There is a reason countless fans are calling for the dismissal of coach Mark Dos Santos. LAFC, once considered a title contender, has seen its power ranking fall to as low as 10th.
Major League Soccer (MLS) announced on the 20th (Korean time) on its official website the league power rankings based on round 14. Nashville SC took first place.
Nashville jumped from third to first thanks to Hanni Muktar's hat trick on the 18th, leading LAFC to a 3-2 defeat. MLS praised, "Muktar delivered a hat trick, including an incredible free-kick multi-goal, and made a huge contribution to the team's impressive victory. Nashville continues to prove that they are the most complete team in the league."
Conversely, LAFC fell to 10th place. After dropping to seventh in the previous round, they slipped three more places. MLS assessed, "The situation is not good. LAFC has managed only one point in their last four matches. As a result, they have fallen to seventh in the Western Conference standings. Still, Denis Bouanga is showing composure."
With the loss to Nashville, LAFC fell into a slump of three consecutive league defeats and four straight official matches including cup competitions. It is the first time in five years that LAFC has recorded four consecutive losses. Son Heung-min also played the full 90 minutes, helping assist Bouanga's follow-up goal, but his efforts were not enough to prevent the team's defeat.
This is a development no one could have imagined early in the season. LAFC was regarded as a strong title contender and raised hopes when, with Son Heung-min's assist from the opening match, they defeated Lionel Messi's Inter Miami. But coach Dos Santos said he did not want a team that relied solely on Son Heung-min and Bouanga for goals, and introduced tactics different from last season, which proved to be a misstep.
LAFC has become a listless team as the explosive power of Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga has disappeared as if by a lie. They have only one win in their last eight league matches. If this continues, they face the risk of suffering a five-game losing streak for the first time in club history.
Above all, Son Heung-min's goal drought is lengthening. He failed to find the net against Nashville as well. Although he added one assist to reach 16 assists in all competitions this season and nine assists in the league, he has gone 12 MLS matches without scoring and has yet to record his first goal of the season. Officially, it is 955 minutes with zero goals.
Naturally, criticism toward coach Dos Santos is skyrocketing. He has killed the destructive power of the 'Heung-Bu duo' Son Heung-min and Bouanga. When Son Heung-min joined in August last year, the pair immediately showed the league's best attacking prowess, but under the newly appointed coach Dos Santos they are the opposite. Individual-dependent goals occur only occasionally, and goals created through team play are almost nonexistent.
It is reasonable to see this as a result of tactical changes. Son Heung-min and Bouanga used to operate as a two-striker front line, coordinating to lead sharp counterattacks, but this season Son Heung-min plays as the central forward while Bouanga plays as a left winger. Moreover, because they are often isolated, Son Heung-min frequently drops deeper to distribute the ball and draw opposition pressure to create space.
Adding to the frustration, Bouanga has not hidden his exasperation, which has intensified the controversy. He said, "It's difficult for both me and Son Heung-min. This year we are playing in a different way. I'm playing wider on the wing, a bit further from Son Heung-min, and Son Heung-min is playing up front. So it's hard to play the same way as last season."
Bouanga continued, "We are adapting to it but it's not easy. Still, we will keep going," yet sighed, "Every time I get the ball I want to find Son Heung-min, and other players want to find him too. But it's not easy. It's a tough situation. I don't know how to explain it."
Ultimately, the tactical change that prevents Son Heung-min and Bouanga—whose finishing is their greatest strength—from focusing on scoring can be seen as the problem. In particular, Son Heung-min has become more of a provider. He has 2 goals and 16 assists in all competitions this season. Bouanga has at least recorded 6 goals and 2 assists in 13 league matches, but his overall influence has noticeably diminished.
Bouanga also admitted, "The role itself is the same. It's the same. But I have to defend more and help teammates and the left fullback more. It's difficult for me, but I can do it," he said, confessing, "But moving forward is really hard. The distance I have to cover is too much."
Of course, Bouanga quickly clarified after his remarks sparked controversy. He said, "I feel my words were clearly misinterpreted. I was never trying to criticize the staff or the team's style of play. I fully trust the team and the coach. I only meant that it's different from how we played last year and that adapting naturally takes time," he said, attempting to soothe the situation.
Despite that, calls for Dos Santos's dismissal have not subsided. 'LAFC Fan TV' harshly criticized, "Bouanga's legacy is already firmly established in LAFC history. Why should he withdraw his words to protect a useless person who would ruin that legacy getting bigger?" If LAFC fails to produce a different result against Seattle on the 25th and enters the World Cup break, dismissal could become a reality.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), LAFC social media.
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