to their credit they finished it. We’re very disappointed to walk out of here without at least a point on a night where maybe we’re not great, but the other team is not dangerous and we have got to find a way to get a goal.”

“It’s very sad to lose a game this way, I was trying to communicate with my teammate to hold the ball because I was getting a cramp which I got from a previous play that I slid out into the corner,” goalkeeper Jaime Penedo said after the match. “To be honest with you I wasn’t expecting the ball, but that is no excuse and I work hard to try and fix those types of plays but it is sad to lose a game like that.”

“We created chances, didn’t put them away, we had a few—A.J. [DeLaGarza] had one just before the half but it was a good save by the defender—and then we made a mistake at the end and that can’t happen,” said forward and team captain Robbie Keane. “You can do all you want all week in practice, you can do everything to get ready for the game but you can’t legislate for mistakes.

“We just can’t make mistakes, the mistakes we’ve made are ones that can’t be made, and it’s fairly simple. If you we keep making mistakes like that we can forget about even making the playoffs.”

“As a team we definitely played pretty hard, it was very unfortunate to give up that goal, a cheap goal we gave away,” said defender Kofi Opare, who teamed up with Tommy Meyer at the back on Saturday. “At the same time we could have been a little better offensively and defensively, so add in a goal as well and defend a little bit better all around the field. So obviously we must learn from the lost and look to turn the corner pretty fast because we play on Wednesday and the guys will respond back.”

One bright spot for the Galaxy was homegrown player Raul Mendiola, who was solid in his MLS debut. Mendiola had been spending time with the Los Angeles Galaxy II before turning in 25 solid minutes of play.

“I take a lot from this debut because now I know what it’s like to step into a full stadium and play with top players at the next level,” Mendiola told LAGalaxy.com’s Adam Serrano. “I’ll take this experience as I look to continue to improve. I just want to make the coach happy so that I can possibly see more minutes.

“The games with Galaxy II and training with both teams have helped me a lot. It gave me a lot of experience to be ready for this day once it came around. I just need to keep working hard and keep my head up as I do my job. At the end of the day, it’s not up to me where I play or where I train, no matter where it is, I just have to do my best and work hard.”

Stay tuned on Wednesday for a live blog of the Los Angeles Galaxy vs. FC Dallas at 5:45 p.m. PT/8:45 p.m. ET on the MLS Multiplex and FanSided.