Back home after a historic road trip, LAFC is in training this week in preparation for a home match for the first time.
Having guided the Club to four wins and 12 points in six away matches, I asked Bob Bradley if he could point to one match where his team looked the most complete.
“One match? I don’t have a good answer,” Bradley said after training on Wednesday. “I see different things."
“I still remember after we went down 1-0 against Atlanta, for the rest of the half, we played in their end. They had a hard time getting out. But we weren’t sharp enough in the final moments. All the good work to step up and keep the ball, have possession, didn’t amount to much. I’ve seen other games where we stepped up and put the game on our terms, lost concentration, and maybe paid the price. I still look at everything and make sure that it’s part of what training looks like. And then from there, remind the players that it’s still going in a good direction.”
The 5-0 loss to Atlanta during the road trip was the only time Bradley’s men have been shutout this season. With 16 goals scored in just six matches, LAFC are only behind Sporting KC’s 20 goals scored in the Western Conference. Although, SKC have played two more matches.
“We worked hard to establish some football ideas. I think I’m pleased that every match you see things coming together. You see quality passing on the ground. You see good movement. You see creating good attacks and good chances. Good reactions when we lose the ball,” Bradley said, assessing his squad up to this point.
But as is customary this early in the season, Bradley did emphasize there were areas that need work.
“And then in some moments, we still have a tendency to be a more on the defensive. To back up a little bit more and not step up and close down,” Bradley said “For us, I still think even when you’re not pressing all out, that ability to start defending a little bit earlier and know when the first guy steps up you can reposition. I think that’s an important part of what we still want to work on.”
Despite the Club having gone without a home match thus far, the LAFC head coach is pretty sure he knows what to expect come the home opener.
“I think from everything that has taken place so far, our supporters are loud and they’re behind us,” Bradley said. “And then it’s our responsibility to play football that they enjoy and are proud of.”
For the first time in Club history, LAFC will get the chance to show their football to the home crowd at Banc of California Stadium on Sunday against the Seattle Sounders (April 29 at 6pm PST | FS1).
News & Notes
- Rookie João Moutinho was back in full training on Thursday. The left back returned from a red-card suspension last week but picked up an injury during training. He should be at Bradley's disposal this week against Seattle.
- Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons watched training on Thursday. The Gold Glove winner joked with Bradley that in a few years he might be ready to join LAFC. Originally from Curaçao, Simmons said he spends the offseason with friends back home playing soccer.
- You might remember Seattle's Cristian Roldan saying this on Twitter before the 2018 season:
Of course, Tyler Miller shut out Roldan and the Sounders in LAFC's first match of the season in Seattle. I asked Miller if he had a chance to talk to Roldan this week and if there was any more trash talk going on. Miller said he had talked to Roldan, but that he would rather let his play on the field do that talking.
