2023 MLS Regular Season Record: 14W - 10D - 10L
What I said last winter:
They were light on depth and lost a few big names from their roster
They’d finish second or third in the Western Conference table
Despite a lower table finish, they’re fully capably of making another MLS Cup run
What happened:
Denis Bouanga had a stellar year and won the Golden Boot
The club struggled in stretches in the second half of the season
They finished third in Western Conference, but made it to the finals of MLS Cup and lost to the Columbus Crew
Key Takeaways from 2023
Oh, so close
LAFC came close to winning silverware twice this year, and thrice if you include the Campeones Cup. Despite falling short of championship titles, it was undeniably a highly successful season for one of the strongest clubs in MLS over the last five years.
The Black and Gold lined up in a 4-3-3 formation nearly every match. The midfield trio typically comprised Timothy Tillman, Kellyn Acosta, and Ilie Sánchez, while two of the league's best fullbacks, Diego Palacios and Ryan Hollingshead, provided width and support. And, of course, the consistently threatening front three featured Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga, Carlos Vela, and Cristian Olivera.
LAFC's attacking statistics closely mirrored those of 2022. They ranked near the top in shots, chance creation, and entries into the penalty area. While they did miss the most big chances, it's important to note that this is a consequence of creating the second-most opportunities.
The club ended with a negative difference in Goals minus Expected Goals. While a few players faced challenges in front of the goal, Bouanga was an xG deity in MLS this past year.
Bouanga scored 20 goals in the regular season compared to his expected 14.6, marking the highest goals and xG difference across MLS. Tillman and Hollingshead also ended with a net positive, scoring 4 goals compared to 2.2 and 2.4 xG.
Notable underperformers include Vela (9 goals vs. 11.2 xG), Stipe Buik (3 goals vs. 3.5 xG), and Mateusz Bogusz (3 goals vs. 3.9 xG).
LAFC doesn't necessarily prioritize possession, only maintaining the majority in 14 of their 39 MLS matches. Despite that, they ranked in the top ten or close to it in most possession stats. In short, they prefer deploying a high press, capitalizing on opponents' mistakes in their own half, and aren't hesitant to counter after drawing their opponents forward.
LAFC alternated goalkeepers throughout the year, primarily due to Maxime Crépeau's injury during the 2022 MLS Cup final. While their save percentage was average, their backline, led by Italian legend Giorgio Chiellini, performed at an elite level. The defense conceded the third-lowest total shots on target and finished with the sixth-fewest goals scored by opponents.
Finally, John McCarthy finished with a post-shot expected goals performance of +1.5 and Crépeau +.50.
As mentioned earlier, it was a successful season for LAFC, but it fell short of winning a trophy or qualifying for the Champion’s Cup. LAFC also bolstered their depth by signing young and highly promising prospects from Europe, including Buik and Bogusz.
However, there are numerous uncertainties surrounding the squad heading into the 2024 season. Several starters have departed, and replacing them with similar quality will pose a significant challenge. 2024 might shape up to be a transition year for the team.
Top Sorare Fantasy Performers
Numbers are across all competitions
Goalkeeper: John McCarthy | L15: 27 | 60+ pts games: 13 | Clean sheets: 13 | Penalties saved: 0
Defender: Ryan Hollingshead | L15: 60 | 60+ pts games: 16 | Goals: 8 | Assists: 2 | Clean sheets: 16
Midfielder: Ilie Sánchez | L15: 49 | 60+ pts games: 14 | Goals: 1 | Assists: 6
Forward : Denis Bouanga | L15: 64 | 60+ pts games: 29 | Goals: 38 | Assists: 12
Extra: Diego Palacios | L15: 52 | 60+ pts games: 23 | Goals: 0 | Assists: 3
2024 Outlook
Last Updated 2/4/2024
MLS Salary Cap Rating:
Outgoing Players
Giorgio Chiellini - Centre-back - Retired
Danny Crisostomo - Defensive Midfielder - Option Declined
Julian Gaines - Right-back - Option Declined
Eldin Jakupovic - Goalkeeper - Option Declined
Tony Leone - Centre-back - Option Declined
Denil Maldonado - Centre-back - Option Declined
John McCarthy - Goalkeeper - Option Declined
Diego Rosales - Right-back - Option Declined
Christian Torres - Winger - Option Declined
Mohamed Traore - Left-back - Option Declined
Kellyn Acosta - Central Midfielder - Out of Contract
Maxime Crépeau - Goalkeeper - Out of Contract
Diego Palacios - Left-back - Out of Contract
Carlos Vela - Centre-foward - Out of Contract
Mario González - Centre-forward - Loan to Sporting de Gijón
Stipe Biuk - Winger - Loan to Real Valladolid
Filip Krastev - Central Midfielder - Loan ended
Incoming Players
Hugo Lloris - Goalkeeper - Transfer from Tottenham Hotspur FC
Omar Campos - Left-back - Transfer from Club Santos
Tomás Ángel - Centre-forward - Transfer from Atlético Nacional
David Martínez - Winger - Transfer from Monagas SC
Roster Exodus
Both last summer and this offseason has witnessed the departure of some of LAFC’s prominent stars, including Diego Palacios, Giorgio Chiellini, Carlos Vela, Kellyn Acosta, Maxime Crépeau, and José Cifuentes.
On one hand, the loss of key veteran players — particularly Vela — who played a crucial role in shaping the club's identity, raises concerns about the current roster and their upcoming season.
On the other hand, LAFC did make preparations by bringing in young and promising prospects last year, such as Cristian Olivera and Mateusz Bogusz. They also have signed a great goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, and have two open designated player spots to rebuild with.
Other signings this window include Omar Campos who should start at left-back, Tomás Ángel, and David Martinez. Lots of young promising players, but there’s always a risk involved in bringing them to a new league and how quickly they can adapt and breakout.
I do wonder if LAFC are looking towards the summer in the strategy. My conspiracy theory is want to recreate the 2018 French national team. Antoine Griezmann has been rumored many times across the years to want to play for LAFC and Olivier Giroud is reportedly wanting to come to MLS this summer.
Overall, considering the current state of the roster, the first half of the year might be challenging for LAFC. There should be a few more signings this winter, but, as I said, I think they’re looking towards the summer to bring in new stars from Europe.