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THREAD: I don't normally do this (please pray for me). I'm going to address the @LAFC fans that are upset with Bob. Specifically, those screaming that he never changes anything and is so stubborn and that's why the team is losing... 1/13
First, the reason I don't normally do this. 1. Because arguing with the "Bob Out" people is like arguing with flat earthers. There's no need to defend the earth being round. And in this case, I'm not sure I need to defend Bob's achievements and the way he built this team... 2/13
And 2. I just have better things to do and they don't believe me anyway, so what's the point right?
Well, in this case I have something I noticed from last match that I didn't know how to share until now and maybe we'll all learn something... 3/13
Well, in this case I have something I noticed from last match that I didn't know how to share until now and maybe we'll all learn something... 3/13
A bit more background. Those screaming about wanting change usually fall into two camps: change the players or change the formation. I understand why, those changes are obvious to nearly any fan. However... 4/13
In the case of change the players, you don't have background on how they trained, lingering injuries, picking up concepts, etc. And formations... where do I start?! I've gone on & on about how formations are just starting points. You need to put more emphasis on player roles.5/13
How does this player function & contribute to the team's ideas/game model. LAFC wants to play through the middle and have quick transitions (abridged version) hence why 4-3-3 is the preferred formation to start from (again, staring points!). Now for the CHANGES part... 6/13
I've got a visual example (he's got video!). My observation was MAK moving into a false FB role. For reference "false FB" is basically when a midfielder (usually the No. 6) drops into the space vacated by a fullback that has moved forward... 7/13
MAK (& Eduard) has done this before. However, not as often or coordinated in a match. Which leads me to believe... wait for it... it's a CHANGE! Must have been something the coaching staff noticed in video & passed on to MAK & Chiqui... 8/13
What was the result? Here it was a great attacking chance created by MAK dropping deep to play the ball & Chiqui disrupting the Galaxy's marking. Notice how MAK's hips disguise the pass - looks like he's going to Diego, Galaxy FB shifts & he plays inside to Chiqui instead... 9/13
An overarching result was LAFC outshot the Galaxy 14-1 in the half as MAK balanced the backline and created from deep. Now LAFC didn't score from that advantage & that hurt them in the second half... and then the red card... 10/13
So, when you don't use advantages you create to affect the scoreline, you leave yourself a narrow margin of error. Some of it is bad luck, some lack of sharpness, some lack of focus. However, it's not for lack of trying or adjustments. And that's just something I noticed... 11/13
I guarantee Bob and the coaching staff could point out countless other examples of changes they've made (likely nuanced like my example) but I'm not in that room. So what did we learn? Changes happen even if you don't see them in formations or player selection and... 12/13
The coaching staff knows much more about this than all of us, even if you are trying to watch as closely as possible because I'm sure they watched more times & with more precision.
Thus concludes Vince's #LAFC
TED Talk. Thanks for coming.
Thus concludes Vince's #LAFC
TED Talk. Thanks for coming.
