The LA Galaxy haven't been this disappointed with a season since the three-year playoff drought that led to Bruce Arena's hiring late in the 2008 campaign.
Wednesday night's 3-2 Knockout Round defeat at Seattle was the earliest postseason exit in club history, and the Galaxy will look during the offseason to right what went wrong down the stretch.
“It's disappointing when you're the champion and you know what it feels like to lift that trophy. And now, for it to be taken away from you, it's difficult to take,” captain Robbie Keane, who has been with LA for three MLS Cup titles, told media at CenturyLink Field following the defeat. “We could stand here all day and say ifs and buts, but we just wasn't good enough. Certainly in the last five weeks, six weeks, and that's it.”
LA won just one of their last 10 games in all competitions, including two draws that harmed their CONCACAF Champions League seeding for next year's quarterfinals. The swoon dropped from the top spot in the Supporters' Shield standings to fifth in the West before abysmal defending cost them in the Western Conference's 2015 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs opener against the Sounders.
“Listen, if you don't win trophies at the end of the season, it's always disappointing,” said Steven Gerrard, who arrived from Liverpool in July. “But, you know, you've got to dust yourself down and get ready to go again, because before you know it, you're starting again.
“Credit to Seattle. They've won the game, in a one-off game, but it seems we have to score three or four goals to win games, and that's what we've got to analyze over the winter.”
Head coach Bruce Arena promised there would be movement – there always is – and it seems likely the Galaxy will look for a new No. 1 goalkeeper and must decide what to do with center back Omar Gonzalez, who will revert back to Designated Player status, and forward/midfielder Gyasi Zardes, who has attracted interest overseas.
One thing for certain is that the defending has to improve.
“I know Bruce quite well now, I've got quite used to him, and I'm sure that's what he'll be analyzing over the winter, to stop this team from conceding goals,” Gerrard said. “We know we're capable of scoring anywhere in the league. The problem over the last three or four weeks, if you look at it, we had to score three goals to beat Dallas at home [on Sept. 27], we conceded five against the [Portland] Timbers [on Oct. 18], we conceded three tonight, two at [Sporting] Kansas [City last weekend].
“I've been in this game long enough to know that if you're going to be successful, you can't keep conceding goals. It's too difficult to win football matches in you concede two or three every game.”
Gonzalez was asked why LA was so inconsistent.
“That's something I'll have to think about,” he said. “I think it's too soon to start talking about that.”
- Find more Galaxy news at LAGalaxy.com
Might have the midsummer additions of Gerrard and forward Giovani dos Santos and the ongoing adaptation for them and the team led to problems?
“Obviously, when you add new players, things are going to change, but we've added new players midsummer in the years past, and we've done really well with that,” Gonzalez said. “So you can't put the blame on that. I don't know what to put the blame on. We didn't have it all this year, and that's why we're out.”
Gerrard, who could retire when his contract ends next season, said the early exit will help the Galaxy next year.
“I think it makes you more determined. Especially for me. It could be my last season of football, I don't know,” he said. “I certainly don't want to feel how I'm feeling now this time next year.”
