COMMERCE CITY — It’s always been easy to be skeptical about David Beckham’s value to the Los Angeles Galaxy, but the team is looking great without him this season.
While the British superstar rehabs a ruptured Achilles tendon, the Galaxy has become the fourth team in league history to win its first four games. Forward Edson Buddle has scored all seven of L.A.’s goals — only one other MLS team (Real Salt Lake) has scored seven this year — and he is making a case for inclusion onto the U.S. World Cup team.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a player in this league be this on fire,” Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis said after L.A. beat his team 2-1 last Saturday. “Opponents beware.”
The Galaxy will be Colorado’s next home opponent on May 5.
“Edson is on a streak that every single coach in the league’s looking for from a forward,” Rapids coach Gary Smith said. “The Salt Lake game, it was a great game to watch, with some really good football played by both teams. And the difference was Edson.”
Meanwhile, Beckham continues to enjoy the perks of celebrity status in SoCal.
“I have been a regular at L.A. Lakers matches recently,” Beckham blogged last week, “and am really getting into it and looking forward to the playoffs.”
Not Revved up.
The Rapids (2-1-1) play Saturday at New England (2-2). The Revolution has been hurt because midfielder Shalrie Joseph has been able to play only one game because of a strained hip flexor.
“The difference for them is when Shalrie’s playing,” Smith said. “When Shalrie’s playing, they’ve got a much different dimension. He gives everyone around him a lift. When he’s not playing, I think you’ve still got that hard-working core, that determined core, but I think they find it difficult to achieve the finer points within the game — all those inspirational moments that you’re looking for.”
Joseph is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game.
Another crowd-pleaser.
Rapids fans got a kick out of Quincy Amarikwa’s club debut in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Toronto. Amarikwa came on in the 67th minute and displayed the same energy that made him a crowd favorite in San Jose. The Rapids acquired the product of Bakersfield, Calif., in a trade April 7.
“If there’s two people out there or 20,000, I’m going to play the same,” Amarikwa said. “But it’s always great to hear the fans have your support and appreciate the effort you put in out there.”
Smith credited Amarikwa and Wells Thompson for giving the team a lift off the bench to break open a tight game.
“Wells showed some flashes of real good wing play, ran with the ball well, and Quincy gave not just the players a lift, I thought he gave the crowd a lift,” Smith said. “They got behind him, he’s an all-action player. He’s all hustle and bustle, energy and pace.”
