Things just never really got started forLAFC this season in Major League Soccer. Bob Bradley’s side was lukewarm during the regular season suffering from inconsistency and injuries to their top players. On Sunday on Decision Day, LAFC was officially eliminated from the MLS Playoffs with a humbling 5-2 defeat to the surprising top of the West Colorado Rapids.
For LAFC it was the culmination of the most disappointing season since their MLS arrival in 2018. Bradley’s team had a less than inspiring record of 12 wins 13 losses and 9 draws. The team did find a spark with the signing of Colombian international Cristian Arango who came midway through the season to score 14 goals but did not get much help anywhere else as the team’s second leading scorer ended up being Diego Rossi with 6 goals, Rossi left on loan to Turkey in July.
The team’s star player Carlos Vela suffered with injury most of the season and scored only 5 goals in 20 matches. Still Vela, whose contract will be up in December, hopes he can stay in Los Angeles and get a chance at redemption.
The questions that remain this offseason for LAFC
Carlos Vela when speaking to reporters after the match stated, “When one of the leaders – the captain – is not giving the best he can or being at his level, obviously, it is all more complicated. So, see what happens, you have to try to change things, go back to work when you have to, go back to work, and put the team level back, the personal level again in high places, because that is where I think we should be and where I work to be”. Vela went on to thank the fans for their support and made no question he would like to stay at the club next season.
“To this day I am still a LAFC player, and as I said from day one. I came to MLS to win titles and I couldn’t do it. It’s something I still want. Keep working if I continue playing on this team, And I’m not going to stop. The truth is that in bad times is when I have the most desire for revenge, the most desire to return to another new season with a recharged illusion and to be able to show everyone how good a player I am and how much I can contribute to this team” Vela stated.
LAFC has a lot to think about this offseason, priority number 1 will most likely be to sell Diego Rossi officially to Fenerbahçe so the club can make good on its promise that it has selling potential. Then things get a bit more complex, Bob Bradley’s contract is up, and in an all too important contract year the team looked stagnant under the former USMNT coach.
Carlos Vela has been struggling with injuries the past two seasons, he also missed the MLS is Back tournament due to personal reasons, his wife’s pregnancy, the team badly missed their star player and while there is no question on his talent or potential, the LAFC brass will need to study if Vela at 32 is still worth such a high salary and injury issues.
Players like Eduard Atuesta and Brian Rodríguez will continue to look towards greener pastures and with a lot of opportunity to shake things up, John Thorrington is in a situation where he can mold LAFC from expansion upstart to a club that will seriously compete for silverware. With or without Vela or Bradley.