CARSON, Calif. – Giovani dos Santos believes that “good things will come” despite the slow start that he and the LA Galaxy have endured this season.
The 27-year-old has tallied just once this season back during the Galaxy’s MLS opener on March 4. On Saturday, dos Santos was deployed as a single striker atop a Curt Onalfo’s 4-2-3-1 formation which helped the Galaxy defensively, but could not help the team break their two-game scoreless streak.
Although Los Angeles slumped to a 2-5-1 record on the year, dos Santos took the high road when describing the team’s recent frustrations.
“I’ve been through a lot of difficult times in my career, and this is another one. So I know what I have to do and I know what kind of player I am, and I know what kind of team we have,” dos Santos said. “We are the Galaxy. We have pressure every single game because we have to win and people respect us. We know our responsibility. We’re not playing well now, but we have to keep working.”
Against the Union, the Galaxy’s dominance was apparent on the stat sheet as the team held nearly 85 percent of possession as well as a whopping 67 percent of possession in their attacking half. Deployed as a single striker on Saturday, dos Santos remained active, completing 93 percent of his passes, while also notching three key passes that almost led to Galaxy goals.
With Gyasi Zardes likely to return to the lineup after recovering from an illness that left him off the squad on Saturday, dos Santos' role could change when the team hosts the Chicago Fire next Saturday. Regardless of where he plays when the team lines up against the Fire, dos Santos says his team must keep their heads up.
“We have to keep positive and keep working. Sometimes in this situation, it’s difficult because you haven’t won a game in a while. We have to keep going. I believe in this team. Good things will come. That’s it,” said dos Santos. “I’m trying my best. I feel great. I’ve been working a lot on my body and my fitness. I will just keep working. ... It's not just about one player or team; it’s about all the team.
“I’m going to try and do my best every single game and get better every single day. I know that good times will come.”
