r/LAFC

Hi guys, I bought a parking pass for my dad to attend the game at BMO stadium this Sunday. I will not be at the game so I’m thinking about different ways to make sure he can access his pass

Option 1: print the QR code for him. Do the QR codes keep changing for security purposes? In other words, would the printed QR codes be useless?

Option 2: create a ticketmaster account for him with his email and transfer the ticket. He’s not the greatest with technology but I think he can figure it out if I list it out step by step. Or add to his Google Wallet.

I will probably do both options just in case. Has anyone taken a printed parking lass before? Thanks!

We've been STH holders for 5 years now, (we'll see if that continues) so we're pretty invested. She's mostly there for the vibes, but credit to her, she's gained quite a bit of tactical knowledge over the last couple years. She literally told me the other day that LAFC plays like my sunday league team. Ouch! I couldn't help but laugh hysterically because she was so right.

She said they have no cohesion, everyone running without purpose and just being opened up in the middle. All true. She also said, "If I notice how bad they are, then there's a problem."

Just wanted to share and hope you all have a wonderful day. MDS needs to go no matter what happens this weekend.

I don’t think any LAFC player divides opinion as much as Timothy Tillman. For some, he is relentlessly hard working, always committed, trusted by his peers, and willing to fit into any role. Others see him as a weak link in the LAFC lineup: a player who is regularly dispossesed after holding onto the ball too long, and whose passing stats make him more MLS Next than the Next Big Thing.

Here the TL;DR. 

Tillman’s stats are for an above average MLS midfielder, but he's not a DP. And his contributions are entirely dependent on where he’s playing. As a central or defensive midfielder, he’s top of the table. The further up the field he plays, the worse his performance. 

OK… my claim to fame, such that it is, is that I founded Betgenius, which went onto become Genius Sports, and is one of the biggest players in the sports betting data space. 

I know -therefore- at least a bit about how to assess players from a statistical perspective. These are my hastily pulled together thoughts.

And let's start from the highest of levels: does LAFC do better when Tillman is on the pitch, or worse?

So, let’s start with dividing up the matches LAFC has played since Tillman joined us. (And for the purposes of this, we’re limiting it to players with 25+ matches, and we define ‘playing’ as either (a) starting or (b) being on the pitch for at least 60 minutes):

https://preview.redd.it/2ibm1ka1yi2h1.png?width=1408&format=png&auto=webp&s=91b340ecbeb2fe395a8aa6d57fe63ccc10179bb2

LAFC’s win rate when Tillman plays is 54.4%, which makes him better than any starter except Lloris (56.4%) and Porteus (a mighty 58.6%).

But wait!

The numbers are a bit more interesting than that. Because if you breakdown the the win rate by where Tillman plays, you see something else:

https://preview.redd.it/jb762ka1yi2h1.png?width=2048&format=png&auto=webp&s=82ab648d60a317170b1851edd10d94faab739b33

Tillman -when he plays Center Mid or Defensive Mid- has a more than 60% win rate.

When he plays in other positions, LAFC performs much less well. The win rate when he’s an Attacking Mid, a Striker, or a Left Mid drops to about 47%. 

The evidence is pretty clear: the deeper Tillman plays, the fewer goals LAFC concedes, and the more games we win. 

Now, one shouldn’t over rely on this data. Soccer is a tough game to analyse because of how few datapoints there are. Randomness plays a much larger role than in -say- Baseball or Basketball.

OK: let’s look at some other Tillman data:

• Tillman's progressive passing (~5.5 / 90) sits in the upper third of MLS midfielders (median 4.52, p75 5.79). Solid creator. But he’s way behind Atuesta, who at 8.82 / 90 - is genuinely elite.
• Tillman's progressive carries (~1.8 / 90) is also above MLS midfielder median (1.65), but well behind what wingers tend to achieve.
• Tillman's xA (~0.09) is in the bottom half of MLS MFs (median 0.11). He moves the ball but doesn't directly create chances.
• Tillman's tackles + interceptions (~2.3 + 1.2 / 90) are both well above MLS MF median. He’s in the top 10% for tackles, and the top 25% for interceptions. This is his biggest  strength compared to other options on the table for LAFC.

 

There’s a pretty clear picture for Tillman. He’s not a DP, and he’s not creating a lot of opportunities. But he’s a positive contributor to LAFC, especially if he’s played in the right position: being deep, contributing to the defence, and then helping move the ball forward via progressive passing and carries.

What MDS -or any other coach- should not do, however, is move Tillman up the pitch and into a more attacking spot. His performance there is poor: he’s not creating a lot of chances, and he poses no obvious attacking threat.

MDS is on borrowed time, but the elephant in the room is that Sonny has clearly been operating at 90% with the World Cup looming, and the stats bear it out.

He's become passive, intentionally. Whether it's due to his own World Cup responsibilities and ambitions, or Marc's tinkering, who knows, but it's glaring.

His xG dropped from 4.81 in 2025 to 2.73 (through two more games). Son scored 9 goals against 4.81 xG in 2025 (overperformed like an elite star), then 0 against 2.73 so far in 2026 (massively underperformed Giroud-style (ok, not that bad)). So not only is he generating less danger, he's converting... none of it.

0% aerial duel success in 2026 vs 20% in 2025, and fewer duels attempted (3 vs 5 in two more games). For a player we rely upon for physical presence, this is a worrying regression. Especially since Bouanga and Martinez aren't doing shit in the air.

In Sonny's defense, and the MDS part of this equation, Son's passing profile this season tells the story of a complete role shift. More passes (304 vs 227), better accuracy (90% vs 84%), more long balls (8 vs 4)... this is the profile of a deeper-lying playmaker or a wide midfielder cycling possession, not a forward pressing into channels. The assist spike to 9 confirms he's feeding others rather than finishing himself.

Related, crosses are another area where Son's stats look woeful compared to last year. Crosses went from 16 to just 6, and his cross accuracy cratered from 52% to 32%. Combined with corner kicks dropping from 38 to 23, this suggests he's either being played further from the touchline or his delivery from wide areas has become notably worse. Yes?

All of that said, if Sonny was able to finish at just half of the clip he was last year, or Tillman was able to hit the broad side of a fucking gold Cybertruck, we'd be in the CCC final, and likely would not have gotten rolled the last 3 games in MLS play (and probably one last time before the break this weekend). MDS is likely not the answer, but getting dealt an underperforming Son and losing key midfield acquisitions like Boudri and Eustaquio right when we needed them most didn't help.

But if my grandmother had wheels... ya know.

To be quite honest, I don't think there's anything MDS can do short of winning MLS Cup to keep his job now. Thorrington is definitely going to reload in the summer, and that's basically going to be MDS's last shot if he's lucky enough not to lose the locker room before then. I certainly don't get the impression that Son or Bouanga hold MDS in high regard. Why would they, as they're both having arguably their least productive seasons in years.

But as always, the fate of this team is going to come down to what John Thorrington does in the summer window. ***always has meme*** MDS has already failed at his task for this season, which was CCC, and the bottom line is, not getting this roster to the CCC final is something he will almost certainly not be able to recover from.

I don't think Thorrington is capable of being so ruthless as to push MDS out this season, because MDS has been around the club so long, but if we look like we're going to go trophyless, or not qualify for CCC next year, all bets are off.

That would be a massive underachievement with these players, and at that point, there's absolutely no reason to keep him around.

He was supposed to be the safe, continuation play. Doloball, but more fun. Well, no one looks like they're having fun, do they.

Warning: this post contains opinions that may be unpopular. Viewer discretion is advised.

I finally got round to rewatching Toluca vs LAFC, so you don't have to. To me, it highlighted MDS's weaknesses as a coach, and I wanted to share four key takeaways I took from the match.

Firstly: not starting with Martinez was a major error. He's young, fit and he's LAFC's second best attacking option alongside Boungua. He's also a proven provider, and has been prolific against the best Mexican clubs. Why wouldn't you want to start him? The more attacking strength you possess, the more dangerous it is for a team to push too hard. Playing Tillman -who poses limited attacking threat- up front was a declaration that LAFC intended to park the bus, allowing Toluca the room to push forward without risk.

Second: subbing off the most phyically fit player on the team at 60 minutes. Tillman is not a striker. What he is, however, is LAFC's most physically fit player. The man was still making runs 125 minutes in at last year's Western Conference final. When you're playing at altitude, that really matters. Candidly, physical fitness matter more at 9,000 feet than raw talent, and Tillman is pretty much the only LAFC player I can count on to still be running at full pelt after an hour at altitude.

Third: leaving 33 year old Son on until the end. Son is a very gifted player. But he's also a man who's relied a lot on his speed, and he's not as quick as he used to be. And by the end of the 90 he was looking completely gassed. Yeah, I get it, we paid a lot of money for Son. But at altitude, the man is going to be at match pace for 50 or 60 minutes tops. And his exhausation led directly to us conceding, making advance impossible. Unpopular opinion... maybe he should have been the guy subbed on for the last 30 minutes?

Fourth: Jebo is a hell of a nice guy, but the LAFC system is not built around him. Putting a slow, older guy on over Ordaz was an astonishing misstep. Jebo struggled with the altitude from the moment he stepped onto the pitch, and offered zero additional attacking threat, while also lacking the pace to be able to track back if necessary.

Early in the season, I had high hopes for MDS. He seemed to be much more willing to experiment than Cherundelo. In the Cruz Azul match, he changed the formation when it wasn't working.

But in the Toluca game, it was like he had one plan: park the bus and hope they don't score.

It was a terrible call.

I never jumped on the Cherundelo Out bandwagon. But I think I'm now on the MDS Out one. We have an incredibly talented line up, alongside Nashville and Miami, it is perhaps the most talented in MLS. And yet we're underperforming massively. Now, sure, fixture congestion is part of it. But so is an unwillingness to change things when they're not working.

MDS, your time is up.

I have to say it. (I am a season ticket holder for both ACFC and LAFC since day one for both teams.)

Right now I would rather be watching ACFC playing than LAFC. This Angel City team Straus has assembled and coached into their best selves is energetic, playing for the badge and each other. They are having fun, showing tenacity and fearlessness; inspiring the fans and getting results…let’s see how this season goes!!!

LAFC, sadly is a shell of their former selves. Talent is wasted by culture, tactics, performance and inconsistency. It is crushingly boring to attend the LAFC matches right now. There is no spirit or pride, and meager results lately.

“Someone left the cake out in the rain”.

I don’t know who to blame (and this is the problem), did the front office not think about how important it was to create a playing style that would take advantage of the considerable assets that LAFC has? One that evolves with the combination of players and individual growth and development? Did they not know that the goal of bringing on a new coach is to improve the team?

MDS seems like an affable, friendly, and talented coach. His record is not very good with previous clubs. He has never coached a team with the level of players that LAFC has on their roster. It would seem he is unable to pick a first team, deliver consistent messaging and tactics, respond to game conditions by repositioning and utilizing talent on the pitch nor leverage the talent on the bench. He looks lost, overwhelmed, confused, and passive. From game to game we never know what he is going to come up with as a starting lineup, tactics, making adjustments, and substitutions. What is going on?

The players look forlorn, out of shape, tired and without purpose. The season started ferociously, often 2 games a week, and only recently offered a respite for tired legs and minds. Where is the personal responsibility? Who is responsible for fitness training? Where are the partnerships, the combinations, the “working together” thing that happens with a team in sync and properly motivated. Who will step up and take control of this team on the pitch? Like Cherundolo before him, MDS seems unphased by poor performances, he is dispassionate and quiet when responding to great play and camaraderie. How can the team know when they are doing the right thing if they are not supported by each other, the coach, and the club?

Specific individual players need to be told what to do, counseled when making mistakes and/or brilliant plays, if they are failing to follow coaching then bench the offenders, and drop the consistent under-performers.

Frankly I don’t know what they can do to salvage the season. Find a top midfielder? Drop players? Replace the coach? counseling? Psychotherapy? Get a set play coach? Teach passing to the whole squad?

Something’s got to to change @LAFC, otherwise my recommendation stands:

Save your money and raise your Fútbol experience with Angel City!

Genuine question, but would 3252 have the bullocks to protest Dos Santos being removed if the club does not improve?

I know the national team will be calling him up to prepare for World Cup with exhibition games in Utah next week. Is he expected to play Sunday before the MLS break?

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We are at a point where the player is beginning to openly speak about the dysfunction of the way they are being played..

There is only one fraction that has changed from then and now. What could possibly be the reason for this to not be the urgent matter to be fixed???

I'm just talking based on his performance yesterday.

His slower pace, the number of times he lost the ball and the time to shoot...those are not all due to the manager.

I have never seen any lame excuses in my life that everythings is all about the manager and the attacking player who score 0 in 12 games is no guilty.

What is going on with this fanbase? Those people who would not watch LAFC ever again as soon as Son leaves the team are preventing the real fans from the constructive discussion.

Am I the only one completely devastated watching our games lately? As a proud LAFC fan, it is painful to see how far our tactical identity has fallen.Here are the glaring issues that Marc Dos Santos needs to be held accountable for:Boring "U-Shaped" Backpass Football: There is absolutely no urgency or courage in our midfield. Instead of sharp, direct forward passes or quick one-touch combinations to pierce the defense, we are trapped in a passive cycle of endless backpassing. It kills the game's tension and slows our tempo to a crawl.Wasting Son Heung-min: It’s infuriating to see a world-class attacker like Son constantly dropping down to the half-line just to touch the ball. Because our midfield offers zero service, he is being isolated and completely wasted away from the opponent's box, where he is most dangerous.Coaching & Squad Management Failure: I know the CONCACAF travel distances and dense schedules are brutal, but that’s exactly why we need proper rotation. MDS has failed to manage squad depth, ran our starters into the ground, and offers zero tactical flexibility.명색이 LAFC(We are LAFC). We are supposed to play aggressive, high-energy, and dominant football. This scared, conservative style is unacceptable for a club of our stature.The front office needs to admit their mistake with the internal promotion. We need to sack MDS and appoint a tactical manager with proven European experience—someone who knows how to navigate heavy schedules, implement modern pressing, and maximize players like Son and Bouanga.What do you guys think? Is it too late to turn this season around, or does the FO need to pull the trigger on a new manager immediately?