MLS Week 12: Top 3 storylines to watch

1. Galaxy need goals and galvanising

The Los Angeles Galaxy have been without holding midfielder Jonathan dos Santos since he was injured halfway through their match against Columbus two weeks ago. Up until that point, dos Santos was their most important player. They are now struggling without him. With Perry Kitchen also injured, Servando Carrasco has been dos Santos’ replacement. He has not been adequate. Unfortunately, there is not another option in the squad, unless they have Joe Corona play deeper in a 4-4-2 alongside Sebastian Lletget.

All this comes during the same period of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s struggles. He has not scored in the Galaxy’s last two matches. No team is more dependent upon a single player for goals than the Galaxy are on Zlatan. He has scored half of the team’s 18 goals. But his problem has not been a lack of chances. He has taken 18 shots during the Galaxy’s three-game losing streak, and he has taken 11 shots in the last two games where he has gone without a goal. That’s on pace with Zlatan’s five shots per game average. Unfortunately, he is not getting good opportunities in front of goal and is trying to do too much with low probability chances.

The larger question for the Galaxy is where will the creativity come from. Romain Alessandrini is out injured until the fall. Los Angeles need several players to step up and provide Zlatan with service. No team in MLS has relied on crosses more heavily than the Galaxy. They average 25 per match. Colorado are next in MLS, averaging 22. That means the Galaxy are often settling for crosses from wide positions, rather than working the ball into central areas. Lletget has a big opportunity playing behind Zlatan as a central playmaker and he needs to have more to show for it than a goal and two assists at this stage of the season. The Galaxy also need better play from Uriel Antuna and Joe Corona.

Luckily, the Galaxy face the Colorado Rapids at home this weekend. The Rapids are still winless this season and have allowed almost three goals per match. This is the perfect matchup for the Galaxy who need a win to keep pace with in-city-rival Los Angeles FC, who are running away with the Supporter’s Shield race. If goals have been their problems, and they certainly have, they should return in full flow this weekend.

The Galaxy host the Rapids Sunday night 5/19 at 8:00 pm.