Elijah Wynder Finds His Footing as LA Galaxy’s Season Nears Its End
After a rocky start in Los Angeles, Wynder’s grasp of Greg Vanney’s tactics is powering his best stretch of the year
Elijah Wynder’s season has taken a turn for the better as the 2025 season comes to a close.
He scored in the LA Galaxy’s 2-1 win over FC Dallas on Saturday night to help pull LA out of the bottom of the Supporters Shield standings with a game to go in the MLS season. The season has been a disappointment for the LA Galaxy, and it was too for Wynder until this last stretch of the season.
Wynder entered the 2025 season as the LA Galaxy’s most intriguing signing of the season. The 22-year-old was named the 2024 USL Young Player of the Year as a member of Louisville City FC. This season would see Wynder step out of his comfort zone by making the jump to the MLS level and learning what head coach Greg Vanney demands from his midfielders. This transition wasn’t easy.
Wynder looked out of place and slow during his first few starts of the season. Vanney’s system requires his players to read the game and anticipate where to be positionally to help keep the ball flowing. He wasn’t on the same wavelength as the rest of his teammates and struggled to be an asset in possession.
“Functioning in a system versus functioning with freedom on the field was something that he was trying to wrap his head around early on,” said Vanney about Wynder following the victory against FC Dallas.
“I think he grasped it,” added Vanney.
Wynder discussed postgame the way Vanney wants to utilize the midfield and how he had to adjust to playing in this system behind the scenes.
“[Vanney] likes to manipulate the opponents with the midfielders, and I was not used to, like, where to show up, when to get out of that. So I spent a whole lot of time with the coaching staff, like Nick [Theslof] and [Jason Bent], with movements and when to do that timing and stuff like that,” he said.
The extra work and focus with the training staff is paying off in this final stretch of the season.
This evolution in Wynder’s game from being reliant on physical gifts to a player who’s reading the game to find space in possession is massive in being able to carve out a long career in soccer. It’s something Vanney told the 22-year-old early in this young season.
“ [Vanney] told me, ‘If you can learn my system and feel comfortable in it, then it should open up more doors for you.’ So I think it’s added on to what I’ve already been able to do, and now I’m feeling more comfortable in Greg’s system,” he told reporters.
That comfort has been clear in recent weeks. Wynder’s touches have become cleaner, his positioning sharper, and his decision-making quicker. He’s not just relying on his athleticism anymore but he’s reading the game, finding space, and linking play with composure. Defensively, his anticipation and physicality have also taken a major step forward, allowing him to win duels and disrupt opposing attacks.
Wynder was one of the standout performers during the Campeones Cup match at the start of October. The match against Toluca FC had the intensity and emotions of a playoff match. Wynder wasn’t just another player; he was a machine in the Galaxy midfield against the reigning Liga MX champions. Despite not winning the match, Wynder has his battle scars for what a playoff-like match can be as a member of the Galaxy.
Wynder’s improvement comes at a crucial time for LA, which has struggled for midfield balance all season long. Wynder’s rise has given Vanney a high-energy option capable of linking defense to attack ahead of the 2026 season.
With Riqui Puig set to return to the pitch in 2026, Wynder’s accession gives this Galaxy a new look in the trenches for the next season