Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena: “We made a big mistake”

It was the most candidly I have heard Galaxy coach Bruce Arena talk yet about the issue of allowing the likes of loanees Landon Donovan (Everton) and Robbie Keane (Aston Villa) to return just days before the MLS season opener.

That issue was a topic of conversation at the time among fans and media, but Arena himself shrugged off. Then the Galaxy opened the season with three losses in its its first four games, which set off an even longer trend of poor results.

Well, Arena isn’t shrugging that off now.

“We made a big mistake in having players loaned out right until the start of the season,” he said after today’s SuperClasico win over Chivas USA. “Although they played together in the last year they still needed time together. We started with a group of players that hadn’t had preseason together, which was a mistake — I accept the responsibility for that.

“Now we’re building into the second half of the season, they’re much more familiar with each other and we’re playing well.”

Of course, when you’ve unbeaten in four of your last five games, the admission is a little easier to make.

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