In Retrospect: LAFC v Sporting KC

Los Angeles FC were back at home in the comfortable confines of BMO Stadium, looking to shake off the loss they suffered in Utah. Taking on the always difficult Sporting KC, the team were hoping to get back in the win column, while rebuilding the momentum they had after the season opening win against the Sounders. Unfortunately, it was another slow start to the match, with missed opportunities not helping their cause. The silver lining was the performance from newly acquired goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, who needed every bit of that performance to ensure the team avoided their first loss at home for the new campaign, and finished the night with a scoreless draw.

1 point each.#LAFCvSKC pic.twitter.com/PtrjdGjTaA

— LAFC (@LAFC) March 10, 2024

Old habits die hard

There is no denying LAFC have had one of the more potent attacks over the last couple of years. First it was Chicho Arango scoring at will, now it’s Denis Bouanga taking that baton and raising it a level. Which makes it all the more intriguing that this team over the last season and a half, have developed a habit of starting matches slowly. When they first came into the MLS, Los Angeles were notorious for almost the exact opposite, they would overpower you early in most cases, seeing out results in the second half. Recently however, the team have gotten into the habit of starting slow, and trying to make up for it in the final stretch of matches.

LAFC finished the 2023 season with just over 50% possession for the year, which isn’t terrible, until we look closer. Against the better teams in the league that possession percentage tanked and stayed closer to 35-40%. In the playoffs last year they averaged closer to 30%. To be fair, part of that is by design tactically. Under Bob Bradley, LAFC were a team that aimed to play more Euro-pretty with lots of possession, passing, breaking down of the defense and walking it into the back of the net most times. Under current Head Coach Steve Cherundolo, this team plays a more direct style. They are comfortable allowing the opposition to sit with the ball for most of the match while they look for the right time to go on the counter. You can see this in their shots taken. Despite not keeping the ball much they still get off dozens of shots per match.

The problem is, there is a very fine line between giving the opposition a false sense of security in allowing them all of the possession, and sitting back while your opponent pelts attempt after attempt at your keeper. For LAFC, it has been far too much of the latter lately.  Just look at this tweet celebrating Lloris that LAFC posted. Yes, it’s super impressive and of course you want a goalkeeper who can prove the price tag was worth it, but these aren’t even a fraction of the saves he needed to make that night just to keep a point for his team. With six saves on the night, three came within a 15 minute span that saw him have to channel is inner Tottenham-era Lloris, morphing into a brick wall.

Hugo Lloris, protector of the North End 🧤 #LAFC pic.twitter.com/HehIPka97J

— LAFC (@LAFC) March 13, 2024

It’s how you finish

Not all has been bad for Los Angeles the last two outings. The team has done well in both matches to come out with good adjustments to overtake proceedings in the second half. It’s just been a case of, too little too late, for the squad. The same can be said for the season as a whole. Through three matches, the club have ones across the board. One win, one loss, and one draw. There have been struggles, and they have looked less than we expected, but this is still the first few minutes of the season. Much like matches though, you don’t want to end up three goals down in the opening minutes, but as long as they aren’t on a stretch of losses, there is plenty of time to get this team playing at MLS Cup contention levels.

“Room for improvement, which is how it should be at the beginning of the year after, two games, we’ll call it” said Head Coach Steve Cherundolo with a grin while speaking after the scoreless draw. When asked about the lack of rotation early on this season, especially given how many matches the team put on their legs last year and how tired they looked at the end, Chrundolo expressed now is the time for consistency, saying “we will make changes moving forward, but for now, searching for stability, and to start the season off with some consistency, I think not rotating right now is the best call.”

“The next game in Minnesota will be very important” said goalkeeper Hugo Lloris when speaking on the team’s performance to start the season. “We need to understand that we have to go [to Minnesota] and get the three points. We need our leaders, we need players to have more impact to bring the team to the top, but again it’s important to stay calm and continue to improve our performance.” Hearing the team after this one, was refreshing. Far too often we hear the same old ‘sports speak’ where coaches and players give you the same answers you’ve heard a million times, but LAFC weren’t  afraid to acknowledge, despite it being early in the season they haven’t started as they intended. They acknowledge they need to improve, and that it has to happen now.

The way forward

Head Coach Steve Cherundolo wasn’t shy about lighting a fire under star striker Denis Bouanga, who recently signed a contract extension. The defending Golden Boot winner has yet to find the back of the net this season, and the team has suffered for it. While there are other players absolutely capable of finding the back of the net, the attack most definitely goes through Denis, and when he isn’t scoring, we see the result. The team seem to understand they need to get back on track, and find a way to get into the rhythm they want to maintain for the season. It all starts this weekend at Minnesota, against a team that has yet to lose this season. Not only that, but Minnesota also boast the third-most goals in the league through three matches. If there was a match the team couldn’t really afford to start slow in, its on the road against a team like Minnesota. They know what needs to be done, the question is, can they do it?

Thoughts on the draw and the upcoming match in Minnesota? Leave a comment below!