2008 MLS Season Review: L.A. Galaxy

Recap

Oh my, how far the Galaxy has fallen! They finished tied for the least amount of points in the league, with expansion San Jose, despite a prolific offense. They didn’t just look bad, they imploded. They finally got rid of Alexi Lalas though, and brought in Bruce Arena to steer the ship. It was too little, too late. They get an F from me in 2008.

Offense

Well, I guess you could say offense was the one area where the Gals really flourished this year. They led the league in goals with a whopping 55, five more than nearest competitor—Columbus. The problem was that they scored them in bunches and not consistently in close games. I will begrudgingly give them a B+ for O in ’08.  

Defense

The Galaxy’s defense wasn’t just the worst, it wasn’t even in the same universe (astronomy pun!). They ceded more than two goals per game (62 in 30 matches) and finished dead last by 11 goals. They were beyond bad; their play actually induced vomiting. I give them an F- with a zero score. They deserve it.

Needs

Well, almost everything really, especially if they were to lose Landon Donovan. They need a keeper who can give up less than two goals per game and a D that can help the keeper from having to save 12 shots a game. Most of all, they need leadership. If Beckham and Donovan can’t step up, they will need to tuck their tails and run.