LA Galaxy vs. Sounders Player Ratings

Is this how other MLS clubs feel? Getting into the playoffs is something LA Galaxy fans have come to expect. But after repeated losses to Western Conference rivals, and the only wins coming against teams a man down, the Galaxy have started the 2017 MLS season looking inept, out of ideas, and like their mojo has left the Stub Hub Center along with Bruce Arena.

I asked a few weeks ago if it was time to hit the panic button. If not the panic button, it might be the eject button for Curt Onalfo. Let’s be honest. The Galaxy don’t look good. As Kyle wrote here: http://www.lagconfidential.com/2017/4/23/15402344/what-went-wrong-in-the-galaxy-loss, there are many reasons the Galaxy don’t look good right now, and tactical ineptitude is one of them, which starts with the coach. Curt’s seat is hot, and it should be as the playoffs are starting to look like something the Galaxy will miss, if not outright land in the bottom of the Western conference. Minnesota’s PPG is better than LA’s right now. An expansion team playing in it’s first year. That’s sobering.

From a player ratings perspective, everyone was poor yesterday against the Sounders, not a good rating among the bunch. The main culprits:

• Nathan Smith: The Seattle attack ran roughshod down his side, with Morris especially running rings around Smith. While Smith has potential going forward, he still looks out of depth against better teams when he is defending, and Seattle exploited that. It looked like this was their tactical plan, and LA could not adjust. It doesn’t help that Alessandrini doesn’t have the a great defensive workrate either, often leaving Smith out to dry when Nate goes forward.
• Joao Pedro: Easily the worst player on the pitch. He has yet to look good, and it’s unbelievable that he continues to get a full 90 minutes with Baggio Husidic on the bench. He doesn’t pair well with Jones, he still hasn’t figured out the Galaxy’s patterns, and teams play through him. He had three defensive actions in the defensive third. THREE. He’s looking like a very big bust.
• Giovani Dos Santos: He’s frustrated and moving deeper and deeper to retrieve the ball. But he’s looking more and more like a striker that’s not finding the game, rather than a creative force that’s trying to make something happen and leads by example.
• Backline: Undone over and over again, it was disheartening to watch Smith get turned like a top, Van Damme inexplicably roll forward out of frustration with the offense (if he’s going to play in the midfield maybe we should just move him there), Cole get pinned back, and Steres get left on an island. It leaks goals, and apparently right now with abundance.
• Onalfo’s tactical decisions: Why on earth was Boateng removed when you had other players that were far worse? Why is he always the first player removed? I don’t blame him for snubbing Onalfo’s handshake. The left side wasn’t a problem, so much so that I barely remembered Cole was playing in the first 30 minutes until the unfortunate own goal. In light of that, why remove your speed threat? After Husidic was inserted the game was over. The Galaxy had no clue on offense, and were even more disjointed. Also, when your answer to losing is to repeatedly insert Dave Romney, something has gone horribly wrong.

The Galaxy hate losing to Seattle. I hate watching them lose to Seattle. The team isn’t pretty right now folks. It’s starting to look like heads may roll.