LA Galaxy vs. RSL Player Ratings

It’s all starting to pile up. Worst home record in the league, worst scoring opportunities at home in the league, worst defeat at home, and some downright dumb personnel decisions (why did we trade AJ again?). It’s not a good time to be a LA Galaxy fan, and tonight LA got a spanking from the worst team in MLS.

Let me repeat: the worst team in MLS beat the LA Galaxy 6-2. At home.

Player ratings at this point don’t matter. The front office has a decision to make about Curt Onalfo’s longevity. In the meantime, there are players that aren’t making the cut: Nate Smith hasn’t had a good game at RB, Clement Diop looks shaky at best, Jaime Villarreal looks lost at sea; basically overall, the kids are looking like kids.

However, playing youth from Los Dos isn’t the issue. It’s that Onalfo has many of them on the pitch at once. Part of this is due to injury, but another chunk is due to front office decisions and Onalfo’s familiarity with his old team. An opposing team finally exposed those choices tonight, causing the Galaxy to fold like a house of cards.

The only player that had a remotely good game against RSL was Jose Villarreal for creating some chances. The LA front office has work to do, and they better do it fast. LA’s season is circling the drain.

Oh, and did I mention the Galaxy are playing their dreaded rivals from up North next week in the US Open Cup quarterfinals? Who’s looking forward to that?

Player Ratings:

Okay

• Jose Villarreal - solid ball off a freekick that Cole should have done better with. Huge defensive effort repeatedly helping Smith out, standing almost next to him on the right hand side. Nice chip to Cole for a goal even though Cole was offside. Headed down pass to Alessandrini who should have put the ball on target in the beginning of the second half.

Poor

• Clement Diop - nice reaction save to turn the ball onto the crossbar after his defense was beat. Hung out to dry by his defense, and still has huge issues making himself big against opposing forwards. However, this one wasn’t his fault...mostly.
• Ashley Cole - scored a nice (offside, thanks AR!) goal from a lovely Jose chip. Was culpable in also not closing players down.
• Dave Romney - part of a backline that was adrift with no positioning. Headless chicken trying to protect against Smith going awol and Diallo not knowing how to be a CB. I fear he has PTSD.

Awful (the new category returns!)

• Nathan Smith - culpable on many of the goals: losing his man for a header, not closing players down, drifting centrally, and often behind the play. He hasn’t had a good game in weeks, and frankly shouldn’t be part of the 18. He’s been plain bad.
• Bradley Diallo - stripped of the ball, spun like a top, and too high on defense. He’s not a CB folks, and thanks to Jelle Van Damme’s dumb red against San Jose, he had to play there.
• Joao Pedro - not enough pressure and hustle on defense. He was literally bypassed by RSL who played over the middle and beat the entire LA defense. No effort to hustle back to protect Jaime.
• Jaime Villarreal - Stranded and overrun. Couldn’t match the physicality of RSL.
• Bradford Jamieson IV - at the half he had 8 touches, three of them unsuccessful. That’s pretty darn miserable for a midfielder, and aimless was the operative word. Had a concession goal at the end, but anyone who told me Gyasi Zardes should be benched? Enjoy.
• Emmanuel Boateng - great shot over Rimando in 16th minute that was cleared off the line by RSL’s defense. However, also had only 9 touches in the first half. Not enough possession and his passing game didn’t look good tonight.
• Jack McInerney - He played? Not enough touches on the ball.

Not going to rate the subs because the game was over by the time the majority walked on the pitch. Romain should have done better with a layoff from Jose Villarreal, but the game eroded quickly.

The team is at a major crossroads. What do you think happens from here?