LA Galaxy
Author: Franco Panizo | Cover illustration by Duane Tomaszewski
It is the dawn of a new era for the LA Galaxy. Long-time head coach Bruce Arena has moved on after nine seasons to lead the US national team once again, and now it is Curt Onalfo's turn to lead the Galaxy charge. The change in leadership might mark a major shift for LA, but the lofty expectations that the club has built its reputation on remain. With a roster full of quality, the Galaxy will be seeking to add a sixth MLS Cup to their well-adorned trophy cabinet.
Key Offseason Transactions
| KEY PLAYERS IN: | KEY PLAYERS OUT: |
|---|---|
| Jermaine Jones (M) Romain Alessandrini (M) Joao Pedro (M) All transactions | Robbie Keane (F) Steven Gerrard (M) AJ DeLaGarza (D) Mike Magee (F) |
Player to watch: Giovani dos Santos
A big talking point that came up during the 2016 season was how much better Giovani dos Santos fared when was not playing alongside Robbie Keane at the tip of the Galaxy attack. Even so, the Mexican international totaled 14 goals and 12 assists last year and those numbers could very well increase with more attacking responsibility now on his shoulders.
How they'll play
HEAD COACH - CURT ONALFO
The Galaxy might have a new head coach, but should not differ all that drastically in their approach. Expect the club to be proactive and aggressive in terms of its style of play, with Giovani dos Santos doing the heavy lifting in the attack while the aggressive and stout Jelle Van Damme leads the familiar back four.
Projected Starting XI
4-2-3-1, right to left: Brian Rowe (GK) — Rafael Garcia (D), Daniel Steres (D), Jelle Van Damme (D), Ashley Cole (D) — Joao Pedro (M), Jermaine Jones (M) — Romain Alessandrini (M), Giovani dos Santos (M), Sebastian Lletget (M) – Gyasi Zardes (F)
Projected Finish
3rd in Western Conference. The LA Galaxy might not have Bruce Arena manning the sidelines anymore, but they remain one of the more loaded teams in the league. With Giovani dos Santos and Gyasi Zardes spearheading the attack and Jermaine Jones and Jelle Van Damme doing plenty of the dirty work in behind, the Galaxy should once again be among the best in the west so long as Curt Onalfo proves that he is up to the task of leading the team.
