Graphic made using Canva.

The LA Galaxy, Major League Soccer’s (MLS) top club, added an unprecedented sixth MLS Cup to their trophy case in 2024.

In 2024, new General Manager Will Kuntz added two Designated Players (DPs) in Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec to the roster, as well as adding German soccer legend Marco Reus on a TAM (Targeted Allocation Money) deal midseason.

The team scored 69 goals across all MLS regular season play and a record 18 playoff goals from the start of the MLS Cup playoffs all the way up to the championship game.

So where do they go from here? I don’t think many believed near the bottom of the Western Conference and winless through nine MLS regular season games.

The Galaxy winning MLS Cup was as exciting as it felt early.

Pec at the time of signing was 22, Paintsil 25.

The rest of the roster included standout enigma midfielder DP Riqui Puig (25), the midseason addition of speedy center-back Emiro Garces (23) and the rest of the calm, shifty midfield that consisted of Mark Delgado, Edwin Cerrillo and MLS Cup MVP Gaston Brugman. Homegrown striker Dejan Joveljic also had 20+ goals across all competitions.

This is where the Galaxy ran into issues within the league’s salary cap restrictions following the MLS Cup win.

Delgado and Brugman were moved to give the Galaxy wiggle room with the cap, as well as not being able to give Delgado in particular the extension or pay raise he wanted (and deserved).

Captain center-back Maya Yoshida was also re-signed to a multi-year deal on a pay cut.

Joveljic, who stated multiple times he wanted to become a legend with MLS’ top club, wanted more than the league minimum TAM deal that he was making with the Galaxy.

Kuntz mentioned on the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast that he wasn’t going to let Joveljic walk away from life changing money that he was offered when the Galaxy traded him to Sporting Kansas City.

“What are we supposed to say like, ‘Hey Dejan you have to stay on the senior maximum salary?’,” Kuntz said. “You want to balance doing what’s best for the club, but being respectful to the player, and you never want to hold a player back from something he deserved.”

Kuntz opted to go young and safe. The Galaxy added Lucas Sanabria (21), USL standout Elijah Wynder (22), Matheus Nascimento (21), veteran center-back Zanka and MLS veteran striker Christian Ramirez.

The moves were definitely seen as high upside because of the youth of the midfielders, Nascimento being brought in to to learn under Ramirez at the #9, as well as a veteran center-back in Zanka for depth.

But injuries throughout the Galaxy’s roster, as well as a long schedule at start to the year because of additional CONCACAF Champions Cup games, has hindered the Galaxy’s ability to really find consistency.

Injuries have included: Puig’s ACL tear that occurred in the 2024 Western Conference Finals, Sanabria breaking his collar bone in the second game of the Galaxy’s 2025 campaign, Nascimento having a groin issue, a hamstring injury to Paintsil, a knee problem for Reus and now a hamstring issue for Yoshida.

The aforementioned youth haven’t been able to give much to Galaxy’s offense, often looking to pass back and resetting and offense that misses Puig’s ability to move the ball.

The backline has seen issues with Yoshida’s absence, as well as Garces’ tactical skills still growing into form.

When it comes to the offense, the Galaxy are struggling to find the back of the net.

The Galaxy are 27th in total goals scored with 6 and are dead last in the league with a -10 goal differential.

So what can we make of this?

The Galaxy in 2024 were a truly symmetrical offense under Greg Vanney, moving the ball into the final third with precision, speed and finishing.

With a midfield that can’t move the ball like last year, players like Pec, veteran Diego Fagundez and others have had to handle a lot of the ball carrying duties. Because of this, Pec and Fagundez haven’t been in their usual spots amongst the wings or even in the final third. Not to mention after Pec’s stellar season, (one that won him last MLS Newcomer of the Year) teams are doubling him on the right hand side, stopping his attempts to create.

If Sanabria, Wynder, Cerrillo or Fagundez can carry the ball into the final third or at least to a place where Paintsil and Pec can shake their ways into the box, the Galaxy should find more success.

Vanney has faced much criticism throughout his coaching career, despite winning two MLS cups during his time with Toronto FC and LA Galaxy. Fans are calling for change, potentially wanting Vanney to be the person punished for the slow start to the season.

With all of the reasoning above… what is Vanney supposed to do? A team without it’s most dynamic player in Puig, a team facing injuries that it mostly avoided last year and losing core players that knew his system seems quite overwhelming.

Not trying to give excuses, this is the worst start for an MLS Cup winning side ever. But to look at Kuntz and Vanney and call for their heads is malpractice.

The salary rules in this league, a surplus of injuries and players who are assuming responsibilities that frankly shouldn’t be theirsm is whats to blame.

Could Vanney do more to push his players to assume responsibilities and not for players like Pec to do “too much”? That’s up to him.

A combination of salary allocation cap problems in the league combined with a lack of scoring has dug the Galaxy a crater sized hole.

If the Galaxy want to turn this season around and find positive results, it starts with scoring goals and ends with scoring goals.