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Arena expects Gonzalez to miss two weeks with knee tweak

OmarGonzalezLA (ISIPhotos.com)

photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said earlier this week that he was confident that Omar Gonzalez’s knee injury was one that would keep the centerback out for only a short period of time.

Now, we know just how long it will be.

Arena told reporters Thursday that he expects Gonzalez to miss 1-2 weeks with the left knee injury sustained in the first half of the Galaxy’s 1-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids this past weekend. That timetable knocks the 25-year-old Gonzalez out of LA’s upcoming game at the Portland Timbers, and leaves him as a question mark for the start of the U.S. Men’s National Team’s pre-World Cup camp in Stanford, California, next week.

Still, Arena believes that Gonzalez will be included in Jurgen Klinsmann’s provisional 30-man U.S. roster.

“Omar is making progress, just a little tweak on his knee,” said Arena. “[He’ll miss] anywhere from a week or two weeks, but I do expect him to go off next week.”

Gonzalez is currently in the midst of trying to lock down a spot on the U.S. team that heads to the World Cup this summer. He has been a regular in Klinsmann’s lineup for much of the past year but has had some unconvincing performances in recent months, leaving some to question if he will start in Brazil.

The veteran defender sustained the injury this past Saturday in Colorado and was forced to come off at halftime. Kofi Opare replaced Gonzalez in the lineup in that match and is expected to do the same vs. the Timbers.

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What do you make of this development? How should Klinsmann handle this situation with camp just about to start? Think this injury could wind up costing Gonzalez a place on the U.S.’s final 23-man roster?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. It’s too bad that Jay DeMerit isn’t in form or on Klinsmann’s radar. That guy is a warrior and gave the us team a presence at the back that we have not seen since 2010.

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  2. Omar has had one good game vs Mexico and the rest have been sketchy at best…and at the WC those little moments he has every game will be exposed

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    • Welcome to reality. We don’t have a great defense, bud. Heck, we are all giving Besler a free pass to first-class on the sole basis that he hasn’t embarrassed himself in a USMNT jersey… Does this mean he can’t get his pants ripped off against quality int’l opposition? He has only played against CONCACAF teams, plus a Korea B team and a Germany C team who still managed 3 goals.

      We probably don’t have a lockdown defense. Face it. We need guys to play out of their minds and over their previous performance standards. Pointing out the shortcomings is easy,,,

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  3. He will get evaluated at camp, but if he can’t train for two weeks then that puts a serious dent in his chances at making the final team. Other CB’s are healthy and ready to compete for spots while Gonzo will be sitting and trying to get healthy enough in a two week timetable. I would bet my bottom dollar the USMNT medical staff does not clear him.

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    • Why would you bet your bottom dollar on that? Are you a doctor? Enough with the silly bets… Are you expat?

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  4. Bruce Arena, with 2 World Cup cycles under his belt, appears to be saying everything he can to put his player’s injury in a positive light. Makes me think this might be a lot worse than he’s letting on.

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    • Exactly what else would he be saying? If it was Frank Yallop or Jason Kreis or Alex Ferguson, do you think he’d be “giving it to us straight” (whatever that might mean)?

      It could be bad, it could be nothing. Reading anything into the comments of a guy who would only ever say one thing is meaningless. Probably he really doesn’t know… just a coach who isn’t a doctor, looking after his guy, as any coach would.

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      • Ali Dia, agree no one really knows?, and timetables for injuries are so very relative and case specific.
        That said It benefits the coach and team of any player that gets a truly quality experience by playing and participating in a WC.
        So off course all concerned parties have a real and vested interest in seeing “their own” get valuable experience and learning opportunities.

    • There isn’t one guy on our team I would want to miss out on this event on account of injury and there never will be. But I respect your right to feel otherwise and I will not attempt to belittle or insult your view. All I would offer as a means of persuasion is the following:

      We will almost certainly not win the World Cup. Actually, many exceptional teams will not win the World Cup, and ultimately 31 sets of fans will deal with this disappointment eventually.

      What we can control is our dignity and identity. As a fan of US soccer, you can always hold your head high, because our team plays hard for 90+ minutes, our boys don’t dive or simulate or time-waste, our fans are respectful yet passionate, and it is only getting better. Cynacism has not infected our culture yet. We are chasing a beautiful goal and we are loving every second.

      I won’t bother finishing the thought… I think you can see where I am going. I would encourage you to stay away from the darkside. For starters, it hasn’t been built yet.

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  5. I mean, I wouldn’t wish an injury on anyone…but this is a blessing for the USMNT and our chances in Brazil if he does not fully heal in time. (and I’m a Galaxy fan).

    For me, I’d much prefer to see a Besler-Cameron tandem at CB and take our chances with Chandler or Parkhurst at RB.

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  6. I would never hope for any player to be injured (except possibly Cristiano Ronaldo . . ), but this might be a blessing in disguise for USMNT fans. Honestly, I feel queasy at the thought of Gonzalez starting in Brazil.

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  7. He’s already been playing badly pretty much since the end of 2012, and now an injury?

    FJohnson-Besler-Cameron-Chandler

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  8. Why doesn’t Bruce come out and say what it actually was? It’s not like there is any competitive disadvantage to him disclosing what it was and I am sure that the national team is getting a report so why not tell us as well?

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    • Maybe he doesn’t know. What makes you think anybody knows? Ever hurt your leg joints as an adult ? It’s not like a strep throat. You don’t just take some antibiotics. Everybody is trying to accelerate a diagnosis… maybe you have the “report” already that you are craving.

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  9. Aw, poor Gonzo got a boo boo on his wittle knee knee.

    Maybe that was a little uncalled for. I’m so used to Bruce complaining that I have transferred that onto his players.

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    • It can still be considered a precaution so that he did not further hurt himself.

      Same idea as if you slightly tweak your hamstring in the first half, and push hard in the second half you run a greater risk of a bigger tear (hence precaution)

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  10. So it wasn’t just a precaution after all.

    If by “miss” they mean no practice for two weeks, that’s tough when the 30 man comes out in 5 days and they start practicing two days later.

    In theory maybe you bring in 31 to be safe. But I’ve not been impressed where I’d put him on the 23 and hope.

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    • Unless Omar’s injury is serious enough to render him unfit for the WC there is no way he doesn’t go to camp. Even if he can’t play for the first part of it he will need to be there to discuss what formation they will use, how they plan to (ahem) cover corner kicks, how high to set their lines etc…. Hopefully Omar’s injury is such that he can run, but not risk cutting or contact….It would have been nice if Bruce offered up a little more information.

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    • no kidding huh. gonzalez has tough luck or some karma to work out.
      the thing is with a stated “1-2 week knee injury”.. its probably in reality a 2-4 week injury. you always think its not bad, but it bugs you for about twice as long as you say/think.

      Reply

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