3 reasons nothing stands in the way of the LA Galaxy winning the MLS Cup
The 2016 MLS Cup playoff race is well underway with one month of action remaining in the season, and with four teams having already clinched their spots in the postseason, managers across the league have begun planning for the big finale.
There are some new faces this time around, as New York City FC and the Colorado Rapids turned around poor showings in 2015, while Toronto FC has become a force in the Eastern Conference.
However, Bruce Arena's LA Galaxy remains a firm favorite for the MLS Cup - here are three reasons why nothing stands in the way of a sixth title:
Star players look to cement MLS legacies
In years past, the LA Galaxy have been aided by an abundance of star power, and it's no different in 2016 as a number of famous footballers look to cement their individual legacies with an MLS Cup win.
Liverpool's iconic captain Steven Gerrard, former Chelsea man Ashley Cole, Belgium defender Jelle Van Damme, and Mexico's favorite son Giovani Dos Santos join club stalwart Robbie Keane in the hunt for silverware, leaving no shortage of experience or talent to draw on when the pressure is on in the knockout stages.
Welcoming back an MLS Cup X-factor like Landon Donovan certainly helps too, and while he hasn't played much football in the last two years since his "retirement," Donovan has already proven himself a difference-maker, as Sporting Kansas City found out the hard way mid-September.
Dulled teeth still rather sharp
Here's how the 2016 Galaxy compare to the 2014 MLS Cup-winning side over 31 matches:
| Team | Record (W-L-D) | Goals For | Goals Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 Galaxy | 17-5-9 | 66 | 31 |
| 2016 Galaxy | 11-5-15 | 53 | 38 |
It's important to note that the Galaxy went on to lose two and draw one in their last three matches of the 2014 season before going on to win the MLS Cup.
Keane and Dos Santos have combined to score 24 of the Galaxy's 53 goals this season, with Mike Magee, Gerrard, and the rest of the team contributing to make up the rest of the goals. In fact, the goal spread this year is much more varied, with 14 players finding the back of the net in 2016 compared to only nine in 2014.
Arena's side may not be as dominant in the standings this season as it has been in the past - a league-leading 15 draws telling the story of team that perhaps lacks a touch of ruthlessness. However, calling this current crop of attackers anything less than potent or dangerous is doing them a disservice. After all, this Galaxy team is the joint second-highest scoring side this season.
As an added bonus, Arena could even welcome Gyasi Zardes back from a broken foot injury in time for the MLS postseason. If Zardes returns, the Galaxy might just prove unstoppable in the 2016 MLS Cup.
Last few weeks provide plenty of practice
The Galaxy haven't been perfect this season, with a 4-2 blowout against the Seattle Sounders earlier in the week exposing some of the team's defensive flaws, but it is precisely that sort of experience that gives Arena another advantage - the team has something of a trial run for the path to the MLS Cup final down this last stretch of the regular season.
In the last few rounds of action, the Galaxy have squared off against Real Salt Lake, Sporting KC, and Seattle, and will also twice take on conference leader FC Dallas before the end the season. Each match provides Arena with a chance to measure and learn against his direct playoff competition.