(Editorial) – For those of you living under a rock, the Los Angeles Galaxy have finally signed Mexican International, Giovani Dos Santos. Dos Santos will occupy the Galaxy’s third Designated Player (DP) slot after the club used the newly revealed Target Allocation Money (TAM) to buy down Omar Gonzalez‘s salary.
While the Galaxy could have some decision to make next year, they appear to be on the brink of Super Club status in 2015.
Dos Santos joins English International Steven Gerrard as the Galaxy’s blockbuster summer additions. Gerrard made his debut last weekend in a 2-1 friendly win against Club America. The 35-year-old made his competitive debut in a U.S. Open Cup match against Real Salt Lake this past week.
What do Gerrard and Dos Santos arriving mean for the LA Galaxy lineup and the other midfielders?
In the immediate future, there won’t be that much movement. Dos Santos is still with Mexico for the Gold Cup. Likewise, forwards Gyasi Zardes and Alan Gordon are with the U.S. Jose Villarreal is still recovering from an injury, but should be back soon. In the next two weeks, everyone should be back from international duty and healthy.
What then? What players are going to switch positions to make room for these two in the Starting XI? Who’s moving to the bench? Who’s potentially getting loaned down to Los Dos?
It is safe to assume that Juninho‘s starting spot is safe. Gerrard is able to play an attacking role and Dos Santos has been a forward previously in his career. Still, it’s hard to believe Head Coach Bruce Arena will break up Robbie Keane and Zardes up top.
One of the consensus hypothetical lineups for the LA Galaxy:
@EvanReam MLS beware pic.twitter.com/txzV1EYKku
— Sean Steffen (@SeanSteffen) July 14, 2015
Sebastian Lletget
Lletget is a midseason favorite for underrated acquisition of the season. He has four goals in his first seven appearances with the Galaxy and has been instant energy and offense. Arena made his mark again in trading to get the 22-year-old.
If anyone is safe, it’s probably Lletget. He’s capable of playing anywhere in the midfield, but has most recently been at left midfield. It’s believed that Dos Santos could play at right midfield in a similar wide play making role to Landon Donovan in the Galaxy’s system.
Regardless, Lletget can be effective from either wide midfield position. He’s been too good so far this year to not regularly be in the 18 and on field. He does however have competition for that fourth starting midfield spot . . .
Jose Villarreal
Once healthy, Villarreal is probably on level terms with Lletget. Villarreal had an excellent start to the season and has been one of the most create at times for LA. He and Lletget will likely compete for the remaining wide midfield position. Lletget is probably slightly ahead of him just because of his recent form and Villarreal’s injury.
The two could easily share the starting role. The odd man out could also sub in for the other or Dos Santos. At this point in his career, Villarreal’s best as a wide midfielder or underneath striker. It’s unlikely that he would fill a striker role with Gordon still on the team, but he could easily be that 60th minute super sub.
Baggio Husidic
Husidic has been a utility midfielder for the Galaxy since arriving last year. Like Lletget, he can play any of the four midfield roles. When another player went down, he could fill in as a starter. When the Galaxy were healthy and on a roll last year, Husidic was a substitute. All signs point to that being his role now. He was very effective and happy with that role last year, so this should not be a problem.
This gives Arena multiple good midfield options off the bench. Lletget/Villarreal can sub in and provide energy and creative flair. Both of them stretch the field. Husidic can also play out wide, but he will play more centrally. While he won’t go forward like the other two, he has a better defensive work rate. Husidic could also come in for Gerrard to take some weight off the 35-year-old. The Bosnian has been excellent at times in that Tiki Taco role next to Juninho.
Kenny Walker
Walker has been a bit of a project the past few years, but has finally cracked the 18 this season. He’s been mostly a bench player and plays a similar role to Juninho. While he’s certainly ready to be on the game day roster at the MLS level, he’s not ready to start.
He’ll still be on the bench as a pure central midfield option. That said, it looks like his only appearances the rest of the season will come in the final 10 minutes of games. A couple of conveniently timed games with Los Dos could do him some good to keep his fitness up.
Mika Vayrynen
Vayrynen had a few good moments earlier in the season. Other than that, this signing has not panned out. He has not contributed enough offensively and does not seem to fit into the Galaxy’s system that well. He’s probably the most likely midfielder to be moved. Vayrynen could be traded for TAM or released. No way he’s in the 18 going forward.
Rafael Garcia
Garcia is similar to Walker in that he’s been a bit of a project. He was given a chance to play regularly with Marcelo Sarvas‘s departure before the season started. Garcia has not seem the field since May however. He was the captain of Los Dos in 2014.
With several other midfielder way ahead of him in the pecking order, it’s unlikely he’s in the first team 18 anytime soon. A return to Los Dos for the second half of the season could help him keep fit. It would give him a chance to work on his play going into next year.
The Kids: Ignacio Maganto, Raul Mendiola, Bradford Jamieson IV
Every member of this group has had good flashes this season. The only time they’ve seen the field has been when the Galaxy are beat up and desperate. That looks unlikely going forward. Jamieson has not played in MLS since May. Mendiola has only appeared in Open Cup matches. Maganto has one sub appearance in the last month.
For the sake of their long term development, it’s best for all of them to be loaned down to Los Dos for the remainder of the season. Mendiola has a USL assist record to defend.
Agree or disagree with the above projections? Where would you play Gerrard and Dos Santos? Which of these role players is in your preferred 18? Let us know in the comment section below.
