Where to start? All Galaxy fans from all corners of California and country are super static with the team performance.Especially after the devastatingshow the LA Galaxy had on the MLS comeback tournament in Florida, losing 2 games and tied one game, and coming out of the tournament with only 1 point. They pack their bags for home early like so many other teams after being eliminated from the tournament.
Needless to say the fly home for the Galaxy players was a despondency type of fly. I can only imagine what they were feeling! New beginning, the Galaxy came home to their training grounds with nothing to lose and everything to gain. The team started to practice hard and focus only on their task ahead. They knew the re-start of the season is coming up soon.
Coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto knew the next 6 games of the schedule were going to be brutal. And to top it all off first game was going to be against our mortal rivals LAFC!
At this time, all Galaxy fans were in an outrage and some were very disappointed with the team. I can only say I was part of the disappointed fans. I knew my team was on the rock bottom of the MLS table. At the same time, I can say that on the tournament in my personal opinion we were very unlucky and sometimes I saw a team ready to show the Galaxy fans that we are back. I guess those moments were a preview of what was to come!
The Explosion: LA Galaxy’s winning run
The LA Galaxy took the field on September 6 on a steamy hot day in Los Angeles California. Like every “El Tráfico” derby the anticipated game was going to be a firecracker of a game! The local podcasters were buzzing with comments about this game! In all honesty, the entire fan base gave zero hopes to our Galaxy to win including me. In fact, all the podcast reporters said on the next 6 games the Galaxy wouldn’t get one point, some said 1 point. BOY! We were proved wrong, the Galaxy started the game pressuring the LAFC team, cutting off all the easy passes and pushing them to release the ball, it was a new & dynamic Galaxy team right off the back!
The Galaxy dictated the direction of the game. I’m not sure if the LAFC players knew this Galaxy team.This Galaxy was not like the team that they faced off back on the MLS is Back tournament, where the Galaxy lost 6-2 a very embarrassing lost! We all thought that was the lowest point of the current team. But, on this game the Galaxy were to prove all that this is a team with history on their back and prestige. We are 5 time MLS champions!
The Galaxy beat the LAFC 2-0 with goals from Sebastian Lletget and Ethan Zubak, a rookie from the Galaxy 2. He had his first start on the first team for the Galaxy replacing our DP Javier Hernández. All Galaxy fans were shocked and static from this win. LAFC players look too confident at the beginning but soon they were tire and at the end exhausted from the blister heat.
After this game our beloved Galaxy has been in a tear! Hosting San Jose Earthquakes at home beat them 3-2 however the score doesn’t really doesn’t show the dominant play that the Galaxy players play with. Even though the Galaxy was behind 2 goals to 1, they were able to pull 2 more goals out of the hat and beat the Quakes. The next game the Galaxy traveled to Timbers’ stadium to face a team full of stars and champions of the MLS is Back tournament. This game was a hard fought game. However, the Galaxy dug deep to pull this win vs a strong Timbers team. We almost gave it away on the last 10 minutes, again losing focus on the defending size and inner communication on our back line. But, at the end we were able to pull the win and another 3 points.
Next stop at home to play yet again our inner city mortal rivals! This time, we knew the LAFC team was going to be prepared and play us with no fear. Game started, first half, I won’t lie it was all LAFC at first and they kept the ball and attack our back redundantly without fear. The Galaxy only had one shot at goal compare to the LAFC 14 shots at goal. Let’s just say Bingham, our goalkeeper, had an amazing first half vs LAFC attack.
On the second half the Galaxy regrouped and came out the locker room with all cylinders firing. The Galaxy attack woke up and with the help of the LAFC keeper mistake, Pavón was able to beat the keeper with a “Sombrerito shot” and score on the far size of the LAFC goal. After that it was all Galaxy! There was a red card given to Mark-Anthony Kaye for a reckless slide tackle into Julian Araujo. Luckily, Araujo was able to lift his leg just enough to avoid a broken leg. The Galaxy score to more goals by Sebastian Lletget. He was named player of the match and player of the week by the MLS. The next game finished in a scoreless draw vs. San Jose Earthquakes.It was not a victory, that’s true, but still the unbeaten run continues.
The Galaxy resurgence has proven us all wrong undefeated on the last 5 games. On my personal opinion the Galaxy has come out with an incredible plan directed by the coach Barros Schelotto. One thing that I have noticed is that every Galaxy player that is on the pitch has taken a personal responsibility to do better and push themselves for our fans. The best thing about our back line, we are not making those small mistakes now that cost us 1-2 goals and lose the game. Feltscher, Steres, DePuy and Insua. These four defenders have come together and literally back each other’s back, switching automatically and covering the wholes on the defense.
However, the only weak link on this defense is our right back Feltscher. We are all screaming for Araujo to replace him on the starting line, hopefully it will happen soon. Some of the changes in personnel that coach GBS has done have paid off in a big way. We can’t forget that Pavón and Lletget attacking power have made this Galaxy a fear team up front. Both players are working on a MVP year! But wait, there is more: the combination of Kitchen and Corona on the defensive midfield has been incredible. I can almost say they remind me of the days of Juninho and Marcelo Sarvas!
The Galaxy are doing all this without the starting position of Jonathan Dos Santos and Javier Hernández, the brand new DP player for the Galaxy. However, Jonathan Dos Santos has been an incredible spark off the bench lately and providing the Galaxy with more fire power on the second half of the game.All I can say as a Galaxy fan, I can’t wait for the next game! The happy days are back!
