Galaxy looking to turn page on `weird' season
CARSON » Galaxy midfielder Mark Delgado took his time to describe the 2023 season.
In the end, he summed it up probably as best as any one with the Galaxy could.
“It was very weird, very strange ...” he said from Monday's end-of-the year media availability. “I'm glad it's over.”
It was a roller-coaster for the Galaxy starting with a supporters boycott, a transfer window ban and a long list of season-ending injuries. Javier “Chicharito” Hernadez (torn ACL), Martin Caceres (left knee avulsion fracture), Gaston Brugman (torn meniscus), Lucas Calegari (torn ACL) all had their seasons cut short due to injuries and later Jalen Neal (sports hernia surgery) was lost for the season, as was Delgado (concussion).
It all ended up to another season missing the playoffs and a team that tied the club record in goals allowed (67).
“It was embarrassing,” Galaxy defender Maya Yoshida said. “We need to come back, full of energy, ready to fight for the season.”
Yoshida joined the Galaxy in August as the club, trying to overcome a summer transfer ban, tried to add pieces that could help the team make a playoff run.
In some ways, the moves worked, but down the stretch, the Galaxy wilted, allowing at least two goals in their last nine games, eventually leading to being eliminated from playoff contention with two games remaining.
“It was one of those years where it was bracketed into different types of seasons throughout one season,” defender Eriq Zavaleta said. “With the tough start, you put yourself behind the 8-ball right away, it's pretty difficult to have success in this league.
“We had one of the better runs for a span of 10-15 games and even that wasn't enough to close the gap. We had a whole lot of different players play in different positions, different partnerships, which is difficult to overcome in a season. We found some good stretches, but obviously it wasn't good enough in the end.”
The Galaxy went 1-6-3 in their first 10 games. The turnaround came late, starting after the Leagues Cup break, but the club never escaped 13th place in the Western Conference.
“To not make the playoffs is embarrassing,” defender Raheem Edwards said. “It's a feeling that you don't like. You look back at key moments of the season and obviously, you like to have some things back, but it's the nature of this sport and you use it as fuel for the next year.”
The Galaxy, who will enter next year 10 years past their last MLS Cup championship, has missed the playoffs in five of the last seven seasons. Two of the last three misses have come under Greg Vanney.
“We had a hard time getting early results and that builds stress,” Vanney said. “The quality wasn't there for us a group. All of us. We had ebbs and flows of the season and we were never able to have that consistency that you need to have. We never really got onto the right side of this season, ever.”
The roster rebuild, doesn't figure to be extensive, but it could be. Vanney said the club would like to sign Tyler Boyd (seven goals, four assists) to a new contract. Boyd, one of the bright spots, joined the Galaxy in the off-season and played in every game (34).
“He showed up late into preseason and once he got fit and got himself integrated into the group, you saw he was different because he was dynamic,” Vanney said of Boyd. “We would like to keep him. I know he wants to be in L.A., we want him here, so I hoped there's a deal there to be done.”
The Galaxy expect to have two Designated Player spots open. One became clear Monday afternoon as Douglas Costa announced he was leaving after two seasons.
“Today another chapter of my career closes,” Costa said in an Instagram post. “The Galaxy and I reached an agreement to no longer be together.”
Earlier in the day, Costa said that he hadn't had any discussions with the club about possibly returning. His contract expires Dec. 31. If there is another open DP spot, it will come after the club decides what to do with Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez. Hernandez played in just nine games this season after suffering an ACL injury. He was the fourthhighest player in the league ($6 million base salary).
“When we talk about our DP's, we have to know that our DP's are going to be on the field and available as much as possible,” Vanney said. “There are levels of qualities of players in the world, but even the highest of highest player, if they're not on the field, they can't help you, that's the evaluation that's going on.”
Vanney is headed into his fourth season as coach. He also took on Sporting Director role this season. Next season is the final one on his current contract, adding to the importance of this offseason for the Galaxy.
“We have to get some things right and we have to get healthy,” Vanney said. “We have to get off to a solid start and then keep improving through the course of the season.”