In years past, Major League Soccer teams finding consistency across multiple competitions was essentially unheard of.
Teams would play well in MLS competition but struggle in the CONCACAF Champions League. Last season, Seattle Sounders became the first MLS team to win the CCL, but their league form was abysmal as a result, ending a league-record run of 13 consecutive playoff seasons.
After showing league consistency last season by winning the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup double, LAFC is bucking the trend by finding a form early in 2023 that has never been seen before.
Steve Cherundolo’s side is unbeaten in league play despite the rigors of finding their way to the Champions League Semifinal. In the process, Cherundolo has become the fastest coach in the MLS non-shootout era to reach 25 regular season wins (40 games). This consistency is the component that elevates a team from good to great.
They’re not squeaking by either. The aggregate score of LAFC’s first ten matches is 19-5.
The question then becomes; how is LAFC producing such incredible form in multiple competitions? I talked with Head Coach Steve Cherundolo and defender Ryan Hollingshead to find out.
“We actually have addressed that this season and started putting the question out there.” Hollingshead told me, “Why does there need to be a lull? Why does there need to be valleys or dry patches, or whatever you want to call them? Why can’t we continue to perform at the level we know we can perform day in and day out?”
Depth: Quality Over Quantity
Coming into the season, depth was the biggest concern for LAFC fans. However, it’s clear now that depth is a strength of this team. During the international break, Cherundolo explained, “We are one or two players short in relation to last season. We are a little thinner, not by quality, just by sheer numbers.” The defending champions have since added 21-year-old attacker Mateusz Bogusz, but what Steve pointed out is the key here. Quality over quantity.
2022 depth for LAFC included Sebastien Ibeagha, Franco Escobar, Doneil Henry, Jhegson Méndez, Danny Musovski, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, Tomás Romero, Latif Blessing, and Gareth Bale. By quantity, that is much more than the 2023 team. However, that group is no match for the quality of Timothy Tillman, Stipe Biuk, Mateusz Bogusz, Aaron Long, Eldin Jakupović, Denil Maldonado, and Sergi Palencia.
The massive increase in quality of depth pieces means that when rotating a team for a weekend MLS game between CCL, as LAFC did heavily against Austin, they’ll still win 3-0.
The reason MLS has likely not seen this quality before is, “it’s hard to have the same amount of depth in this league in salary caps and budgets and all this stuff.” Ryan Hollingshead explained to me before joking, “I’m glad I’m not on that side of it, just on the playing side.”
John Thorrington is the main guy on that side of it as the Co-President and General Manager of LAFC. Along with Co-President Larry Freedman and Director of Football Operations Marcos Garces, they have built one of the best front offices in MLS. The quality depth they have signed this season is the latest evidence.
Difference Makers: Match-Winners
Denis Bouanga is the MVP frontrunner six games into the MLS season, recording six goals and one assist. He leads the CCL Golden Boot race with five goals in three matches. He has recorded a hat trick in both competitions.
Did you forget about Carlos Vela for a second there?
Throughout the 2022 season, LAFC had two players who could decide a match: Carlos Vela and Chicho Arango. Other players chipped in, providing the well-rounded team mentality needed to be successful, but if you needed a goal in 2022, you called upon Vela or Arango.
Here in 2023, Bouanga has replaced Chicho Arango (and he’s better?) while you can add Stipe Biuk, Mateusz Bogusz, and due to his starting role, Mahala Opoku to the list of LAFC match-winners. Many would argue I’m leaving out Timothy Tillman as well.
While there’s no doubt Denis Bouanga will be the biggest goal-contributor for LAFC this season, Carlos Vela has been playing poorly by his own admission, yet has still racked up four goals and three assists in all competitions. Opoku and Biuk have been dangerous but underperforming in the final third with three combined goals. Bogusz’s debut is imminent. This department Is ever-improving.
These are the types of players, as Bouanga has shown, that change games. They ensure your team gets wins when you deserve a draw and draws when you deserve to lose. A multitude of match-winners is a cheat code to consistency.
The most incredible part is LAFC still has a DP spot open with maneuverability during the summer transfer window. At that point, expect the defending champions to add another match-winner to this already frightening list.
Defensive Solidity
Most of the focus at LAFC falls on those superstar attackers but in this beautiful game, if you don’t concede a goal, you can’t lose. “That is as far as I know in this game, the recipe to success.” Cherundolo quipped, “Defend well and at moments be effective in front of goal.” LAFC has shown this mentality thus far in April, having not conceded a goal in their last four matches.
It helps to have one of the best defenders of all time on your team 38-year-old Giorgio Chiellini. “ sees things a step or two ahead. Other players see that as well and feed off of that.” Cherundolo praised.
Of course, it’s not just about one player though. Cherundolo has confidence in all seven of the defenders on his roster to start and perform well, in any match, in any competition. That is because, while each of them is an extremely talented footballer, the defensive system is more important than any individual.
“We have very talented individual players.” Cherundolo prefaced, “But we also try to connect the dots between our backline, midfield, and our attackers to have answers defensively as a collective in every portion of the field.” It starts with a press from the front three, and continues with constant pressure and force in the midfield, before meeting a backline made of bricks.
Vancouver Whitecaps Head Coach Vanni Sartini noted that he was even more impressed with the force from LAFC players than he was with the technical quality.
“I can promise you as an ex-defender, we will continue to work defensively.” Cherundolo ensured. That is a sentiment that echoes within Cherundolo’s coaching style. He’s never satisfied.
Despite gaining 10 points from his last four matches with an aggregate score of 9-0, Cherundolo made clear, “We still have a lot of work to do. We are constantly trying to get better.”
The next step in maintaining this new level of consistency will be traveling to the home of their bitter rivals LA Galaxy, a place they’ve never won, and coming out with three points.
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