It certainly has been a difficult start to the season for Los Angeles FC, a 2-1 loss at Sporting Kansas City this past weekend more dropped points for a club expected to be among the best in MLS. Especially worrisome is the play of Carlos Vela this season, even as there are signs of life from the influential star.
Los Angeles FC’s rough start to the year includes now just one win and four points from their last four matches. No player has shown the struggles to start the year than Vela, the Mexican international who certainly has had a bumpy go of things in 2021.
In seven games (five starts) across 364 minutes played he has one goal and three assists.
A quad injury suffered early in the season has derailed the impact Vela has had for Los Angeles FC, causing him to miss a month of action but also throwing off his form. The impact of Vela on his club team is undeniable, given that he was the MLS MVP in 2019 and scored 34 goals with 15 assists in a record setting season.
There was hope that Vela had turned things around midweek, with a goal and an assist in Los Angeles FC’s 2-0 win versus FC Dallas. But then he looked quiet in 33 minutes off the bench in this weekend’s loss.
“You know it’s the third game in a week,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said after the match.
“And so obviously when we talk about Carlos, I think we all felt very good about the minutes that he’s been playing but as a result of above two games in a week then a short turnaround then today, when we speak with our performance people, the minutes have to be cut.
“So I think he’s moving in a good direction, as I just mentioned, I really felt that game the other night against Dallas was, was the best Carlos we’ve seen so far this year and that we’re going to keep pushing that along. And then, you know, again, it just depends on different guys. But that’s not an excuse, and that’s still trying to, to make sure that when we step on the field that you know the competition and training throughout the week has made it clear who are the guys that need to be on the field.
Vela returned to the field on May 16 from the injury, playing 20 minutes off the bench in a 2-0 loss at the Seattle Sounders. He has started every match since then until Saturday when he came off the bench in what was Los Angeles FC’s third game of the week.
With the loss, Los Angeles FC is now 3-4-3 (12 points) and in ninth place in the Western Conference.
The hope certainly is that Vela can continue the form from the midweek win over FC Dallas and regain the touch that has made him one of the top attacking players in the league. Only once in the last five games has Vela played the full 90 minutes for Bradley.
There is no denying that Vela can and likely will start producing more for LAFC. If he doesn’t, it might be a long season for the esteemed Bradley and his club.
Follow Kristian Dyer of ‘MLS Multiplex’ on Twitter @KristianRDyer