LAFC coach Marc Dos Santos hopes to restore attacking identity after World Cup - BERITAJA

Recent losses, extracurricular disapproval and a consciousness that the team’s personality has strayed from its original way person near LAFC successful an uncomfortable position.

As the squad prepares to big the Seattle Sounders connected Sunday astatine BMO Stadium earlier a mandatory break for the World Cup, coach Marc Dos Santos shared his thoughts connected the team’s adversity and goals for the future.

The coach said 1 of his main self-criticisms progressive straying from the attacking personality he intended to build astatine LAFC since taking complete arsenic caput coach.

“Outside disapproval erstwhile the squad loses isn’t that important to maine because I’ve learned successful my life that if you’re going to build a life based connected what outsiders deliberation of you, you’re going to beryllium very unhappy,” Dos Santos said. “But successful self-reflection, I’ll show you 1 thing: I’m difficult connected myself. I judge we were building thing pinch a clear identity, and aft the bid against Cruz Azul — successful the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals — I thought about switching to a three-man backline to take sides more. I went successful a much protect direction, and I don’t want to beryllium for illustration that.”

The coach said the tactical alteration was the incorrect move for LAFC.

“It was a correction connected my part, and it doesn’t bespeak LAFC’s personality — it’s not what I want to build here,” Dos Santos said. “I want to make judge that this summertime I thoroughly analyse what we request to change, and I person to enactment existent to LAFC’s identity.”

The comments travel astatine a delicate clip for LAFC, which has fto imaginable MLS wins gaffe distant contempt showing competitory moments precocious against St. Louis City SC and Nashville SC.

LAFC had hoped to erstwhile again beryllium 1 of the ascendant teams successful the Western Conference, but violative inconsistencies and tactical adjustments person led to questions about the coaching staff. The Los Angeles broadside sits successful seventh spot successful the West pinch 21 points, 8 points down the leader, the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Dos Santos dismissed the thought that the problem is solely related to the tactical strategy and insisted that the about important alteration involves reclaiming fierce principles pinch and without the ball.

“When we person the ball, we person to show the characteristic to spell aft it — we can’t beryllium afraid,” he said. “And erstwhile we don’t person the ball, we can’t conscionable beryllium back. Look astatine 1 of the champion teams successful the world, Paris Saint-Germain F.C. Look astatine really they tally without the ball. That’s shot today.”

Amid this shot overhaul, 1 of the about intimately watched names remains Denis Bouanga. The Gabonese guardant hasn’t made the aforesaid ascendant power arsenic successful erstwhile seasons, though Dos Santos insisted that his narration pinch the subordinate remains coagulated and transparent.

“Denis knows what I want. I’ve ever been very honorable pinch him,” the coach said. “Last twelvemonth we played a batch of games successful a 3-5-2, defending a batch pinch Denis and Son [Heung-min,] but the nine and I want to move to a different model. We’re each connected the aforesaid page.”

Son Heung-min will temporarily time off LAFC aft the lucifer against Seattle to subordinate South Korea’s training campy up of the World Cup, which will beryllium played successful the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The Asian guardant said his afloat attraction remains connected this weekend’s match.

“I’m not reasoning about that yet,” Son said of the World Cup. “The about important lucifer is connected Sunday. I conscionable want to make judge we get a awesome consequence earlier heading to the World Cup and get successful bully beingness condition.”

Son expects to beryllium tested erstwhile South Korea travels to Mexico to play immoderate of its World Cup matches.

“It’s not easy successful Mexico, honestly,” he explained. “The altitude and conditions are different, but you person to emotion those large challenges. We’re really excited.”

As Son prepares to leave, LAFC faces a second-half schedule filled pinch aggravated competition. Following the lucifer against Seattle, the nine will return from the break to play against the rival Galaxy connected July 17.

For Dos Santos, these challenges specify the demands of managing LAFC.

“LAFC is simply a nine that wants to triumph and whose fans want to spot it win,” Dos Santos said. “Here, there’s ever the work to execute astatine a [high level]. If you don’t want to beryllium successful large games, you don’t coach astatine LAFC.”

The coach said outer disapproval isn’t influencing his plans.

“The unit we consciousness is the unit we put connected ourselves,” Dos Santos said. “Pressure is erstwhile a expert calls you and tells you you person a problem, aliases erstwhile your kid has a problem. Soccer is simply a sport. You could triumph aliases lose. What you could power is improving the squad during the week.”

Dos Santos said the World Cup break will service arsenic a cardinal opportunity for soul study earlier redefining the club’s shot direction. With the play hardly halfway through, the coach said that regaining the team’s personality will beryllium conscionable arsenic important arsenic earning points erstwhile MLS returns successful the summer.

This article first appeared successful Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.