Last year, the Galaxy waited until the final moments of the last game of the season to fall out of the playoff chase.

With the 2022 season starting Sunday, all eyes are on Greg Vanney to see if he can lead the Galaxy in his second year not only to the playoffs, but turn the club into a championship contender.

Here are some questions facing the club heading into the season:

Can this team defend?

Allowing goals has been a problem for the Galaxy. Last year’s team allowed 54 goals. In a shortened 2020 season, the club allowed 46 goals (in 22 games). The Galaxy hasn’t had a positive goal differential since 2018 and that team allowed 64 goals.

Defending, or in this case a lack of defending, doesn’t all fall on the shoulders of the goalkeeper and the backline. Last year’s team lacked a bite in the midfield, even with Jonathan dos Santos and Sebastian Lletget on the roster. Now both have moved on and the only real addition has been Mark Delgado. Is there enough toughness and bite to slow the opposition?

Who starts on the backline?

If anything, the Galaxy will start the season with plenty of depth in front of goalkeeper Jonathan Bond. Jorge Villafaña made 21 starts at left back last season until a bone bruise derailed his season. Julian Araujo made 32 starts at right back and you can pencil him for that, unless he moves to Europe in the summer.

The club has added Raheem Edwards and Kelvin Leerdam. Derrick Williams didn’t play in any of the preseason games, Sega Coulilbaly left Saturday’s preseason game with an injury, leaving Nick DePuy and 18-year-old Jalen Neal as the only true healthy center back options heading into Sunday. Vanney has said that if they defend well, then they will be a good team. We’ll see.

Who is Jalen Neal?

If you answered the future, then you’re right, but maybe he should also be the present. Neal is my choice as the young player to watch this season. Vanney spoke highly of Neal during last season’s preseason, but Neal suffered a foot injury and after his recovery spent the season with Galaxy II.

This season, Vanney sees big things for Neal.

“He’s a young man I have huge, huge hope for,” Vanney said earlier this month. “I just think he could be an outstanding center back, not only in this league, I think he can go play at a high level. He just has a mentality of a center back that you don’t see all of the time. Very even-keeled, very calm, he’s a game reader, he’s always assessing the situation and understanding the priorities in a situation, which is really important for center backs. He understands when he’s trying to win the ball versus when he just needs to control plays. He’s very comfortable on the ball. …he will play a role somewhere in this season. I’m really excited about his future.”

4. Will Kevin Cabral shake off his inconsistent season?

Cabral arrived last season from France as the Galaxy young Designated Player. Did he show flashes? Yes. Did he show it consistently? No. In 28 games, he scored five goals with two assists. He often found himself in great scoring position, but wasn’t able to capitalize.

He has definitely looked more comfortable during the preseason. It does take some players some time to adjust to MLS, especially a young player leaving his country for the first time in his career.

5. Is Douglas Costa a good fit?

Costa arrives as the Galaxy’s newest Designated Player, and if you believe everything you read, the move is either a steal for the Galaxy or the worst move in the league. “There are levels of good, and he is the top level of good,” Vanney said.

Costa is 31 and has struggled with injuries, but his speed and dribbling can add another dimension to the Galaxy’s attack. It is difficult to predict his goal and assist numbers, but if the Galaxy get the player that has won more than 20 trophies, then things should be good.

6. Can Chicharito deliver again?

Javier Hernandez bounced back from a difficult 2020 and proved he wasn’t finished, scoring 17 goals. However, he did that in 21 games while missing 13. Now imagine his numbers if he can stay healthy.

Last season, the Galaxy depended a lot on him at the start of the season and then came his leg injury. If they can keep him fresh early, his production should pay down the stretch of the season.

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7. Will the Galaxy make the playoffs?

In Vanney’s first full season with Toronto FC, he led the team to the playoffs. This is his second full season with the Galaxy. After an overhaul, things appear to be heading in the right direction.

The Western Conference is tougher this season with the addition of Nashville SC. The Galaxy don’t appear to be a finished team at the start of the season. Health and consistency will go along way toward determining if this season is a success.