Episode 146 – Listless in Seattle

 13th Place. Last in the Conference. LAFC officially wades into uncharted waters in the MLS table, escorted there by a listless, punchless 2-0 loss courtesy of the Seattle Sounders. 

 LAFC is left looking for answers on the offensive side of the ball yet again, and a few key defensive miscues plague the back line. The biggest question heading into the match was whether or not we would see Carlos Vela. After the match, however, there were far more questions than answers. 

 The two sides played a largely unremarkable scoreless first half of play, though Seattle clearly had the better chances. Brad Smith and Will Bruin both missed fantastic opportunities, while LAFC struggled to get anything going besides a few shots from outside the box from Eduard Atuesta. That’s not going to cut it against the defending Western Conference champs. 

 Twelve minutes into the second half, Xavier Arreaga’s header towards the back post finds the back of the net, and Seattle was off to the races. A Brad Smith header after 5-6 passes on a string put the home side up 2-0, and that was all she wrote in Seattle. 

 There were certainly a few silver linings amongst the gloom in the Pacific Northwest. Carlos Vela made his return to the pitch, checking in at the 70-minute mark. For the first time all season, Rossi and Vela shared the pitch, though neither generated any chances. Kim Moon-Hwan gave LAFC a much-needed punch after he came on in the 77th minute, and Pablo Sisniega continues to be solid in net. Neither goal could be attributed solely to him. 

 Let’s be clear, LAFC supporters: This is a test. A test unlike any we have endured before in our club’s short history. But everything is set up well for LAFC to rebound and rise like a phoenix from the still-smoldering ashes. Our next four matches are all at home, and LAFC gets a 3-week break in-between the first two and the last two. We need to get healthy, we need to score, and we need at least 10 points from those four matches. 

 Also on this episode, we open some Topps soccer cards, we get an email from LAFC, and we give the Angel City Chicks some much-needed love. Why is Brian Rodriguez throwing a temper-tantrum during a match? Who scored the first goal in LAFC/Las Vegas Lights history? And which one of the Defenders was described as both “eye candy” and a fruit roll-up? You’ll have to listen to find out! See you for 147, and hopefully, for a big LAFC win at home against Colorado!