The Case for the LA Galaxy to Start McCarthy in Goal

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·13 de agosto de 2025

The Case for the LA Galaxy to Start McCarthy in Goal

Novak Micovic has been the LA Galaxy's goalie for the majority of the season. After a rough start (0-0-3), he allowed seven goals in a the team's first three games.

The losses were also a result of a pair of shutouts and the LA Galaxy offense producing just one goal, thanks to Gabriel Pec, during that span.

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Just when it seemed like Micovic was peaking, after a 4-0 shutout in Phase One of the 2025 Leagues Cup against Santos Laguna, a 4-0 shellacking from the Seattle Sounders FC brough the Serbian keeper back down a peg or two.

As the LA Galay still only have three wins and just 16 points in the MLS Western Conference standings, its beyond crunch time if the defending MLS Cup winners want to avoid missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.

If healthy, give John McCarthy the start on Saturday?

Emphasis on if healthy. A linger back issue has sidelined the 2022 MLS Finals MVP since he was benched in May. After the 2-2 draw against LAFC during Rivalry Week, McCarthy has not played for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

He took over for Micovic for the fourth game of the MLS regular season. The LA Galaxy carried on a 16-game winless streak to open the year.

"It's frustrating. You want to win. I want to win. I don't like losing. But I want to win at everything I do. I know a lot of people on the team do. We just have to have that killer mentality. There's two or three moments in games that we just **** ourselves throughout the season."John McCarthy, LA Galaxy goalkeeper

One of the better games for the six-time MLS Cup champions game in May when the LA Galaxy played another former team of McCarthy's. On the road against Eastern Conference favorite, the Philadelphia Union, he held his opponent scoreless in the first half.

Taking a 2-0 lead into the second half of play, the LA Galaxy looked primed to win for the first time this season. Instead, three goals went by McCarthy and his current team lost 3-2.

On Saturday, the Los Angeles Galaxy play Inter Miami at Chase Stadium. The 33-year-old goalie played for Miami in 2020 and 2021 before joining LAFC and the LA Galaxy.

"I think this is one [game] where, especially coming off of last week, I think we all believed that we could have won that game, and I think easily we could have won this game as well. It's a tough place to be in. But you can't fucking pout about it. You just have to move on and have that killer mentality, and then get a win at home."John McCarthy, the 2022 MLS Finals MVP

Last year, McCarthy opened the 2023 regular season for the LA Galaxy with a monster save against Miami. Not only did he salvage a 1-1 draw against Lionel Messi and Company, but his play was named the 2024 Save of the Year.

If healthy, inserting McCarthy back into the Starting XI could do more for the 2024 MLS Cup winners than save their season. It is also important to note that the Philadelphia born player is a free agent after December 31, 2025.