Let there be no doubt that the Los Angeles Football Club heads into the 2023 season stronger than last year at this time.
Numerous unknowns, especially the impact of replacing the venerable Bob Bradley for neophyte Steve Cherundolo, shaded everything about the state of the club following its first missed postseason.
With the Black & Gold now the defending Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup champions, doubting Cherundolo and LAFC general manager John Thorrington seems like folly, even as they face down the difficult test Major League Soccer provides season over season.
Is Cherundolo going to push all the right buttons again?
LAFC’s head coach sufficiently answered every question asked of him in 2022.
Loaded for bear, Cherundolo had access to a roster that was two, sometimes three deep at each position. Having reliable contributors up and down the roster allowed the first-year coach to give players time off when needed without sacrificing the team’s ability to pressure opponents into submission.
With the potential for twice as many games and a bench that surely can’t be as dangerous as it was last year, miscalculations would be more noticeable and costly as the games pile up.
A versatile set of new additions, however, should still give Cherundolo plenty of options.
“The first year was everything perfect, but it’s impossible to be like all your career. so you will have to pass a tough moment and that’s when you can see a personality of somebody,” LAFC star Carlos Vela said regarding Cherundolo. “Now in that case, we will see how he can react and help the team out of that situation. I think it’s the most exciting situation for him, and, for me, to see how he can react.”
How many trophies will LAFC win?
The CONCACAF Champions League, U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup, Campeones Cup, Supporters’ Shield and, if they qualify for the playoffs, the MLS Cup makes six pieces of hardware up for grabs.
That’s twice as many as an MLS club has won in a single…
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