The saying goes, “Offense wins fans, but defense wins championships.” The Galaxy showed the ability to score goals and keep clean sheets over the last three draws against strong opponents, but not both in the same game. Locked in on offense often meant chaos on defense.
The impetuousness of youth desperate to prove themselves explains part of the struggle. Down 1-0 against the run of play at Minnesota the G’s fought back to take a 2-1 lead. When coach Greg Vanney inserted an extra center back to close out the game, Jalen Neal and Maya Yoshida conspired to leave Minnesota’s best aerial threat free on a simple far post corner kick. The game ended 2-2 but the players never looked comfortable with the defensive changes.
Vanney must have said something that stuck between Wednesday and Saturday. Against Charlotte the Gs rarely lost their defensive shape but managed only five mostly tepid shots. Opposing coach Dean Smith praised his team for good defense, but the explosive numbers-in-the-box Galaxy offense that produced twenty-five goals sputtered and sparked, but nothing more.
Notice the organization the Galaxy defense after Charlotte switched the ball from the opposite side of the field. To apply pressure so quickly requires that all players know their zonal responsibilities so they can anticipate and shift quickly. Good connected team defense generated one of the best opportunities of the game.
The success of 2024 Galaxy season hangs on the ability to balance their penchant for dynamic offense with the discipline of team defense. Ironically for the Gs, good team defense can generate dynamic team offense. But the individual offensive instincts that can create goals often expose the team defensively.
Instinctually talisman Riqui Puig drops deep to receive the ball so he can beat the three or four defenders who close on him. Then he leads a ferocious Galaxy counter attack that produced a half dozen or more goals. Occasionally he loses the ball and the opponent scores. The risk ends up offsetting the reward because his instincts expose the defense.
Coach Greg Vanney recognized the problem, insisting that the team play one and two touch passes. Puig still drops deep, but closer to the sideline where a mistake can be less costly. His instincts still tell him to dribble, but now he passes more to beat defenders so he can receive the ball in space. This approach takes more patience and requires more dependance on teammates.
This attack ended with a goal by Diego Fagundez on a pass from Puig. The Galaxy connected six passes that sprung Puig for a quick counter attack. Notice how the five Galaxy players behind the ball maintained good defensive position during the passing sequence.
All three opponents during the string of draws depend on counter attacks and set pieces to score goals. With the exception of the last moment miracle by Miguel Berry against Real Salt Lake at home, the Galaxy put themselves in position to win both road games.
Instinctually Gabriel Pec wants to get the ball in space and run at the defense. Vanney wants the Galaxy to commit numbers forward creating overloads that lead to quality chances. When Pec reaches the box he can either pick a pass or shoot. His instincts urge him to shoot, but the system favors picking a pass or combining.
At the end of the clip notice that Joseph Paintsil arrived in perfect position for a tap-in goal. Instead Pec instinctually took a low percentage shot under pressure from four defenders. The goalkeeper saved it comfortably.
A few minutes later the Galaxy play excellent transition defense and Pec wins the ball on the sideline. After a few one touch combinations, Puig plays him in behind the defense. This time when Pec receives the ball with no opportunity to shoot so he picks a great pass to Dean Jovelic for the tap-in.
Notice the difference in the position of the Minnesota defenders between the two clips. The extra pass caused them to scramble. Even if Jovelic gave the ball to the keeper, they would not have been in position to counter attack. On the first sequence the defenders maintained good defensive position. A blocked shot would afford them an opportunity to counter attack.
These small nuances between individual instinct and team play mark the difference between a run at the MLS Cup or settling for a playoff appearance. In Charlotte the Galaxy rarely lost its shape and played good team defense in possession, in transition, around the box and on set pieces. It’s a credit to Charlotte that they managed even two shots on target.
General Manager Will Kuntz and Vanney built this team to play possession soccer inside a good defensive shape, using it as a platform for quick attacking movements that put numbers in the box. When it works well, the opponent finds themselves running toward their own goal posts, scrambling to contain quick attackers and incisive ball movement.
If the Galaxy can play defense like they did against Charlotte, and offense like they did against RSL and Minnesota, tap-ins will follow. And maybe, just maybe, they will find themselves on a platform lifting a trophy. For now fans can only hope the players and coaches can find the right balance.