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LA Galaxy are the great MLS entertainers in 2024

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This season marks ten years since LA Galaxy won their last MLS Cup title. During that 2014 Major League Soccer campaign, they were the league’s top scorers with 69 goals, Robbie Keane led the team’s scoring charts with 19, and Landon Donovan contributed 14 assists (or 19 if you go by the league’s definition).

By James Nalton

The mere mention of the names Keane and Donovan will conjure up memories of a heady time for Galaxy fans and general MLS observers. The pair were ably supported by 22-year-old Gyasi Zardes who scored 14 goals in his second season at the club, while Omar Gonzalez made the 2014 MLS Best XI in defence.

Since that season, the Galaxy have not lived up to their astronomical billing. They haven’t managed as many goals in a campaign since then, and their defence has mostly leaked. The start they have had to 2024 suggests at least one of these problems might be solved, and that there might be a new crop of attacking players to celebrate.

They go into Matchday 11’s early game this weekend, against Austin FC, as one of the most exciting teams to watch in MLS, and plenty of eyes will be on them for this standalone game on Saturday afternoon.

Defence remains a problem for the Galaxy, but the performances of Joseph Paintsil, Dejan Joveljić, and Riqui Puig when the team have the ball have created optimism that they can win any game.

There are parallels between LA Galaxy and Inter Miami this season. Both have impressive attacks, albeit assembled in different ways, but at the same time, both have defences that are among the worst in the league. You are guaranteed goals when watching these teams.

In eight of the nine MLS games involving LA Galaxy in 2024, both teams have scored at least one goal. The one exception was the sole clean sheet the Galaxy have kept so far — a 1-0 win at home to Seattle Sounders at the end of last month.

This lack of defensive solidity could prove to be a problem as the season progresses. No team has conceded more expected goals (xG) so far this season than the Galaxy, on 17 (the same as Saturday’s opponent Austin FC). They have conceded 15 goals in total. Only San Jose Earthquakes, Portland Timbers, and Sporting KC have conceded more in the Western Conference.

But for the moment, this is making for entertaining matches and almost forcing the attacking players to perform. The Galaxy edge Inter Miami’s 2.2 goals scored per game with 2.3, and are just one behind Miami when it comes to total goals scored with 21.

Joveljić is on six goals for the season so far, just two behind top scorer Cristian Arango of Real Salt Lake, but the real entertainment in this team comes not from one player, but from the combinations they boast in attack.

Joveljić, the goal-getter, is part of it, looking to be on the end of moves and finish chances. He is second in the league for individual xG on 6.8, just behind Denis Bouanga (6.9), but 13th in the LA Galaxy team for total touches.

The 24-year-old Serbian is third in the league for big chances missed — a stat which isn’t always as negative as it sounds. All the best strikers miss numerous big chances, as all the best strikers get in the position to miss them in the first place. His xG on target of 7.8 is the highest in MLS, one higher than his xG, which shows that, on the whole, his finishing ability adds to the likelyhood the shot will go in.

Elsewhere, the minutiae and the creative on-ball work is carried out overwhelmingly by Spanish midfielder Riqui Puig. He’s been ideal for the possession football practised by head coach Greg Vanney and is in turn a reason it exists so obviously. He has more accurate passes per 90 minutes than any other player in the league with 78.9 (another Galaxy player, Gaston Brugman, is in second place for this stat with 77.8).

A trio of attacking threats is completed by Paintsil. He is the player that will have opposition defences quaking in their boots this season thanks to his dynamism, trickery, and sheer speed once behind a defensive line.

His movement creates a go-between for the passing of Riqui Puig and the centre-forward play of Joveljić. On top of this, Paintsil will get plenty of goals of his own and adds creativity of a different type thanks to his direct wing-forward play.

Riqui Puig and Paintsil are two of the best players in the league to watch, in different ways, and complement each other perfectly. Add Joveljić picking up the pieces in front of goal, and a supporting cast including Mark Delgado, Julián Aude, Maya Yoshida, and Gabriel Pec among others, and this Galaxy team could be the best Carson has seen for ten years…IF they sort their defence.

For our entertainment, maybe leave that until after the game this Saturday.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from MLS live with FotMob. Download the free app here.

LA Galaxy are the great MLS entertainers in 2024

This season marks ten years since LA Galaxy won their last MLS Cup title. During that 2014 Major League Soccer campaign, they were the league’s top scorers with 69 goals, Robbie Keane led the team’s scoring charts with 19, and Landon Donovan contributed 14 assists (or 19 if you go by the league’s definition).

By James Nalton

The mere mention of the names Keane and Donovan will conjure up memories of a heady time for Galaxy fans and general MLS observers. The pair were ably supported by 22-year-old Gyasi Zardes who scored 14 goals in his second season at the club, while Omar Gonzalez made the 2014 MLS Best XI in defence.

Since that season, the Galaxy have not lived up to their astronomical billing. They haven’t managed as many goals in a campaign since then, and their defence has mostly leaked. The start they have had to 2024 suggests at least one of these problems might be solved, and that there might be a new crop of attacking players to celebrate.

They go into Matchday 11’s early game this weekend, against Austin FC, as one of the most exciting teams to watch in MLS, and plenty of eyes will be on them for this standalone game on Saturday afternoon.

Defence remains a problem for the Galaxy, but the performances of Joseph Paintsil, Dejan Joveljić, and Riqui Puig when the team have the ball have created optimism that they can win any game.

There are parallels between LA Galaxy and Inter Miami this season. Both have impressive attacks, albeit assembled in different ways, but at the same time, both have defences that are among the worst in the league. You are guaranteed goals when watching these teams.

In eight of the nine MLS games involving LA Galaxy in 2024, both teams have scored at least one goal. The one exception was the sole clean sheet the Galaxy have kept so far — a 1-0 win at home to Seattle Sounders at the end of last month.

This lack of defensive solidity could prove to be a problem as the season progresses. No team has conceded more expected goals (xG) so far this season than the Galaxy, on 17 (the same as Saturday’s opponent Austin FC). They have conceded 15 goals in total. Only San Jose Earthquakes, Portland Timbers, and Sporting KC have conceded more in the Western Conference.

But for the moment, this is making for entertaining matches and almost forcing the attacking players to perform. The Galaxy edge Inter Miami’s 2.2 goals scored per game with 2.3, and are just one behind Miami when it comes to total goals scored with 21.

Joveljić is on six goals for the season so far, just two behind top scorer Cristian Arango of Real Salt Lake, but the real entertainment in this team comes not from one player, but from the combinations they boast in attack.

Joveljić, the goal-getter, is part of it, looking to be on the end of moves and finish chances. He is second in the league for individual xG on 6.8, just behind Denis Bouanga (6.9), but 13th in the LA Galaxy team for total touches.

The 24-year-old Serbian is third in the league for big chances missed — a stat which isn’t always as negative as it sounds. All the best strikers miss numerous big chances, as all the best strikers get in the position to miss them in the first place. His xG on target of 7.8 is the highest in MLS, one higher than his xG, which shows that, on the whole, his finishing ability adds to the likelyhood the shot will go in.

Elsewhere, the minutiae and the creative on-ball work is carried out overwhelmingly by Spanish midfielder Riqui Puig. He’s been ideal for the possession football practised by head coach Greg Vanney and is in turn a reason it exists so obviously. He has more accurate passes per 90 minutes than any other player in the league with 78.9 (another Galaxy player, Gaston Brugman, is in second place for this stat with 77.8).

A trio of attacking threats is completed by Paintsil. He is the player that will have opposition defences quaking in their boots this season thanks to his dynamism, trickery, and sheer speed once behind a defensive line.

His movement creates a go-between for the passing of Riqui Puig and the centre-forward play of Joveljić. On top of this, Paintsil will get plenty of goals of his own and adds creativity of a different type thanks to his direct wing-forward play.

Riqui Puig and Paintsil are two of the best players in the league to watch, in different ways, and complement each other perfectly. Add Joveljić picking up the pieces in front of goal, and a supporting cast including Mark Delgado, Julián Aude, Maya Yoshida, and Gabriel Pec among others, and this Galaxy team could be the best Carson has seen for ten years…IF they sort their defence.

For our entertainment, maybe leave that until after the game this Saturday.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from MLS live with FotMob. Download the free app here.