LA Galaxy’s worst start ever and Portland Timbers are ready to make it worse | OneFootball

LA Galaxy is terrible. Three losses in a row, a zero record in points, and an attack that hasn't even managed to score a goal in MLS play yet. The champions of last season's MLS Cup are experiencing a nightmare beginning and desperately need to correct things. The pressure is mounting, and another loss might deepen the crisis even further. The squad did have a decisive victory in the Concacaf Champions Cup, but that doesn't diminish the fact that in league action, they have yet to offer any kind of consistency.

Portland Timbers are not doing too well themselves. With one victory from three games and off a 2-0 defeat against Nashville SC, the squad can't even get their mojo going. The attack still isn't firing on all cylinders, and they're settling into life without Evander. Their sole win came in spectacular fashion against Austin FC, but questions still surround the squad's actual potential this season. The game against Galaxy is a golden chance to make an impression, and hosting should provide them with an added boost to push a struggling opponent.

LA Galaxy in crisis

Galaxy fans, used to seeing their team atop the standings, are unfamiliar with the team that has taken the field for the first three rounds of the MLS campaign. The offense is not scoring, the defense surrenders goals all too easily, and the midfield appears incapable of controlling.

Injuries to key players can't be ruled out of the equation. The team has been decimated by key absences, and head coach Greg Vanney doesn't have a lot of sure things to rely on. But do injuries explain this much complacency?

In their last match, Galaxy showed some offensive improvement with eight shots on target and putting St. Louis City SC goalkeeper Roman Bürki to work. But they were unable to convert chances into goals, which eventually proved to be their downfall. The team left the field with a ruthless 3-0 defeat, and, to make matters worse, without any sign of an imminent response.

Portland Timbers still have to prove a lot

Though Portland Timbers are not as desperate, they too have much to fix. With only one win so far this season, consistency has been the largest issue. Their loss to Nashville SC highlighted the inconsistency of the team in attacking volume. Without Evander, they still struggle to find the right balance in the midfield.

David Da Costa has been a bright spot, already taking it up a notch to record a win for the team. There is optimism that he can play an even bigger role as the team finds its footing. Playing at home in Providence Park, the Timbers must stamp their authority over a fully bared Galaxy side.

James Pantemis, the wall in green and gold

And if the LA Galaxy attack was at a low, here now is an even greater task for it: Timbers' goalkeeper James Pantemis, the player of the times.

Last season, the Canadian made history when he saved two penalty kicks in a single game, a novelty of MLS history. Only Tony Meola, in 2002, did it in a single half and had another goalkeeper do this too. But the statistics are even more frightening for Galaxy: since joining Portland, Pantemis has been given three penalty kicks and saved them all.

For a Galaxy attack already low on confidence, penetrating Pantemis and the Portland defense will be a steep climb.

If LA Galaxy loses again, it could be an even bigger crisis, with the team dropping further down the standings and last year's championship a distant memory. For Portland, a win would be the confidence boost they need to gain stability. At home, the Timbers have the perfect opportunity to capitalize on Galaxy's misfortune and pilfer three crucial points.