Seems like a good time to re-up SkyDog's thread from last season, which provides a general thread for observations about the season Here's a post from Alex Ruiz with his 5 predictions for the season. You should read the whole thing (partially, so he gets whatever benefits he gets from the clicks), but here are his 5 predictions: 1. Lucas Sanabria has a breakout season 2. Joao Klauss scores 15 goals in all competitions 3. LA transition into playing a back three 4. Joseph Paintsil struggles 5. Team Ceiling: Second round exit
Interesting article from Backheeled (available for free subscribers) Riqui Puig is impossible to replace, but here's how the LA Galaxy are trying anyway
^^^^ This can't be true. We have already been told that Klaus was no better than Ramirez in terms of G+A and an over priced acquisition because Vanney focused on his 3 goals against the Galaxy and not on his overall production. If it is true, then just perhaps the emphasis that Vanney wanted to put on analytics and scouting is paying off.
Interesting read, thanks for linking that @Benny Dargle This was what I found most interesting about Klauss, per Ben Wright: Plus, Klauss can help fill some of the chance-creation void the Galaxy are reckoning with. Per American Soccer Analysis, Klauss had the seventh-most expected assists per game of any MLS striker last season. Three of those – Lionel Messi, Martin Ojeda, and Hany Mukhtar – are more No. 10s than pure strikers, so we’ll call him number four on the list. He ranked second among pure strikers with 1.14 key passes per game, according to ASA – passes that lead directly to a shot. According to their goals added model, he’s the top passer from the No. 9 position. So, maybe if our wingbacks (or whatever Yamane/Cuevas and Aude/Nelson are) and whoever's in our 10-ish role (Reus/Lepley?) can help feed up top, maybe we have a chance to score some goals.
I watched some Klaus highlights on appletv just now and he definitely had some very nice assists. There are moments that make him appear to be a 9 that is very aware of what is going on around him (more than most). That has to benefit Pec and Paintsil
It’s an underwhelming signing but I do believe this improves our attacking ability. Perhaps a change in scenery will help jump start him some as well. We’ve seen examples of this before. It’s a little wishful thinking but that’s how I roll I guess. The fact he’s going to be a DP for this season limits us to TAM for the summer window though.
Snark noted. Look Klaaus may have a breakout year for us. With his height he may be able to convert some of Pec’s crosses. And as I pointed out he is unpredictable with both good and bad seasons mixed in. But in my experience expecting a player to play better than he has in the last couple seasons is most often wish-casting. But sometimes it works out. And I don’t know for a fact that Vanney got excited about him because of his 3 goal performance against us. That was just a theory. Hopefully fan theories are appropriate on this soccer discussion board.
During the second half of last season we were a bottom-level playoff team. That was with Reus as AM and Nasci as forward. This year, we have improved significantly with two very good defensive players (our weakness) and adding a forward who has the potential to mesh nicely with the surround talent. Our only step back was losing Fagundez off the bench and I expect we're still trying to fix that. Given all that, my expectation is that we will be a mid-tier playoff team that will need some luck to go far in the playoffs. What we don't have is a star who can manufacture one or two great moments. And I have no confidence in Vanney's ability to make the team greater than the sum of its parts. I'm predicting fifth in the Western Conference.
I think this is the fair asseessment. We currently lack the magic for a playoff run to the promised land. But we have enough to win a decent number of games.
Sound arguments. Our midseason turnaround was significant and this season we get to find out what it meant. Personally I think ending up mid-tier among playoff teams is possible even if it isn’t my prediction. It will depend on whether we can generate offense I believe.
The Good: We brought in 3 players who are upgrades at positions of need from last season, no question. We have 4 young players who should be better this season, which we even saw a bit during the second half of last season. (Miller, Cuevas, Wynder, Sanabria) The Bad: We have 2 older players who are on the decline and one of them is super important to the midfield success this year (Reus, Yoshida) because.... We lost Riqui for another season. We lost a lot of locker room leadership and midfield depth with Fagundez leaving.
I think we can all agree that a long losing streak and/or missing the playoffs is unacceptable with this roster and Vanney should not survive another disappointing season.
Vanney held accountable? Don’t toy with my emotions like this Trick! (Just my opinion folks. I know many of you disagree!)
While I agree with much of this, I somewhat disagree with the your (and most of the board's) contention that Reus is essential to the Galaxy's success this year. I view him more as a nice to have player who can add to but is not essential to the Galaxy's success. I base this on the Galaxy's record (during the last half of the season) without Marco. Per TransferMarkt, Reus missed the last 7 games of the season due to a hamstring injury and only played 28 minutes in the game against Colorado before the injury (he was a late sub and as I recall he stayed in the game after the injury). Their record in those 8 games, was 4w-2l-2d. Three of those opponents were playoff teams: Cincy (2nd pl in the East), Seattle and Minnesota and the record against those 3 was 1-1-1. Interestingly enough, the Galaxy only gave up 1 goal in 5 of those games with a home draw against Seattle (2-2) and road losses to Cincy (2-3) and Dallas (1-2) being the exceptions.
While you are correct, I think Fagundez started every one of those games and we don't have him anymore - so that's part of why I think Reus is so important - with the current roster - he is both the Riqui and Fagundez replacement. I suppose we will have to rely on Lepley a lot with the current lineup, as well - as he and Reus are really the only two players who have that creative middle of the field skills. But looking back at those games, they do really demonstrate one of my "good" points - Miller, Cuevas and Wynder started almost all of those games and all played really well.
I just think we’re in a much better mental spot this year. think of all the unknowns this time last year compared to the end of the year before: - how to play without Riqui -how good will Wynder be -Gow good will Sanabria be? -who will replace Dejan (can Ramirez do it?) -Who will replace Brugman? -Who will replace Delgado? -How durable will Reus be for a full season? thise are massive questions typically answered very negatively very soon in 2025. now compare the unknowns this year compared to end of last season: -Who will replace Fagundez -will Krause be an upgrade? -Will Haak and Glasnes be upgrades? That’s it really. just a lot of stability and likely upgrades.
Short of any quality signings I have ZERO faith in AEG and Vanney to do anything other than disappoint and run the club further down the sheet hole! I fully expect some to keep supporting them and continue to make excuses and show power point presentations of the positives. In short business as usual for now nothing to see here.
Looks like we have addressed that last "bad" point with the signing of Thommey. And maybe addressed a little bit our dependence on Reus since Thommey can also play centrally in midfield if needed. Sadly, there are no MLS players we can buy who can replace Riqui.**** He is indeed the irreplaceable player on our roster. ***Not named Messi.
If the team is 100% healthy (I know, big if....) and you start Reus, I think that means we are most likely to play a 4-3-3. So in that case which 2 of Glesnes, Haak and Garces do you start at centerback? And if you pair Glesnes and Garces, to get the best starting XI mean you move Haak up to midfield as I don't think we can have his quality sitting on the bench..... And if so - who do you pair him with? If Haak is starting in midfield, I'm not sure Cerrillo is the best option to partner with him - Sanabria or Wynder might be the better option... Man, depth that makes it harder to pick starting lineups is a refreshing change.....
Only thing I know for sure is that it wouldn't be Cerrillo in the opening game of the MLS season since he'll be out on red card suspension. Other than that, it feels like we have to see how Haak fits in with the team and with Glesnes and/or Cerrillo.
I really like Cerrillo and he's a great guy. But man, I'm not sure if our best lineup when Reus is healthy includes him starting. ------Paintsil---------Klauss----------------Pec ----------------------------Reus -------------Haak--------------------Wyndernabria Nelsonaude------Glesnes----Garces-------Yamauevas ----------------------------------Micovic That's a strong lineup.
Love this set up and it doesn’t include Miller, Nasci, Thommy, Cerillo, and Yoshida. Even Parente and Lesley too. Love our potential depth.
Marco Reus and Maya Yoshida at the STM event. #LAGalaxy pic.twitter.com/usijbdmg32— Galaxy Fan Talk (@LAGalaxyFanTalk) January 31, 2026 oh yeah, there was an event tonight for STMs. I couldn’t make it. Good to see Joe still in the fold. #LAGalaxy new acquisitions unveil the 2026 home kit! pic.twitter.com/czOUWb6CNS— Galaxy Fan Talk (@LAGalaxyFanTalk) February 1, 2026
Moves and salary cap/international slot compliance aren't set - we still have 2 weeks before the final roster has to be set. So things might still change-- But if you want to feel a little better going into the new season: Last season, after our young guys settled and we got somewhat healthy, for the back half of the season we finished 3rd in the Leagues Cup and picked up 22 points, which for a full season would have had us as the 7th seed in the West. That same team which is currently better/healthy with Reus seemingly at full strength and the young guys with another pre-season under their belt, has lost 4 players and gained 4 players. Here are the 4 players lost and their replacements: Gone: Zanka ---- Replacement: Glesnes Gone: Zavaleta --- Replacement: Haak Gone: Berry ---- Replacement: Klauss Gone: Fagundez --- Replacement: Thommy I mean, holy heck - those are 4 HUGE improvements. If you don't want to feel good: That still might not be enough and only get us up to 4th or so in the West -- because still missing Puig is that huge. But on paper this is, at minimum, a solid 4th in the West. So we got that going for us.