LA Galaxy Player Ratings vs. Houston Dynamo

Coach Greg Vanney rotated the squad in Sunday’s 3-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo in prep for the U.S. Open Cup game against LAFC later this week. At the rate the LA Galaxy are going, fans should be very concerned for that game against their archrival.

7 games, 4 goals. While the recent scorelines and drubbings make it tempting to blame the defense, this anemic trend is on the offense. When the offense can’t score, the Galaxy start to roll the dice. And when the dice are rolled, the defense gets put under pressure. Add to that some up and down goalkeeping, and the Galaxy have won one game in the last five, and lost three…painfully.

LA just can’t figure out how to score. It doesn’t matter who is in the game. Álvarez hasn’t been enough, Vázquez hasn’t looked great at CAM, and Costa has been downright poor. It’s concerning that assists have dried up, and while the Galaxy did generate several decent shots in this game, they didn’t hit the back of the net. Dynamo keeper Steve Clark had a good game.

Thus, the Galaxy were undone by some bad goalkeeping on their end, lackadaisical defense, and a brilliant shot.

Vanney did insert his DP subs at the 60th minute, but the Galaxy at that point resorted to “cross and hope.” Never a good plan for a team that has Chicharito upfront.

Vanney and the Galaxy need summer replacements in a hurry. Namely, an actual central attacking midfielder. If Álvarez has to be given up as trade bait, do it.

This is no playoff team.

Player Ratings

Excellent

• Séga Coulibaly - important headed clearance in the 12th minute right in the middle of the box. Great interception in the 53rd minute prevented a counter. Another won duel in the 55th minute as the last defender. He’s been stellar this year, and hopefully bounces back from an apparent injury. Man of the Match

Good

• Rayan Raveloson - took a beating to start the game, but was influential with his late runs. One of his better games.
• Samuel Grandsir - took a great shot off a corner in the 22nd minute, but the Dynamo keeper had an equally great save. Tested the keeper off a corner in the 32nd minute, but saved.

Okay

• Efraín Álvarez - good curling shot in the 31st minute that Clark saved (that said, everyone knows Efra has zero right foot — we all knew where he was shooting). Very involved…but just short of something falling his way.
• Raheem Edwards - tracked back to prevent a shot in the 2nd minute, and then blocked another seconds later.
• Dejan Joveljić - cheeky backheel to set up Álvarez in the 31st minute. 3 key passes.
• Kevin Leerdam - a fortunate rebound fell to him in the 20th minute, but he hit the goalkeeper with his shot.
• Chase Gasper - late sub when the game was over.

Poor

• Mark Delgado - crummy “defending” in the 54th minute let a Dynamo player through down the right hand side, culminating in a shot that luckily went over the bar. Literally watched Houston’s second goal go in instead of shutting the shot down. Somehow let a shot happen in the 68th minute. This is one to forget for him.
• Jonathan Bond - terrible rebound directly into the path of an oncoming Dynamo player for Houston’s first goal. Should have done much better. Bad distribution set up a shot on goal in the 44th minute. Maybe bad positioning on the second goal, but it was a beaut.
• Nick DePuy - outdueled on a header to end the half - luckily the shot hit the crossbar. Beat with Delgado in the 54th minute. Earned a yellow card on a bad challenge.
• Derrick Williams - beat on Houston’s third goal. Took away the angle for Houston on a shot in the 84th minute.
• Kévin Cabral - His falling over directly led to a steal, and a goal for Houston. Falling over on a shot in the 81st minute. Go to the gym, STOP FALLING OVER.
• Chicharito - nothing of note. That’s a problem for a DP.
• Douglas Costa - nothing of note. Again, a problem for a DP.
• Víctor Vázquez - a big bag of “meh.”

What do you think? Leave a comment below.