The 2024 MLS season is history. Congrats to the LA Galaxy and commiserations to the New York Red Bulls. All 30(!) teams have pivoted to prepping for the new year. Those who did well in 2024 will look to build on their success. Those who flopped will look at the Galaxy’s 13th-place finish last year as a sign that anything is possible with an ambitious and intelligent top-down philosophy.
It’s going to be an absolutely fascinating 2025, and the buildup to it is already underway. Here at Backheeled, we’re breaking down some of the biggest questions of the offseason and where the answers may come from.
How will the LA Galaxy build on their MLS Cup win?
Ready for the coldest take of all time? Here goes: Riqui Puig is super important to the Galaxy. He had a larger impact on how his team plays than anyone else in MLS. There’s simply no replacing his 14.8% touch share. You just can’t do it.
We’ll get more information on Puig’s timeline for his ACL recovery once he actually undergoes surgery, but it seems like August is the best-case scenario for him to start working his way back onto the field. That’s a long time to play without one of the best players in MLS.
The good news is that Greg Vanney is a very good coach who’s been handed a very good roster – LA’s MLS Cup win over the New York Red Bulls showed that he’s more than capable of figuring out ways to win games without Puig. But winning a game here and a game there is one thing; staying on a Supporters’ Shield pace for most of the year without Puig is another.
Joseph Lowery
As we saw in MLS Cup, the Galaxy have excellent midfield options. Most MLS teams would kill for a midfield depth chart of Edwin Cerrillo, Mark Delgado, Gaston Brugman, Marco Reus, and Diego Fagundez. Even still, I’d wager they’ll look for another high-level player in the transfer market to help supplement the loss of Puig.
Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil, and Dejan Joveljic are as good a front trio as you’ll find in MLS (assuming the Galaxy don’t accept a godfather offer for Pec or Joveljic – don’t rule it out this winter). Emiro Garces completely changed the defensive outlook when he won the starting job this summer, and looks like a Best XI-caliber defender.
But even with all these excellent pieces, there’s still no clear like-for-like replacement for Puig. How Vanney decides to adjust tactically, and then how the Galaxy re-adjust once Puig returns, is one of the biggest questions of the year.
The Galaxy have done as good a job retooling and reshaping their roster as anyone in MLS under Will Kuntz. Their creativity will be tested once again in 2025.
Will FC Cincinnati keep Lucho Acosta?
Cincinnati fans found their hearts deep in the pit of their stomachs just after their season ended, thanks to a comment from Lucho Acosta.
The former league MVP more than hinted he could be on his way out of Cincinnati after their disappointing playoff exit to New York City FC in Round One. General manager Chris Albright didn’t exactly clear things up last week, saying that Cincinnati’s discussions with Acosta are “still ongoing” and they’ll do what’s best for the club and player.
“Today I played a game I may remember as my last one with the club,” Luciano Acosta just said in a shock revelation from the FC Cincinnati locker room.
— Carter Chapley (@CarterChapley) November 9, 2024
Highlights the struggles he’s faced away from the field and how he leaves now to rest and consider the future. #AllForCincy
