2023 MLS Regular Season Record: 8W - 12D - 11L
Key Takeaways from 2023
What I said last winter:
Another squad I didn’t get to writing an analysis on, but I recall being optimistic until all the drama with the front office unfolded
What happened:
The Galaxy were hit with a fine and transfer ban in the 2023 summer transfer window after violating salary budget and roster guidelines during the 2019 season
The supporters groups had enough of the front office management and began a boycott of games. President, at the time, Chris Klein was fired in May after 11 seasons with the club.
Star striker Chicharito injured his ACL in June and would miss the rest of the season.
Other important players like Douglas Costa, Gastón Brugman, and Martín Cáceres missed significant time due to injury.
The club missed playoffs for the fifth time in seven seasons.
Oof.
The Galaxy were the train wreck nobody could look away from this past year, not due to on-field quality but owing to off-pitch drama.
In 2022, MLS announced the Galaxy's violation of salary and roster regulations concerning former player Cristian Pavón. Per MLS,
“The LA Galaxy entered into agreements that were not disclosed that included payments that were not accounted for in the calculation of Cristian Pavón’s salary budget and roster category”
This led to severe consequences for the club: a $1 million fine, loss of general allocation money (GAM), a summer transfer ban for players needing an International Transfer Certificate, and the suspension of club president Chris Klein during the winter transfer window.
And somehow Klein kept his job after all this. In fact, he was given a multi-year contract extension.
This decision puzzled fans, especially considering the Galaxy's poor performance over the previous six seasons. Disgruntled supporters groups initiated a match boycott until Klein either resigned or was fired. The standoff lasted until the end of May, concluding with Klein's dismissal following a dismal 2W - 3D - 9L start to the year.
During that spell, the Galaxy struggled to score, remaining goalless in seven matches and securing just one goal in four. Designated players Douglas Costa and Chicharito missed the initial few games, but their absence didn't justify the team's abysmal form.
LA experimented with various formations, including a 4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, and 4-1-4-1, but most frequently employed the 4-3-3, with Riqui Puig and Gastón Brugman orchestrating the midfield.
Despite their rocky start, the Galaxy managed a decent finish in attack, ranking fourth in assists and eleventh in goals scored. This resurgence was predominantly driven by Puig's exceptional performances during the summer.
Puig, when measured against midfielders league-wide, ranked in the 99th percentile for shot-creating actions, successful take-ons, progressive carries, and attempted passes. Additionally, he matched centre-forward Tyler Boyd for the total goals and assists tally for the club.
The Galaxy finished net-positive in Goals - Expected Goals (xG). Most players finished close to the average trend line or slightly below in their G - xG performance. Boyd was the largest overachiever with seven goals compared to an expected 4.2.
Dejan Joveljić recorded the lowest performance, scoring 6 goals compared to an expected 8.7. Following closely was Chicharito, who scored 1 goal compared to an expected 4.
The Galaxy's possession stats underscore their playing style and the midfield's adeptness at precise ball distribution when in control. Across twenty-eight regular-season matches, they consistently held possession and often dominated it. While they have a lower volume of accurate long balls, without a general pass map, it's tough to ascertain whether they compensate by advancing the ball through shorter passes.
On the flip side, goalkeeping posed a significant challenge for the club. Despite their dominance in possession, the backline conceded the fifth-highest rate of shots on target, and LA’s goalkeeping group registered the third-lowest save percentage in the league.
Even more concerning was their performance in post-shot expected goals, where they finished at the bottom of the league. The primary goalkeeper for most of the season, Jonathan Bond (-4.1), missed seven matches at the beginning and found himself on the bench by the end of the season. His counterparts, Novak Mićović (-2.0) and Jonathan Klinssman (-1.2), didn't fare much better in this aspect.
It might have been evident that I barely mentioned Chicharito and Costa, mainly because their contributions this year were quite forgettable. Chicharito featured in only nine matches before an ACL injury cut his year short. Meanwhile, Costa's impact was sporadic, with three goals— all scored towards the end of the season when playoff hopes were dwindling. Six of Costa’s seven assists came from just four games, three of which were in June.
The Galaxy, unfortunately, missed the playoffs once more, marking the fifth time in seven seasons. As they head into the offseason, they face the task of reconstructing their roster, including replacing multiple designated players. Galaxy fans are likely gearing up for an eventful winter window.
Top Sorare Fantasy Performers
Goalkeeper: Jonathan Bond | L15: 38 | 60+ pts games: 4 | Clean sheets: 4 | Penalties saved: 0
Defender: Calegari | L15: 46 | 60+ pts games: 6 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 2 | Clean sheets: 5
Midfielder: Riqui Puig | L15: 66 | 60+ pts games: 17 | Goals: 8 | Assists: 4
Forward: Tyler Boyd | L15: 55 | 60+ pts games: 11 | Goals: 7 | Assists: 4
Extra: Gastón Brugman | L15: 59 | 60+ pts games: 13 | Goals: 2 | Assists: 1
2024 Outlook
Last Updated 2/3/2024
GIF Rating:
Outgoing Players
Tyler Boyd - Winger - Out of Contract (in talks with club for new deal)
Jonathan Klinsmann - Goalkeeper - Option Declined
Tony Alfaro - Centre-back - Option Declined
Calegari - Right-back - Loan Expired
Kelvin Leerdam - Right-back - Option Declined
Uri Rosell - Defensive Midfielder - Option Declined
Billy Sharp - Centre-forward - Option Declined
Douglas Costa - Winger - Out of Contract (Designated Player)
Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez - Centre-forward - Out of Contract (Designated Player)
Adam Saldaña - Central Midfielder - Out of Contract
Michael Barrios - Winger - Out of Contract
Raheem Edwards - Left-back - Traded to CF Montreal in exchange for $400k General Allocation Money (GAM)
Preston Judd - Centre-forward - Traded to San Jose Earthquakes for up to $250k GAM
Tyler Boyd - Winger - Traded to Nashville for up to $775k GAM
Incoming Players
John Nelson - Left-back - Signed as a free agent
Miguel Berry - Centre-forward - Signed as a free agent after trading second-round draft pick to Atlanta United for player rights
Miki Yamane - Right-back - Transferred from Kawasaki Frontale
Gabriel Pec - Winger - Transferred from Vasco da Gama
Rumor Mill
Ramón Sosa - Winger - CA Talleres : Reported offer made (via Tom Bogert)
Time to Splash Cash (Again)
The Galaxy cleaned house following the end of the season. As of now, thirteen players from the 2023 squad won't be returning, including two designated players.
The positions I think they need to fill are centre-forward and an additional centre-back. On top of that, they’ll need to add depth.
LA have officially added Miki Yamane from Kawasaki Frontale. Yamane is presumably taking the starting right-back role and will lineup next to fellow Japanese national, Yoshida.
They’ve also made a significant investment by transferring winger Gabriel Pec from Vasco de Gama. If they’re able to bring in Ramón Sosa, they’ll have one heck of an attacking front.
Overall, the Galaxy needed a very productive winter window and I’ll argue they’ve done so. Even if they don’t a new centre-forward this window, they should be improved from last season.
Projected Starting Lineup
There are four spots I’m not certain who will start in when the season begins: left-back, centre-forward, centre-back, and goalkeeper.