Foreign Exchange: Three Questions with Josh Gross of L.A. Daily News
LAFC is out to a strong start in 2026, but the MLS of it all might mean that they concede their first goal of the season on Saturday. If you need a little glimmer of hope that it happens, read on.
It's a new season and therefore a new chapter in the evolving saga involving LAFC and Austin FC — Verde's first-ever regular-season MLS opponent, 2022 Western Conference Final foes, and opponent in multiple tournament elimination games since.
Now, with Son Heung-min in his first full season of dynamic duo-hood with Denis Bouanga, LAFC's more attractive than they've maybe ever been — and so far this season, they've managed a perfect 4w 0L 0D record with eight goals scored and zero allowed — and though it hasn't been as easy for them in Concacaf Champions Cup, they have advanced to the final eight.
With all those storylines in place, we checked in with Josh Gross, who does excellent work covering the team for the L.A. Daily News. Packed in these answers is one nugget of hope, in which he reveals a weakness that coincides with a Verde strength. Otherwise, it's about as bleak as you'd expect.
To the questions!
How has the change been from Steve Cherundolo to Marc Dos Santos, and what's the biggest difference in their coaching styles/approaches to the game so far?
How has the change been? One word: Seamless. More words: Despite Cherundolo's departure, continuity was a major talking point heading into 2026. Much of the roster returned, and the elevation of Dos Santos from assistant to head coach meant a familiar voice is in charge.
Acknowledging that, obvious distinctions exist, particularly their preferred playing styles and the handling of specific players, notably 20-year-old Venezuelan David Martínez, whose inconsistency under Cherundolo has morphed into repeated moments of brilliance while playing more centrally under Dos Santos.
Cherundolo's pragmatism – he liked numbers behind the ball and leaned on LAFC's mean transition to score – often worked, but at times it became plodding to watch. LAFC fans grew weary of Doloball. Now Dos Santos's team wants to play and they've been getting goals from people not named Denis Bouanga or Son Heung-min.
What did LAFC learn from the CCC matchup against Alajuelense, and what importance is LAFC placing on this tournament?
LAFC has always placed a high value on CCC. This is their fourth qualification, and they've reached the quarterfinals each time. Twice they made it to the final. Winning CCC means a return to the Club World Cup in 2029, and for an MLS team with global ambitions, it is the measuring stick by which they judge themselves.
In the CCC Round of 16, LAFC showed poise and patience, understanding the 1-1 draw in L.A. left them in a solid position to advance. The return leg in Costa Rica could have rattled less experienced teams, but going down a goal four minutes into the match in that environment did not haunt LAFC, which dictated the terms most of the way before their quality and physical prowess won out.
If anything, the result should inform the locker room that they have what they need to make another deep run, which Cruz Azul puts to the test in April.
LAFC hasn't let in a single goal in their first four MLS matches of the season — what's contributed to that, and how long do you think that's sustainable?
Of course, they're going to concede, most likely off set pieces where they appear beatable, especially if smallish midfielders are tasked with marking in the box. Two of the three goals LAFC conceded in CCC were off a free kick and a corner (the third was a 1/100 golazo).
A hybrid back four has been Dos Santos's defensive alignment of choice in the early portion of the season. It allows fullback Sergi Palencia to get high up the field on the right side as a trio of center backs – Ryan Porteous, Nkosi Tafari, and Eddie Segura – play tough with the requisite dexterity to keep things calm in front of Hugo Lloris, who is off to a strong start as well.
Porteous and Tafari have been excellent. Segura's versatility (he played some defensive midfielder last year) has helped him succeed on the left. Segura is no Ryan Hollingshead, who can spring into the attack and support Bouanga, but his work rate has been all Dos Santos could want.
Rather than the Black & Gold absorbing pressure awaiting for counterattacks, the main thrust of LAFC's approach is hunting in packs to recover the ball, which carries the added bonus of forcing opponents to defend for longer stretches.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
Based on recent form and what oddsmakers are saying, this match doesn't bode well for Austin FC. But as this team's coach and captain will tell you, it's really up to the players.
Verde suffered an own goal and a relative lack of chances compared to the hosts on Saturday night. But head coach Nico Estévez still believes his team did enough to split the points.
Verde went to a stadium on Saturday night that hasn't been so friendly to them in recent years. That trend continued, though not be the lopsided margin of years past.
It's a new season and therefore a new chapter in the evolving saga involving LAFC and Austin FC — Verde's first-ever regular-season MLS opponent, 2022 Western Conference Final foes, and opponent in multiple tournament elimination games since.
Now, with Son Heung-min in his first full season of dynamic duo-hood with Denis Bouanga, LAFC's more attractive than they've maybe ever been — and so far this season, they've managed a perfect 4w 0L 0D record with eight goals scored and zero allowed — and though it hasn't been as easy for them in Concacaf Champions Cup, they have advanced to the final eight.
With all those storylines in place, we checked in with Josh Gross, who does excellent work covering the team for the L.A. Daily News. Packed in these answers is one nugget of hope, in which he reveals a weakness that coincides with a Verde strength. Otherwise, it's about as bleak as you'd expect.
To the questions!
How has the change been from Steve Cherundolo to Marc Dos Santos, and what's the biggest difference in their coaching styles/approaches to the game so far?
How has the change been? One word: Seamless. More words: Despite Cherundolo's departure, continuity was a major talking point heading into 2026. Much of the roster returned, and the elevation of Dos Santos from assistant to head coach meant a familiar voice is in charge.
Acknowledging that, obvious distinctions exist, particularly their preferred playing styles and the handling of specific players, notably 20-year-old Venezuelan David Martínez, whose inconsistency under Cherundolo has morphed into repeated moments of brilliance while playing more centrally under Dos Santos.
Cherundolo's pragmatism – he liked numbers behind the ball and leaned on LAFC's mean transition to score – often worked, but at times it became plodding to watch. LAFC fans grew weary of Doloball. Now Dos Santos's team wants to play and they've been getting goals from people not named Denis Bouanga or Son Heung-min.
What did LAFC learn from the CCC matchup against Alajuelense, and what importance is LAFC placing on this tournament?
LAFC has always placed a high value on CCC. This is their fourth qualification, and they've reached the quarterfinals each time. Twice they made it to the final. Winning CCC means a return to the Club World Cup in 2029, and for an MLS team with global ambitions, it is the measuring stick by which they judge themselves.
In the CCC Round of 16, LAFC showed poise and patience, understanding the 1-1 draw in L.A. left them in a solid position to advance. The return leg in Costa Rica could have rattled less experienced teams, but going down a goal four minutes into the match in that environment did not haunt LAFC, which dictated the terms most of the way before their quality and physical prowess won out.
If anything, the result should inform the locker room that they have what they need to make another deep run, which Cruz Azul puts to the test in April.
LAFC hasn't let in a single goal in their first four MLS matches of the season — what's contributed to that, and how long do you think that's sustainable?
Of course, they're going to concede, most likely off set pieces where they appear beatable, especially if smallish midfielders are tasked with marking in the box. Two of the three goals LAFC conceded in CCC were off a free kick and a corner (the third was a 1/100 golazo).
A hybrid back four has been Dos Santos's defensive alignment of choice in the early portion of the season. It allows fullback Sergi Palencia to get high up the field on the right side as a trio of center backs – Ryan Porteous, Nkosi Tafari, and Eddie Segura – play tough with the requisite dexterity to keep things calm in front of Hugo Lloris, who is off to a strong start as well.
Porteous and Tafari have been excellent. Segura's versatility (he played some defensive midfielder last year) has helped him succeed on the left. Segura is no Ryan Hollingshead, who can spring into the attack and support Bouanga, but his work rate has been all Dos Santos could want.
Rather than the Black & Gold absorbing pressure awaiting for counterattacks, the main thrust of LAFC's approach is hunting in packs to recover the ball, which carries the added bonus of forcing opponents to defend for longer stretches.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.
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