Galaxy defense finds right time to gel

Beginning in 2000, the team with the fewest goals allowed during the regular season won the MLS Cup, and a year ago, that team lost in the final.

But this season, the Los Angeles Galaxy has defied those odds, for statistically the Galaxy were far from the best defensive team in the league during the regular season. In fact, the Galaxy are only the second team to reach MLS Cup after finishing the regular season with a negative goal differential.

Despite the club's regular-season struggles, though, all that matters is how the defense has played in the postseason.

Nov. 11 headlines -- MLS • Expansion tops league agenda • All-Time Best XI unveiled • All-Timers reflect on first decade • Veteran midfielders savor Cup • Two captains, one goal: MLS Cup • Frisco set to welcome large audience • MLS Pictures to debut on FSC GALAXY • Galaxy D find right time to gel • Galaxy Notes: Together we win • Cup homecoming for Ihemelu • Albright taking to defensive switch • System works to Galaxy's benefit REVOLUTION • Finally given chance, Reis shines • Ralston enjoying 10-year MLS run • Revs Notes: Better late than never SIGHTS & SOUNDS All-Time Best XI: 56K | 384K GEAR • Order MLS Cup products TICKETS • Attend MLS Cup on Sunday

"It's two seasons: the regular season and the playoffs," Galaxy defender Tyrone Marshall said. "Obviously we have to put the regular season behind us. We had a lot of ups and downs, a lot of peaks and valleys. We had guys that were away and didn't have a steady lineup. Come the playoffs, it's just a four-game tournament. It's who can sustain and maintain and I think we've done that."

Entering the season finale, the Galaxy were on the plus side of the goal-differential, but after San Jose ripped the Galaxy's defense to shreds, the club was faced with doubts about the backline's ability to stop opponents.

But against the same Quakes, the Galaxy surrendered just two goals to win the Western Conference Semifinal Series. Then, the Galaxy shut out the Colorado Rapids -- its first shutout since winning the U.S. Open Cup on Sept. 28 and only the second Galaxy clean sheet since Aug. 10 -- in the Western Conference Championship.

The defense has been a work-in-progress all season. Even when things were going great in the first two months, the defense was still surrendering goals.

"Guys have stepped up their game. You are seeing guys covering for each other. You're seeing more of a team effort," Galaxy left back Todd Dunivant said. "At the beginning of the year we were giving up soft goals and we were still playing well but something was not quite there."

The quartet of Dunivant, Marshall, Ugo Ihemelu, and Chris Albright is playing better now than when the team won seven of its first 11 games, mostly with that group playing in the back. Dunivant credits the dedication to cover for one another and help clean up mistakes as the reason behind the turnaround.

"That's something we didn't have at the beginning of the year. Now as the season has worn on and at the end of the season we picked that up," he said. "That's been the biggest difference in terms of keeping clean sheets and seeing a better defensive effort overall."

Aside from correcting mistakes, the Galaxy have found the consistency and come together during the most critical time of the season. In the middle of the year, the defense had to deal with Albright's knee injury, Marshall's international absences and Ihemelu's rookie mistakes. Players like Pablo Chinchilla and Michael Umaña, as well as rookie Troy Roberts, played for stretches of time.

But the group initially put together by Galaxy coach Steve Sampson is the one that helped carry the team to the title game.

"We finally had a set formation through the last six or seven weeks of the season," Dunivant said. "We haven't had the consistency throughout the year. We're turning it on at the right time."

Talent was never a question, players said; it was just a matter of time before they could put it all together.

"We haven't been good all year long but we feel we have the players back there and we have the athleticism and we have the fight in us to get the zero," Albright said.

Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.