Galaxy heads into US Open Cup amid franchise-worst start

The pressure to turn the season around appears to be settling in, along with the frustration, for the Galaxy.

Through 10 games, the club has recorded just six points, the worst start in the 28-year history.

“We need to do different things, obviously, to get out of here,” forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez said following Saturday’s loss to the Colorado Rapids. “I don’t know what. We need to figure it out, but we cannot keep doing the same things and waiting for the same results. It’s very frustrating, man. I don’t know what else to say.

“Something needs to change. We need to be accountable and we need to see that the reality is not in the way that we are doing. We cannot say that things are going to turn around doing the same things. We can’t.”

On Wednesday, the Galaxy turns its attention to the U.S. Open Cup, hosting a familiar foe, the Seattle Sounders, in a Round of 32 match (7:30 p.m., CBS Golazo Network.)

The Galaxy has struggled in recent years against the Sounders. Dating to 2016, the Galaxy have only one win. In their past 10 meetings, the Sounders are 6-0-4 against the Galaxy.

The first change likely comes in the formation setup. The Galaxy has used a 4-4-2 and 3-5-2 recently, allowing for forwards Hernandez and Dejan Joveljic to play together.

Hernandez managed just one shot on goal Saturday and has only one goal this season.

“After this 10 games, I’m really settled on what we’re going to look like and what everybody’s role inside of that is going to be,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “I was hoping we would have more results inside of this process. We haven’t, but we really need to settle into our comfort zone and how we’re going to protect ourselves when we have the ball and in transitions and how we’re going to be more dangerous and create more goals.

“In this last game, 90 times we were in the attacking half of the field, conversely, they were in our attacking half 40 times. We got into the box 14, they got into our box 12 times, that’s just not a good enough ratio. If you’re losing balls between the 18 and their penalty spot, then you’re setting yourself up for transitions, which is not an efficiency level we want to be at. We have to make some adjustments that I think will help us be more efficient, finish more attacks and we also need to make some adjustments to make sure we’re protecting ourselves better.”

Last season, the Galaxy advanced to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, playing two lower division clubs before facing an MLS opponent.

Things are certainly different this season with the Sounders first up.

“They’re a team I think everybody is motivated to play against and we’re doing it in a do-or-die situation,” Vanney said. “Which is the urgency that, as a group, that we can feel right now. Understanding that if you don’t get the result, you’re out of the competition. And I think that’s something that we invite and we have to have a sense that every play matters.

“We didn’t transition well (last week), not everybody transitioned at the right intensity and speed on the weekend, and that also has to change. Now we have a do-or-die game against a very good club and every play has to matter.”

U.S. Open Cup: Seattle at Galaxy

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Dignity Health Sports Park

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