This season’s roster makeover for the Galaxy wasn’t as extensive as last season.

The Galaxy signed nearly 20 players before and during the 2021 season, trying to accelerate a rebuild and turnaround in Greg Vanney’s first year.

However, a draw in the final game of the regular season, paired with a late goal by Real Salt Lake, left the Galaxy on the outside of the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.

“We had the capability to be a playoff team,” Vanney said following last season.

The pieces are in place to accomplish that goal this season, but questions remain. The Galaxy hasn’t been a real factor in the Western Conference playoffs since 2014, also the last year it won the MLS Cup.

“As a whole, I think the group is a lot more mature this year,” Vanney said. “The players who came in (last year) midseason had the season to learn to grow, to understand with MLS is about, to get more confident with each other and develop relationships, and everybody has come in more mature, a year later, from the experience. And not making the playoffs after 33 games and 85 minutes has put a chip on the shoulder of some guys.”

The sting from the way last season ended is also something hanging over this year’s team, which kicks off the season against New York City FC on Sunday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.

“We’ve learned from a hurtful lesson,” forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez said. “We just want to maintain all of the good and positive things that we did last season and improve in the other ones, so we don’t experience that same moment that we did last season.

“We want to make it to the playoffs and try to win the sixth championship.”

The Galaxy will be looking to Hernandez to at least duplicate his 2021 performance (17 goals). Newly signed Designated Player Douglas Costa, if he can stay healthy, should add a different dimension to the attack.

After not participating in any of the preseason games, Costa, 31, received his visa earlier this week and will be eligible in the season opener.

“He’s ready, he’s fit,” Vanney said. “Before he came, he was training with Gremio (in Brazil). His fitness is there. How many match minutes is he fit? We’ll be able to tell once he gets out there.”

The question facing Costa and Hernandez will be their health. Hernandez is 33 heading into his third year with the club. Hernandez has been sidelined due to injury in each of his first two seasons.

Adding Costa, should give the Galaxy one of the more potent attack, with Hernandez and Kevin Cabral. Cabral, in his second year, could be in line for a big year.

“He’s been working the last couple of weeks of integrating him into the role that we see him,” Vanney said of Costa. “He’s obviously a very smart player. His quality is fun to watch.”

The key acquisitions, aside from Costa, are midfielder Mark Delgado and defender/midfielder Raheem Edwards, both of whom played for Vanney at Toronto FC. Kelvin Leerdam, who won the MLS Cup with the Seattle Sounders in 2019, joins from Inter Miami.

“It’s a talented group, especially on the attacking side,” Vanney said. “We have a lot of different weapons, guys who do things a little bit different than the next guy, so it’s just about those relationships on the field continuing to grow and to blossom.”

The challenge facing Vanney and the Galaxy this season, like it is every season, will be stopping the opposition from scoring.

“Then it just becomes about our group’s ability to defend, to keep things out of our goal,” he said. “There are times when the level is off the charts and then there are a few moments where we are chaos out there. Once I think we start to establish that, it’s going to be a really good group and the collective defending side, I’m just going to keep saying it because I hope they keep listening to me say it, is the important side.

“If we can bring down or split half our goals against (54) last year, then we’re going to be in the mix to win a lot of things.”

The top two teams in the Western Conference last season allowed 35 or fewer goals – Colorado with 35 and Seattle with 33.

Defending MLS champion New York City FC, the Galaxy’s season-opening opponent at 2 p.m. Sunday, allowed just 36.

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“We have to keep guys healthy and available,” Vanney said. “As much of anything, it’s relationships and repetition and just working together on the field and getting to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The way this year plays out in terms of the schedule, we don’t have a ton of games on top of each other. We have a lot of training weeks and I think that’s going to help us.”

New York City FC at Galaxy

When: 2 p.m. Sunday

Where: Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson

TV: ESPN