LA Galaxy Player Ratings vs. San Jose Earthquakes

It’s been a hard week if you’re an LA Galaxy fan. Two losses, and two losses to bitter rivals. Not only that, but both games looked awfully similar, this one going down 3-0 on some inexplicably bad defensive play. They were blowouts, and felt like blowouts.

This team has no confidence, and Greg Vanney has got to instill some. I’m not sure he has it in him, and once again the summer is stretching long and empty. In this game two freaking minutes doomed the Galaxy to a loss.

On offense, Dejan Joveljić is an absolute superstar (who deserves better than this team), but he can’t outweigh a midfield with no defensive presence. I understand Delgado entered health and safety protocols, but starting the trio of Raveloson, Aguirre and Vázquez meant no midfield and the Earthquakes skipped through it. Victor is not a starter, and this game confirmed it. The Galaxy had no defensive midfield presence. Aguirre is learning and was not able to handle the roaming of the two players in front of him.

Throughout the game the Galaxy offense also had the disease of too many touches in the box (looking at you “no right foot” Álvarez), allowing San Jose to get reset every single time.

While the team came out possessed at half time — likely due to the hair dryer treatment and plain old being embarrassed, it wasn’t enough. Note the entire defense in the “poor” category below.

It hurts to watch this team right now, and Vanney should be on the hot seat.

Player Ratings

Excellent

• Dejan Joveljić - squandered a counter in the 10th minute with a poor touch (and good defense to be fair). Didn’t squander his finish to start the second half, great placement into the far right corner. Then found the other corner on his second goal. Individual effort for an absolute golazo. Should be starting from here on out. He’s a marvel. Man of the Match

(Big gulf with no one in “good” and tumbleweeds running through)

Okay

• Rayan Raveloson - the combo of him and Vázquez led to a porous midfield.
• Efraín Álvarez - found Cabral over the top for the Galaxy’s goal. Forced San Jose into a save in the 52nd minute with a well taken shot. Weak shot in the 87th minute on a counter.
• Chase Gasper - shot blocked in the 74th minute.
• Douglas Costa - two curling shots back to back in the 55th-57th minute. Don’t know if he read the commentary on him this past week, but we want more of the guy we saw in the second half.
• Kévin Cabral - great run and assist on LA’s goal. Nearly set up Álvarez in the 52nd minute. Then squandered a sitter in the 59th minute. Nearly set up Álvarez in the 87th minute. Blocked shot on the doorstep in the 92nd minute.
• Samuel Grandsir - forced the keeper into a save in the 23rd minute off a rebound. Baited into a yellow card in the 33rd minute. He’s got to control his temper, and Vanney yanked him at the half.

Poor

• Daniel Aguirre - jogging back on San Jose’s third goal. That’s your job, buddy.
• Víctor Vázquez - defensive liability. The time to start him is over.
• Sacha Kljestan - looked slow and just as done as Vázquez.
• Julian Araujo - gave up a penalty in the 12th minute by getting tangled up. Caught upfield and flatfooted on San Jose’s third goal.
• Raheem Edwards - Slow in the 48th minute to close down, nearly gave up a goal. Pulled at halftime and looked gassed.
• Séga Coulibaly - craptastic backpass led to San Jose’s second goal. Then quit on goal three. Nearly helped a fourth in to end the half. Then had a moment of brilliance to prevent a shot in the 76th minute.
• Derrick Williams - good clearance in the 38th minute. Headed the ball back to Cabral in front of goal for what looked like a sure goal in the 59th minute. Was less defensively liable that the rest, but three goals is three goals.
• Jonathan Bond - adventures in goalkeeping in the 4th minute, inexplicably ventured out of his box and was nearly punished on a long ball. Not a help on any of the opposing goals.

What do you think? Leave a comment below.