Season Grades: Gaston Brugman
The Uruguayan was keystone player during his first full season with the Galaxy
Gaston Brugman’s arrival during the midway point of the 2022 season showed lots of promise. The LA Galaxy needed a midfielder who could hold his own defensively while also progressing possession during the build-up - the exact playstyle of the Brugman.
The 31-year-old midfielder showed his class and ability to control the middle of the park during the 2023 season. Despite the turbulent start to LA’s campaign, the Uruguayan was always a bright spot and played his role consistently.
His season ended prematurely as he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee during LA’s Leagues Cup match versus Club Leon. The Galaxy relied on his defensive and offensive play for much of the season and that was lost in the final third of the season.
Season Highlight
It’s not often you see a player score off a one-touch strike from a corner kick cross. Brugman did that this season and that goal helped give a jolt to the Galaxy down by three goals in Vancouver. This was unfortunately the Uruguayans’ last MLS match of the season.
Looking at the numbers
Just looking at his Per 90 chart, you can see Brugman is involved in lots of areas across the field.
Defensively, the Galaxy needed Brugman to be active. Riqui Puig doesn’t play defense and thus others around him needed to pick up the defensive work. Brugman is in the top 85 percentile or higher in categories such as tackles won, interceptions, dribbles tackled, and ball recoveries.
What’s most interesting is that through 33 games the LA Galaxy has played this season, Brugman leads the Galaxy in tackles and interceptions with 94 despite playing in just 22 games.
Much of LA’s game plan revolved around giving Brugman the ball and spraying it forward. He received an average of 64.1 passes per 90 and his passes totaled 441.5 progressive yards per 90 - that tally ranks in the 99th percentile.
With Brugman out for the season, LA lost a midfielder who moved the ball forward at an elite level and into the feet of their attackers. He ranked in the 96th percentile in passes into the final third (8.4) and 98th in progressive passes (9.1) on a per 90 basis.
He wasn’t immune to LA’s issues with poor giveaways in the midfield. Brugman is a progressive player and thus it’s no surprise for his passes to be intercepted. He gives the ball away so poorly with eight players ahead of him in this clip:
It’s not often you saw him commit many mistakes and give the ball away at this caliber so poorly during 2023. His excellent chemistry with Riqui Puig made their connection on the pitch extremely reliable in every game they played together.
Grade: A
You can’t deny how important Brugman is in the middle of the pitch for the LA Galaxy. He was the team's keystone player who provided lots of production on both sides of the ball.
During LA’s seven-game unbeaten, Brugman put up great performances and helped the Galaxy find their best consistency of the season with notable wins over LAFC and the Philadelphia Union.
With a healthy Brugman for the final third of the season, LA finishes out the season better. His defensive contributions were missed and he provides more stability in the midfield to help out Puig.
He continued to put up great performances while the team struggled. You could count on him putting the ball in the attacking third on a consistent basis. LA will hope he can return to the pitch at the start of the 2024 campaign.