Gareth Bale was Los Angeles FC’s big summer operation for the second leg of the 2022 MLS campaign, but he has yet to make a difference for the top-seeded team in the Western Conference. The Wales captain was a blockbuster signing and on Monday, Major League Soccer announced that It has the best-selling jersey in the league.
Every time LAFC plays at home or away, the eyes are on Bale to show off his talent, provide assists and score goals. But the reality is that the striker has yet to make an impact for the Black and Gold and has apparently not earned the full trust of MLS head coach Steve Cherundolo.
Bale still has to impact
Bale has only made two starts in 10 appearances since arriving in Major League Soccer just under three months ago. At first, Cherundolo dosed the 33-year-old’s minutes because he was coming off the preseason and it took him a while to get back into full form. After five games as a substitute, Bale finally made his first appearance in the LAFC lineup, it was in a 4-1 loss to Austin FC on August 26. .
He was part of the attacking trio with Carlos Vela and ‘Chicho’ Arango, but failed to get along with them during the 60 minutes he played, before being substituted. The decision to start Bale backfired on LAFC because he looked lost, missed a shot on goal and his completion rate was 80 percent.
Since his first start, the player has come on as a substitute in last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Houston, 2-0 win against Real Salt Lake and 2-1 loss to FC Dallas. When asked why Bale has only made one start in nine appearances, Cherundolo had this to say:
“The decisions of each game and the factors that we have lead us to make decisions about who starts or comes off the bench, one affects the other and vice versa. We approach each game differently Cherundolo said before Tuesday’s game against Minnesota United.
Bale has scored two goals in 10 appearances, but all of them when his team were enjoying a comfortable victory. Bale’s first goal came in a 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City on July 24 and his second came in a 4-1 win over Real Salt Lake on August 7. The former Tottenham and Real Madrid star signed his second start against Minnesota United on Tuesday, but he once again failed for LAFC and was replaced in the 61st minute.
Bale doesn’t find his place on the pitch when he plays alongside Vela, as both are left-footed and play in the same position. LAFC was trailing 1-0 when the Welshman was on the field, but once he was out, Vela scored a great goal to tie the game.
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Another disappointing start for Gareth Bale at LAFC