Bring Back the Soul of the LA Galaxy

The LA Galaxy have controlled the pace of the game by possessing the ball for the majority of their games. The team builds up from the back and takes shots on goal. The defense has developed under Jalen Neal’s leadership, and they are playing better in every game than in their last. 

Even with their improvements, after five games, they have yet to secure a victory and have only found the back of the net three times. 

I guess home field advantage does matter. 

The team plays with a controlled vision guided by their brainy players, but their soul is evidently missing. In four out of five games, the LA Galaxy has led the game in possession, shots on target and passing accuracy. With stats like these, the team should be leading the league. Instead, they find themselves in 12th place with three ties and two losses. 

Before the season started, the team’s supporters joined forces and decided to boycott the season until the front office distanced themselves from the team’s president. Instead, the front office called their bluff and found themselves playing home games without the unconditional love from their supporters. 

Players thrive on the intensity created by the environment curated by the supporters. Whether it’s setting the tone of a game with a tifo that produces intimidation, encouraging chants that elevate the game for players, or the ‘woos’ and the ‘ahs’ emanating from the stands whenever fans are excited–the soul of a game means so much to a team.

What If Preston Judd…?

Imagine a home game where Riqui Puig’s magic touch sets up a play in the box against LAFC. Preston Judd comes close to scoring his first goal of the season. A fan from the Victoria Block yells, “CHIVAS USA CALLED, THEY WANT THEIR TEAM BACK,” with so much emotion that it creates a daunting atmosphere for the opposing defense. 

Judd scores and celebrates with the supporters. 

Instead, Preston Judd is starting his career in the league with silence echoing from the stands. His impressive start to his career is missing the kind of energy that players typically feed off of from the stadium.  

What If Jalen Neil…?

Judd isn’t the only one starting their professional career with a lack of support underscoring their games. Jalen Neil has been outstanding in the backline. Instead of being showered with appreciation by the supporters, their praise is often shouted into the Twitter void. 

The LA Galaxy has two of the best midfielders in the game. Riqui Puig and Gaston Brugman have used their soccer intelligence to put the ball in front of anyone regardless of their field position. Their vision has created numerous opportunities for the offense to score. 

Instead, the players keep passing the ball to each other like little kids playing hot potato, as they miss the chants and cheers that usually come from Victoria Block.

Negotiate With The Demands

A month into the season, the front office needs to address this problem before it gets out of hand. The LA Galaxy hasn’t won a game and it will be extremely difficult for them to win without their supporters. 

While Chris Klein, the LA Galaxy’s president, has generated significant revenue, the team’s fans have been left with Zlatan highlights from a few seasons ago to reminisce on the successful seasons. Meanwhile, their city rivals are thriving.

The front office needs to negotiate with the demands of the supporters before the season gets out of hand. Without the soul of the game, the team will continue to plummet towards the bottom of the stands in style.