Romain Alessandrini and the LA Galaxy are a staggering 1-4-3 at home this season.
By Ivan Yeo
In years past, StubHub Center has been a fortress for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
In years past, the Galaxy have always enjoyed the comforts of its home field. The combination of its fans, its supporters groups LA Riot Squad, Angel City Brigade and Area 51 Galaxians, the fireworks that are shot up during the pregame ceremonies and the national anthem always makes for quite a spectacle. Chances are whenever the Galaxy play at StubHub, they would always find a way to get at least a point in the match.
Well this season, things have been completely the opposite. That aura of invincibility the Galaxy have always have at home seems to have suddenly disappeared. In seven matches in 2017, the Galaxy have won just once, against Montreal in April. In fact, the Galaxy are now 1-4-3 at StubHub after Saturday’s loss to Sporting Kansas City.
“It’s really weird,” Galaxy defender Dave Romney said. “In the past we would never lose at home and we couldn’t buy a win on the road, so everything gets kind of flip-flopped. I can’t really explain it and I just try to play the same way home and away. Some games just don’t bounce your way, I guess.”
Such a record would have been unthinkable even as far back as last year, as the Galaxy have always been dominant at home. In 2011, the Galaxy did not lose a single contest at home in any competition, and three seasons ago, LA lost its opening game to Real Salt Lake, but did not lose at home again the remainder of the season. Both of those seasons, LA won the MLS Cup, you guessed it, at home.
Making things even more confusing for Los Angeles, while its home record is currently bad, its record on the road is the complete opposite. The Galaxy are 5-2-1 away from StubHub Center, and there are some quality wins on the road slate, as the New York Red Bulls have been strong on recent years and the San Jose Earthquakes are having a solid year.
I think in our away games we fought to the last minute, we’ve won games and drew games with a great mentality,” Ashley Cole said. “It didn’t happen today. the home form is not great and we have to change that because we did well on the road, which I think was a problem in previous years.”
Now to be fair, the Galaxy have played some very tough opponents at home this season. LA started off the season in general against the reigning supporters shield winners FC Dallas back in March. LA has also face defending champion Seattle, and teams like Portland, Chicago, Houston and West-leading Sporting Kansas City are having strong seasons, and the Galaxy were able to come from behind and salvage points against Chicago and Houston. Nevertheless, the Galaxy are not making any excuses for its sudden home woes.
“I made a statement in the Chicago game that at that point we became a team, but we happened to have five of how many games on the road at that point,” head coach Curt Onalfo said. “If we would have had those games at home, I think it is fair to say we probably would have had more wins at home but now every game is different.”
If things are going to change at home, it would surely have to be in its next match on the fourth of July, as they will host lowly Real Salt Lake on that night.
