I remember signing for LAFC and speaking to John Thorrington, their GM and co-president. He preached they were all about winning, being the most exciting team possible, playing the best football and lifting trophies. The tactics have changed slightly from the Bob Bradley era to the Steve Cherundolo era, but their identity hasn’t. They’re driven by playing an attractive style and adding to the trophy cabinet. There’s pressure there and I loved it. Each player knows you’re at this club and have to play well, you have to score goals, you have to win trophies. That’s the standard.
This year, what’s impressed me most is it’s not just the Bouanga show. Denis is playing incredibly, of course, but they’re so much more than that in attack. This is all before Olivier Giroud arrives this summer, too. Just imagine how much he will lift that attack alongside Bouanga and Bogusz, Cristian Olivera as well when he’s back from Copa América. That signing shows ambition and is indicative of who LAFC are.
We’ve also got to shout out the back line. Jesús Murillo, Aaron Long, Maxime Chanot, they’ve all been really good. They’re near the top of the league for clean sheets and goals conceded. Same with the goalkeeper. At the beginning of the year, when Hugo Lloris first came, he gave up a goal and I was like ‘Hmm. This is a name purchase. They got him because he’s Lloris.’ But no, he’s proved us wrong. He’s making the saves you don’t expect and he’s holding players accountable. It’s harder to get chances against them because that’s a ‘keeper’s job as well. They’re not just making the saves – it’s organizing the defense, getting them into position. It can be easy to take for granted experience and leadership like that.