Tuesday Notebook

The Galaxy were back on the field this afternoon for the first time since the 0-0 draw at D.C. United on Saturday. The team was split into two groups with the starters and those who played significant minutes staying inside for a gym workout, while the reserves were out on the field playing some small-sided games.

Yesterday's off day was the first weekday, day off for the full team since the start of August. Between travel, international duty and training session, it has been a busy month for the guys. But with the SuperClasico on Saturday, everybody is focused squarely on the task at hand, which is getting three points and closing the gap on Houston.

Here are a few notes from the past couple of days and today...

• Donovan Ricketts was outside this morning for the small-sided games despite playing 175 minutes last week without surrendering a goal. Ricketts was sporting a new Spongebob band aid over the stitches that he received last week.
• Gregg Berhalter also made his way outside to get some fitness work in.
• Edson Buddle, Sean Franklin and Julian Valentin were all outside today doing some work with the training staff. Franklin has been working his way back to fitness for the last month, while Buddle and Valentin, as well as Alecko Eskandarian, began some light work last week while the team was on the road.
• With the college season back upon us, the numbers at training were smaller than they had been recently. Players from UCLA, UC-Irvine, UIC and more had spent time training with the Galaxy at various points this summer.
• Tristan Bowen was also not in attendance. He spent the start of last week in training with Miami FC of the USL First Division and they elected to sign him on loan for the remainder of the USL season. Bowen made his Miami debut on Saturday, playing 90 minutes in a 3-1 loss to Portland, while also coming off the bench the following night in a 2-0 loss at Vancouver. The Blues have seven games left in their season and are currently six points out of the seventh and final playoff spot in the USL. Bowen will rejoin the Galaxy at the conclusion of the USL season.

Don't forget that if you want to have a chance to see the LA's next opponent, Chivas USA, they are in action on Wednesday night at Real Salt Lake. Jesse Marsch and Eduardo Lillingston are each one booking away from suspension, meaning that a yellow card for either of them at Rio Tinto Stadium would rule them out of Saturday's final leg of the SuperClasico.

The Galaxy enter that game with a 1-0-1 record in the series this year following a 0-0 draw on April 11 and a 1-0 win on July 11. That means that a Galaxy win or draw would see LA win the SuperClasico trophy for the fourth time in five years. Chivas USA can only win the crown with a victory.