Football Season Guide

The most famous and successful club in MLS history endured one of their worst ever seasons in 2023. There were problems before a ball was kicked with prominent supporters' groups boycotting home games in protest of club president Chris Klein, who would eventually be dismissed in late May. Head coach Greg Vanney managed to survive the whole season and will start the next one, despite a woeful campaign which saw the Galaxy finish second from bottom in the Western Conference. There were mitigating circumstances, the main one being some truly horrendous luck with injuries. Several key players including captain and main goal-getter Javier Hernandez had their seasons ended abruptly. It turned out to be the end for "Chicharito" in LA altogether as his contract expired and wasn't renewed. The club have yet to bring in a striker to replace him in the transfer market and appear to be pinning their hopes on Dejan Joveljic being able to shed his unwanted reputation as a "Super Sub". Billy Sharp came in towards the end of last season and showed the importance of a real finisher with 6 goals in just 8 starts, before eventually going back to England. The midfield is the Galaxy's strong point, with Riqui Puig expected to add some leadership qualities to his already undoubted technical ability. Gaston Brugman and Marky Delgado provide good protection for the star man in the middle. The defence last year was disastrous and conceded more goals than any team in the entire MLS Regular Season. Maya Yoshida added some much-needed experience to the backline midway through last season and Japanese compatriot Miki Yamane is a recent acquisition. The Galaxy have lost a lot of high profile players including Hernandez, Sharp, Douglas Costa and Tyler Boyd. The replacements aren't as well known but there is excitement about young Brazilian winger Gabriel Pec.