'They should be better than they are right now' - USMNT icon Tony Meola frustrated by LA Galaxy's underperformance despite good roster

With the LA Galaxy becoming the first MLS team through the first nine games of the season without a win after having won the MLS Cup, many fans and critics alike are concerned for the team. Add USMNT legend Tony Meola to that group.

The iconic goalkeeper revealed he didn’t see this coming and admitted that despite their many injuries, he believed that the Galaxy had a good enough squad. He also added that the roster is better than other MLS sides that are winning, and the Galaxy should be doing the same.

“I’m glad you brought up Riqui Puig,” Meola said on CBS Sports Golazo America. “I called this game this weekend, and I said on the broadcast that it’s too easy for me to say that it’s all about Riqui Puig. We knew he was going to be missing, and when I looked at the roster they put out, Paintsll is finally back, and of course, they lost Brugman, Marc Delgado, and Joveljić from that championship-winning team, and Yoshida’s still out. And I still looked at this lineup and said, they should be better than they are right now."

He added, "That lineup, that roster is better than teams that are currently winning. And I’m not sure if you buy that, but that’s how I looked at it and that’s how I feel.”

The Galaxy remain one of Major League Soccer's flagship franchises with significant financial resources and star power. Yet despite that and despite being the reigning MLS Cup champions, the team currently sit at the bottom of the combined table, and the Western Conference, with just three points to their name after nine league games. Only CF Montreal have the same record, and even then, the Canadian side sits above the Galaxy on goal difference.

Following their sixth loss of the season to Austin FC, LA Galaxy will be hoping to turn their fortunes around as they host the Portland Timbers on April 26 and then go on the road to face Sporting KC on May 4 in MLS.