Year after year it seems to be the same story for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Start the season off slow and then out of nowhere make a run in the middle of the summer to sneak into the playoffs. Is this what is happening in 2015 or was losing Landon Donovan too much for the Galaxy? The Seattle Sounders will be facing off against their arch enemy this Sunday night. The Sounders are looking to send them to their third straight defeat.

It has been almost a full six months since the last time these two squared off against each other. Fans in Seattle remember the scene all too well. Being up 2-0 in the second half and less than 40 minutes from hosting their first even MLS Cup final. Than disaster struck, rather Juninho struck. His shot through traffic found enough of the post for it to ricochet into the net to give Los Angeles the all-important away goal advantage. The match ended 2-2 on aggregate and the Galaxy advance to yet another MLS Cup final.

The Sounders aren't that much different from the team that played last November. Los Angeles on the other hand is different. No more Donovan or Marcelo Sarvas. The team also hasn't been playing very well as of late. Actually, they are winless in their last four and currently sit at 1-2-2 on the season, losing their last two. 

The Sounders started the season off red hot with a 3-0 thrashing of the New England Revolution. Then they were embarrassed by a 10-man San Jose Earthquakes team 3-2 on their home field. The Sounders then went to Dallas without five starters and somehow managed a 0-0 draw. The Sounders came home this past weekend and won 1-0 despite being down a man for the last 35 minutes of the match.

The injury report for the Galaxy has three players listed as questionable; midfielders Kenney Walker and Jose Villarreal as well as defender Leonardo. The Sounders on the other hand just have defender Leonardo Gonzalez listed on the report. The Sounders will be without the services of Gonzalo Pineda who picked up a red card in the last match against Houston. 

As mentioned before, the Galaxy seem to be off and not themselves. Will Seattle come out and attack and look to exploit a seemingly weakened Galaxy team or will they sit back and play defense like 90 percent of the time when they play in Carson? Time will only tell. 

Both teams have a lot of firepower as well as stellar goalkeepers. Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey are the only two players that have scored for the Sounders this year. This has to change and change now. Stefan Frei is currently tied for first in the league with three clean sheets. Robbie Keane seems to be a Sounders killer and the midfield and back four will need to do all they can to keep him off the score sheet.

One will have to give in this matchup. This writer wants to slowly lean towards the Sounders going into Carson and walking away with three points, but you can never tell what is going to happen with a Bruce Arena coached team. 

According to mlssoccer.com, these two teams are the best in Major League Soccer since the Sounders entered the league in 2009.

As you can see, Los Angeles holds the advantage in every category but Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup wins and designated player signings. The tide in the battle starts to shift this Sunday in Carson, CA in front of a nationally televised audience.