Comparisons in sports are inevitable. Sometimes they are even necessary to truly paint a picture. And other times they might seem a bit forced in a way of hanging onto a past that’s no longer reality.
LAFC right now falls somewhere in the middle of all that.
It does make sense why this team, which will be hosting the Western Conference final, right now is being talked about along with the 2019 squad. The similarities are hard to look past: won the Supporters’ Shield; earned a first-round bye in the MLS Cup playoffs; hosted and beat rival LA Galaxy in a wild first playoff game. That right there is exactly where the comparisons should end.
This LAFC is not the one of the past. It’s indeed a new era, trying to learn from prior mistakes but leave all that talk of 2019 where it belongs — part of history. Out of that roster that ran through the league in record-setting fashion, only three players remain: Carlos Vela, Eddie Segura and Latif Blessing. Let the captain tell you himself.
“No, I think we are really different,” Vela said. “Every single coach makes the team different. This time I think we have more experience in the group, more depth in our squad. I think everybody is a little bit more fresh because we rotate a lot. Everybody feels part of this group, feels important.”
The main factor that has this LAFC squad playing on a particular level is MLS Coach of the Year candidate Steve Cherundolo. Taking over the gig as a first-year head coach was never going to be easy, especially trying to live to the standard Bob Bradley created in his time in charge. But Bradley’s run in L.A. ended in a manner that had no more to give. It was his way and that’s it.
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