The last time we saw LAFC in a rough patch like this, it was early days in the season, as the team struggled to find their footing. After an embarrassing 3-1 loss on the road to San Jose Earthquakes, the team seemed to have turned things around. What followed was a 22-match run that saw LAFC lose just one match – a home thrashing at the hands of Columbus Crew – while only coming to a draw twice. Throughout all competitions the team looked as unbeatable as a team could look. They even found themselves with a chance at extra retribution against the same Crew team that not only beat them thoroughly at home earlier in the season, but beat them for the MLS Cup just last season. That, is where it seemed to all go sideways for the black & gold, who know find themselves staggering into what is the biggest rivalry match MLS has, a trip to Carson to take on the Galaxy.
Full focus on Saturday 💪 pic.twitter.com/RnYUAzevft
— LAFC (@LAFC) September 12, 2024
Forget the failures
The real turning point for LAFC was their Leagues Cup Final loss to Columbus Crew. It wasn’t just a loss, it wasn’t just an opportunity for a trophy that just slipped past. This was one of those moments where you could tell, it hit the team like a wrecking ball. In some ways, it was rock bottom. The team had three chances at silverware in 2023, appearing in three finals, only to come up on the losing side each time. The last, a loss to the Crew in the MLS Cup. This year was supposed to be different. Perhaps it was foreshadowing when Columbus came into Los Angeles and thumped the team at home. With another early chance at silverware this year, with yet another chance to overcome the team that has shown to have figured you out, the team came up short. And not just that, they looked pretty terrible in the process. Lack of attacking bite, lack of vision at times, poor decisions in build-up, it was not the team that had spent the last few months steamrolling teams, that is for certain.
Since the loss, LAFC have played three matches, seeing all three possible results. They got a win over Seattle Sounders in the US Open Cup. A match that, if you had watched, you would admit was one where a more clinical Seattle side would have dispatched of LAFC easily. That form continued with a home loss to the Houston Dynamo, a side fighting to get into one of the last playoff spots. The team most recently came away with a draw against the same Houston side, this time in their house. That match, while not the result wanted, was actually a solid result considering the team went in missing six player to International Duty. All that is to say, what LAFC need is a complete reset. Much like they needed after the road loss to San Jose. It’s time to fully get over the finals loss, and get back on track to establishing themselves as favorites in the postseason.
Full time. pic.twitter.com/f9b8KcUY69
— LAFC (@LAFC) August 26, 2024
Battle for LA and the West
“I can read the standings, and understand the urgency from their perspective” said LAFC Head Coach Steve Cherundolo when answering questions from media ahead of tomorrow’s match. “The same thoughts and urgency are from our side, it’s a derby and I think both teams want to win, regardless of the standings.” While he is absolutely not wrong, especially with how this rivalry has grown to Michigan-Ohio State levels of hatred. However, there is always something a bit more to a rivalry match when you take into account it has implications for the top spot. LAFC come into tomorrow just four points off LA Galaxy in for the top spot in the Western Conference, and that number one seed. A win tomorrow would put them just a point back while also putting all the pressure on Galaxy. See, while we talked about LAFC struggles coming into tomorrow, the rivals haven’t been much better. Galaxy have won just two of their last five matches, with goals drying up and them looking for anyone to catch fire and spark the rest of the team at the moment.
LAFC have to prevent that from happening. The good news, the players who had missed the last match, have returned and will be ready for action. One of those players, Mateusz Bogusz, knows how important tomorrow can be for the overall standings as the season approaches its end, “I think we are in a good position. I know we are second, with one or two games [played] less than Galaxy, so Saturday will be a very important game” said Bogusz when talking to media. “If we can win this game, we can put ourselves in a really good position for the rest of the season. Every game is important before players and we want to finish first.”
Starting another run
Counting tomorrow, there are eight matches left for LAFC in the MLS season, while the team also have what many consider to be a must-win US Open Cup Final against Sporting KC at the end of the month. If ever there was a time to start another long run of dominance, its now, ahead of the playoffs. The biggest key for LAFC will be getting their stars going again. Its been a rough go lately for Denis Bouanga and Matuesz Bogusz who haven’t seemed to be as potent as they had been. In the last four matches combined, LAFC have only gotten 15 shots on target, with most matches finishing with the team getting off less than 15 shots. For comparison, the last dominant win the team had, a 4-0 thrashing of the rapids, they managed 24 shots with 10 finding their target. That is just a single match! Having already won two over the G’s, expect them to do anything and everything to avoid not only getting swept, but having their top spot thrown into contention. There are far more than bragging rights in this chapter of the derby, if LAFC are going to get back to dominant ways, it starts tomorrow in Carson.
Thoughts on recent form going into the derby? Leave a comment below!