UPDATE: It’s official. Gyasi Zardes will miss the remainder of the 2016 Regular Season “due to a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot” according to a club press release.
#LAGalaxy forward Gyasi Zardes to miss remainder of 2016 MLS regular season: https://t.co/H3Ecpd7G8O pic.twitter.com/QOAvbUifiR
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) August 30, 2016
The LA Galaxy can’t seem to catch a break – or maybe they did and that’s a bad thing. Soccer by Ives is now reporting that LA Galaxy striker and midfielder Gyasi Zardes has a broken foot that he sustained in the 0-0 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night.
Bad news for #LAGalaxy & #USMNT , I'm told Gyasi Zardes suffered a broken foot on Sunday, could miss rest of 2016: https://t.co/lKO8PajxNB
— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) August 30, 2016
Kevin Baxter, of the LA Times, was told by the LA Galaxy that they couldn’t confirm the reports by Soccer by Ives as they were awaiting confirmation on the extent of the injury.
#LAGalaxy won't comment on Ives Galarcep report Gyasi Zardes has a broken foot as they await confirmation Zardes may be out for rest of year
— Kevin Baxter (@kbaxter11) August 30, 2016
Zardes was involved in a second half tackle that saw Kendall Waston, of the Whitecaps, go after a ball near the sideline that Zardes was running with. While Waston clearly won the ball, the Vancouver defender cleaned out Zardes with his trailing leg.
Big man comin' through! #VWFC #LAvVAN pic.twitter.com/rPKxow83p1
— Vancouver Whitecaps (@WhitecapsFC) August 28, 2016
The tackle is an example of a foul that should’ve been called as we’ve been told that players can’t go through the player to get the ball. And the trailing leg was clearly a danger to Zardes.
Unfortunately, the assistant referee who was standing just feet away failed to realize the clear danger the play represented and the foul went totally unpunished. Zardes limped for the rest of the game.
It remains to be seen if the MLS Disciplinary Committee, which has leveled suspensions against Nigel De Jong and Jeff Larentowicz for a similar lack of civility, will do anything to Waston.
The bigger issue becomes how long Gyasi Zardes will remain out of the LA Galaxy lineup. If the foot is indeed broken, it’s more than likely Zardes would miss the remainder of the 2016 season and adding to the serious manpower issues the LA Galaxy are now suffering.
With Jelle Van Damme out two to three weeks with a Sprained MCL, Steven Gerrard with what we believe is a hamstring issue, and Nigel De Jong all but transferred to Galatasaray, a bad August has turned disastrous for the 5-time MLS Cup winning LA Galaxy.