Who should the LA Galaxy be most aware of from San Jose's offense? | OneFootball

The Los Angeles Galaxy's next opponent enters Saturday unbeaten in seven of their past eight MLS games. That is a streak the defending champions should be jealous of.

After missing the postseason last year, the San Jose Earthquakes are poised to be a lower seed this season in the playoffs. The LA Galaxy are on pace to miss out for the second time in three seasons.

Two of the original ten MLS teams square off for another installment of El California Clasico. The six-time MLS Cup champions do battle against their former coach, Bruce Arena, and his new team.

Despite the coaching legend that he is, the Los Angeles Galaxy should be concerned about one of the members of the Earthquakes, instead. This former LAFC and Real Salt Lake forward has given the LA Galaxy fits before.

Why Cristian Arango will be problematic for the LA Galaxy

With ten goals and three assists on the season, in just 15 games, the 30-year-old scoring threat has the ability to light up a scoreboard. San Jose is much improved compared to last year when the LA Galaxy took all three regular season games against their in-state nemesis.

The Galaxy finished last year as the second best team in the MLS Western Conference. Real Salt Lake was nipping on their heels, earning the third-seed. That was large in part because of Arango's 17 goals and 12 assists last season.

Make no mistake about it. Josef Martínez and Cristian Espinoza have been excellent for San Jose, too. Martinez has eight goals in 2025 and Espinoza has four goals with eight assists for the Earthquakes.

Though Arango did not play in the 1-0 game that the LA Galaxy lost earlier in the year, he scored twice in the 2-2 draw nearly 14 months ago when Real Salt Lake tied the Galaxy.

In the 2023 MLS regular season, Arango had one of LAFC's three goals in their 3-2 win over the Galaxy shortly after the 4th of July. He had the team's only goal in the 2-1 loss earlier that same season, too.

Long story, short. Arango has scored against the Los Angeles Galaxy. If head coach Greg Vanney doesn't have his defense and his starting keeper (Novak Micovic or John McCarthy) ready, this game will go in favor of the San Jose Earthquakes.

The LA Galaxy and their fans don't want to see that happen again. With the Los Angeles Galaxy fielding the MLS Western Conference's worst defense (41 goals allowed), that is a highly possible outcome.