LA Galaxy may not mind being second-best in the West

Two games remain for the Los Angeles Galaxy as the regular season wraps up two weeks from Saturday. We know mathematically that only LAFC can catch up to overtake the Galaxy for the number one seed in the Western Conference.

Currently, they enter their next match at home against Austin FC with 61 points ahead of the standings and only their cross-city rival has the possibility of ending the season with more points.

Home field advantage favors the LA Galaxy. Heading into Saturday, the team is unbeaten this year at Dignity Health Sports Park. The last time the Galaxy were number one seed of the Western Conference was more than ten years ago. This was also the last time that they claimed the MLS title.

The top seed hasn't always been that great for MLS title hopefuls. Outside of the Galaxy in 2011, only one other number one seed has won the championship in the past 13 years. That team is LAFC just two seasons ago.

So, is runner up in the conference really that bad?

To be honest, no it is not. The last time that the LA Galaxy won a title was exactly a decade ago. They held the second seed in the Western Conference going into that particular postseason.

Granted, those were the last days we saw Landon Donovan, Juninho, and Gyasi Zardes on the field at the same time. A pair of Robbies were also on the roster in Keane and Rogers.

In those very same playoffs, the Galaxy took down the best in the West that year. They took down the juggernaut in the Seattle Sounders FC to capture their franchise's fifth MLS Cup.

To this day, this remains a league best, too. DC United and Columbus Crew are the only two other teams with more than two. A return to the MLS Finals this season would mark the tenth such appearance for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

In 2019, the Sounders were the second seed in the Western Conference and played for the win in the MLS Finals. They did so again in 2020 but ended up losing in the rematch against Toronto FC. It happened.

In the past ten years, there have been more instances where the second-best team in the Western Conference makes it to the MLS Cup Finals (and/or wins it). More so than the top seed claiming the biggest prize in the league.

It is not the nature of the Los Angeles Galaxy to throw games or lose on purpose. However, them taking a seat back these last two games to rest players and gearing up for another title run could serve them better than focusing on homefield advantage.

Reus is nursing a leg injury, Julian Aude has come back after three months from his injury and we have seen Dejan Joveljic miss time for the same reason, as well. A healthy LA Galaxy squad is more dangerous than a banged up one with homefield advantage.