CARSON, Calif. – Mika Väyrynen says he's finally 90 minutes fit, or something close to it, and he's eager to make a greater impact as the LA Galaxy reach the midpoint of their MLS campaign.
The 33-year-old Finn, signed following a trial during the club's preseason European trek, has been Juninho's primary partner in central midfield, with eight starts in the first 16 matches and six in the past eight. He knows he needs to do more to justify the faith LA head coach Bruce Arena and his staff have shown.
“It's getting better,” Väyrynen said this week as the Galaxy (5-5-6) prepared for Saturday night's game at Columbus Crew SC (7:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE). “I'm getting my fitness now. I think I can play 90 minutes, now needs to come game-wise: need to get quicker, need to give maybe the decisive pass and not give away the ball.”
Väyrynen, who has played in Holland with PSV Eindhoven and Heerenveen and in England with Leeds United, arrived just before LA's opener in preseason form. He'd been training with HJK Helsinki, his former club, before signing with the Galaxy, and his work to build fitness was slowed by a calf injury in an April 4 loss at the Vancouver Whitecaps that forced him to miss a game and a half.
He hasn't gone a full 90 yet and has played at least 70 minutes just twice.
“I think he can play better for us,” Arena said. “He's getting used to the league, the travel, all those things associated with it for a new player, so there's a period of adjustment. It's still taking him a little time.
“He's been kind of steady. His fitness needs to get a little bit better.”
Väyrynen says he's adjusted fine – the travel is tough, the climate variable, and “it's a more physical league than I'm used to, more strength and running” – but that he needs to extend his best moments and have greater command in matches.
“I can't give the ball away, like I gave last game [a 1-0 home loss last weekend to Vancouver]. I have to be careful with that,” he said. “But I'm getting better or more comfortable on the ball, passing. I just need to be quicker.”
Väyrynen has shared the role next to Juninho with Baggio Husidic, who has also played on the flanks and as a fill-in left back, and wants to be a key contributor once Steven Gerrard arrives next month and, if all goes as anticipated, immediately assumes the job. The Galaxy would like that very much.
“The plus is he's an experienced guy,” associate head coach Dave Sarachan said. “He's unflappable. ... He's highly technical, he's really crafty and clever getting out of tight spots, and he sees the next play pretty well.
“I think as he adapts to Major League Soccer, we would want him to be more assertive in terms of making plays that really count, rather than playing safe and square. Whether it's being more advanced [positionally], maybe it's taking more risks in the final third, and I think that just is going to come with comfort.”
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The Galaxy's injury crisis, which has greatly limited their ability to field a consistent front six, hasn't helped – Väyrynen has played alongside 11 others in attack, plus six different outside backs. But the required comfort level, he says, is here.
“It's a different league, but that's what I expected,” he said. “A lot of travel, a lot of physical battles. And you have a lot of good individual players here technically, but it takes time [to adjust], obviously. I'm getting used to it now. I know what to expect every game.”
