Beckham set for 'exciting' MLS farewell
With the focus almost exclusively surrounding David Beckham’s Major League Soccer farewell, the competition’s showpiece occasion has been comprehensively overshadowed this week.
But when the former England midfielder and 21 others take to the field at the Home Depot Center tomorrow, they will do so with the MLS title on the line.
Beckham’s Los Angeles Galaxy defend their title in a repeat of last year’s final against the Houston Dynamo, when Landon Donovan scored the only goal after a build-up involving Beckham and Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane.
And as he gears up for a repeat performance, Beckham told lagalaxy.com: “It’s exciting.
“There’s an excitement around the team and around the club, so this week has been about preparing for Houston, preparing for the game on Saturday. It’s been an enjoyable week.”
It will be the third grand final appearance of Beckham’s six years in MLS, having also featured in 2009’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Real Salt Lake.
And he paid tribute to coach Bruce Arena for helping him to such success.
“The first year, year and a half was very unsettling and it wasn’t a great place to be and then Bruce came in, settled everything down and that’s the reason we’ve had the success that we had in the last four years,” he said.
“He’s a great man manager, he’s strong and harsh when he needs to be but he also puts his arm around you and has a joke with you when you need that.”
Arena’s main selection decision concerns his defence, where AJ DeLaGarza claims to be “about 90” per cent fit after a knee injury.
Rookie Tommy Meyer has deputised impressively for the United States international and said: “I try not to think about it at all. It’s up to Bruce and practice, and you just kind of go about it the same way you prepare for every game.
“That’s what I’ve been doing the whole week, and I think that’s probably what AJ’s been doing too.”
Up against that Galaxy defence will be Houston forward Calen Carr, who has recovered from a hamstring injury to take his place in the line-up along with stalwart midfielder Ricardo Clark (thigh).
“To be here on Sunday and have a full, normal week of training is going to serve me really well,” Carr said. “I should be available no problems for Saturday.”
Houston’s Andre Hainault headed the winner as his team triumphed 2-1 in this season’s only previous meeting between the sides.
Their previous play-off clash saw the Galaxy win 2-0 en route to the 2009 final, Donovan and Gregg Berhalter scoring extra-time goals to settle a game twice disrupted by power failures.
