Lewis's debut was postponed a week when he took a vicious hit in the U.S. World Cup qualifier against Guatemala last Wednesday that required stitches above his right eye. All tests have come back OK, and Lewis is ready to begin his LA career.
"It's a bit tender, but it could have been worse," said Lewis. "I got the stitches out Wednesday. I've been scanned and I've trained and all the rest. Like I said, it's still a bit tender, but I should be fine."
Lewis joins the Galaxy at a time when the club is reeling. While his ability to provide service from the left flank will immediately take pressure off of David Beckham on the opposite side of the field, it's the other aspects to Lewis' game that could prove to be more important.
"Adding Eddie is going to help a lot," said Landon Donovan. "His service is good. He's a good professional. He shows up every day and trains hard; he's a good finisher, he works hard. He's everything you want in a player. He's an ideal left-sided player and now we finally have one."
It would almost seem unrealistic to expect Lewis to be able to have an immediate impact. He is still getting to know his new teammates and is trying to settle into the southern California lifestyle. The Galaxy themselves are in a state of transition right now as well, though Lewis already has a familiarity with new head coach Bruce Arena from their days with the U.S. national team.
"In some ways I think I feel like I'm trying to settle in with a lot of the guys and see how they play. At the same time, the team is going through the same process," said Lewis. "Bruce is moving things around and changing not only the way we play but the shape of the team.
"It's probably a little bit tricky, but at the same time, the focus for me is to really try and take on what Bruce is asking and start to get to know some of the movements of the strikers and midfielders and build a relationship with the left back."
Lewis is likely to be the only new signing under Arena this season. He'll certainly be the biggest name to land in Los Angeles before season's end. That can be a lot of pressure, considering the Galaxy are looking for a dramatic turnaround and a return to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. Still, Arena thinks he has the man that can help get his team into the postseason.
"He's an experienced player. (He's) a player that knows how to play on the left side of the field, which is sometimes a rare commodity. (He's) a player that knows how to play on both sides of the ball," said Arena. "I think he's a real good addition to the team."
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