LAFC: Replicating all-action midfield requires an anomaly
MLS teams will surely try to replicate LAFC’s approach this season, especially their all-action central midfield. But there is a problem: it requires an anomaly, Carlos Vela, something that, by definition, is irreplicable.
As world football grows in its awareness, intelligence and tactical acumen, each year features new approaches and developments that coaches have implemented as a response to previous strengths of particular systems.
This modern tactical age started with the introduction of the third central midfielder. Before then, teams almost exclusively played a 4-4-2. In came the third central midfielder and the tactical revolution began, moving through periods of tika-taka, high-pressing, counter-pressing, bunkering, and now the focus on the transitions.
A recent trend in MLS has seen teams prioritise a creative attacking midfielder. Often a high-paid designated player, the best teams in the league have often been the ones that put a highly skilled creative player in the best positions to succeed. Think Diego Valeri in Portland, Nicolas Lodeiro in Seattle, or Sebastian Giovinco/Victor Vazquez and now Alejandro Pozuelo in Toronto.
But last season, the best team in MLS — and arguably the best team in MLS history — did not have a central, creative attacking midfielder. Rather, their central midfield featured three energetic, all-action, high-pressing, industrious individuals who could hound and harass opponents, turnover possession at a high rate, and spring counter-attacks with quick, direct passes.
Los Angeles FC’s starting central midfield trio consisted of Eduard Atuesta, Mark-Anthony Kaye and Latif Blessing. For all of the brilliant players they had throughout the team, this was the basis of LAFC’s dominance throughout 2019.
As Bobby Warshaw of mlssoccer.com points out, the LAFC central midfield had a very different purpose than creating chances with ingenious passes and incisive distribution:
"“LAFC completely suffocated the midfield and made it impossible to pass against them. They were more likely to create a chance via defensive pressure and transitions than a slick through ball (though they could do those, too). While Bradley often talks about replicating Pep Guardiola teams, his LAFC group took on a very Liverpool approach to their midfield.”"
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In that piece, Warshaw highlights that expectation that teams may look to copy this tactical approach. He recognises several different tactical elements from the past season that other teams may copy next year, the structure and definition of LAFC’s midfield one of those.
In essence, he has a point. LAFC were so successful as a result of their midfield that it makes sense that other teams would attempt to replicate their system. But there is a crucial difference from LAFC to every other team in MLS. In Carlos Vela, they have an utter anomaly.
Unlike any other player, perhaps in the history of the league, Vela provides a creative and goalscoring threat from out wide that is utterly unique. While trying to use the LAFC system makes sense because they were utterly superb last season, they were so good because they had a freak of a player in Vela, someone who had the greatest individual season in MLS history. Trying to replicate that, then, seems a little foolish.
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LAFC are the best MLS team in history. Replicating their approach makes sense, especially in central midfield. But they were so brilliant because of an individual player who is inherently unlikely to be found again. Vela himself is an anomaly, and chasing after an anomaly is a fool’s errand.