CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy’s 2016 was a tumultuous one filled with brilliant goals and frustrating moments for Bruce Arena’s men, ultimately ending in a penalty kick shootout defeat in the Western Conference Semifinals.
As we look back on 2016, LA Galaxy Insider Adam Serrano will provide a review of each position. The LA Galaxy Insider Year in Review will begin with goalkeepers and then move up the field to defenders, midfielders, and forwards.
Several select players will also have their own review, based on the number of appearances made.
BRIAN ROWE
APPEARANCES IN ALL OFFICIAL COMPETITIONS FOR THE GALAXY FIRST TEAM:
GP: 35 (31 in MLS regular season, three in MLS Cup Playoffs, one in U.S. Open Cup)
GS: 34 (30 in MLS regular season, three in MLS Cup Playoffs, one in U.S. Open Cup)
RECORD: 14-7-14; SV: 127; GAA: 1.05; SO: 10
HIGHLIGHTS:
As I said in a previous review, the 2016 campaign was the year of Rowe.
For the past several years, Rowe showed glimpses of being ready for the grind of first team duty in stop starts and appearances for LA Galaxy II, but in 2016, he put it all together and solidified himself a starting goalkeeper in Major League Soccer.
A steady presence in net, Rowe’s numbers were comparable to some of the league’s top netminders and helped him earn Goalkeeper of the Year buzz at points during the season. In just his first year as the Galaxy’s No. 1 goalkeeper, Rowe finished with the third highest mark in saves (113) and shutouts (9), while also keeping a 1.10 goals against average in 31 regular season appearances. His goals against average superior to that of eventual Goalkeeper of the Year award winner, Andre Blake.
But Rowe wasn’t purely just a steady goalkeeper, as he also had the ability to make dramatic saves like his effort against Clint Dempsey in mid-summer and his spectacular two-handed save on Jermaine Jones in the Galaxy’s Western Conference Semifinal playoff series.
Although the Galaxy’s season ended in disappointment, Galaxy boss Bruce Arena had praise for Rowe’s progression.
“He had a solid year. Obviously going into the year, we thought Dan Kennedy would be our goalkeeper. Then he gets injured in the first 10 minutes of the first game, missed about four weeks after that and never quite got his feet back on the ground,” Arena said. “That was difficult, and Brian came in as a keeper with little first-team experience. That was challenging, and I think for the most part he had a pretty solid season.”
LOWLIGHTS:
Brian Rowe locked down the starting role for the LA Galaxy in 2016, but the job is hardly done for the 28-year-old goalkeeper.
As steady as Rowe was during his first campaign as a regular starter, there were still several miscues that ultimately proved decisive at season’s end. Whether it was his inability to handle a Didier Drogba free kick in a late defeat to Montreal or unable to stop a string of late goals conceded, Rowe heads into the 2017 campaign with plenty to build upon for next year.
However, as frustrating as the Montreal or Colorado defeats were, they paled in comparison to the team’s penalty kick shootout loss to the Colorado Rapids. Although hardly at fault for either Shkëlzen Gashi’s wonder goal during regulation or the penalty kick shootout defeat, Rowe will undoubtedly use the entire experience as motivation heading into next year.
“PK’s are always a tough way to lose. You look back at the whole season and look at how well we’ve come together as a team and how well we’ve been playing for the last couple weeks,” Rowe said postgame. “To have it come down to five penalty kicks is a tough way to have the season end. We fought the whole time, and we were in it until the end – it was a tough way to lose.”
OVERVIEW:
Brian Rowe secured his place as the LA Galaxy’s starting goalkeeper after years on the sidelines in 2017
Given an opportunity with Dan Kennedy struck down by injury, Rowe proved to the Galaxy coaching staff that he was up to the task by not only winning the position but putting up solid numbers comparable with some of the league’s best goalkeepers.
However, as successful as Rowe’s season was in 2016, the Galaxy may once again opt to bring in another veteran goalkeeper to compete with the young netminder. If Los Angeles does add another ‘keeper to their roster, expect Rowe to be up for the challenge once more of showing why he should hold the Galaxy’s No. 1 job.
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/insider and contact him atLAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
