Atlanta United hasn’t faced a player like LAFC’s Carlos Vela.
Really, no MLS team has.
Often cutting in from the right side so that he can take advantage of his Rolls Royce left foot, Vela reached 20 goals faster than any player in MLS history, needing just 20 games. He leads MLS this season with 21 goals because he added another goal in that 20th game and is second in assists (12).
If Atlanta United (36 points) is to defeat league-leaders LAFC (46 points) on Friday at Banc of California Stadium, slowing down Vela will be a key.
“You have to make it difficult,” Atlanta United midfielder Emerson Hyndman said. “If you do tactical side well, but individually, you let him go by you, it’s a problem. He’s really good cutting inside. You have to have numbers around him.”
Manager Frank de Boer didn’t offer any hints at what Atlanta United might do to try to slow Vela. But he did give hints as to what he used to do as a player when he faced technically gifted players.
“You have to be on top of them,” he said. “When they are going face to face, they are going into their strength. Don’t let them breath. The only thing they can do is pass back.”
Playing physically worked for the L.A. Galaxy in defeating LAFC last week, and for the Portland Timbers, which knocked LAFC out of the U.S. Open Cup. Vela did score twice against the Galaxy, but being knocked down a few times seemed to disrupt his rhythm. Atlanta United has a few defenders who don’t mind lowering a shoulder or making hard tackles.
“If you give him any kind of space he’s able to hurt you, pick it out and put in the corner,” Atlanta United’s Franco Escobar said.
Atlanta United’s recently adopted 3-5-2 formation seems like a good fit for putting a number of players around Vela. The left wingback can either let Vela cut inside, where he should run into at least one defensive midfielder and centerback, or push him outside and as far away from the goal as possible. Though Vela can pick out a pass, two of the trio of centerbacks Atlanta United likely will use, Miles Robinson and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, are good at winning aerial duels and the third, Michael Parkhurst, is good at cutting out low crosses and cut-back passes.
The wingback de Boer chooses to deploy on Vela’s side will be interesting. Justin Meram played the position for the first time in last week’s win against D.C. United. Dion Pereira came up as a winger, but is better on offense than defense. The wild card may be Escobar, who typically plays on the right. De Boer has deployed right-footed defenders on the left at least once this season to deal with an opposing player that liked to cut in. De Boer reasoned that the player would be cutting into the defender’s stronger foot. Plus, Escobar is very fast, so he could be still get up the field and be involved in the offense.
Atlanta United has had success in previous season denying the opponent’s best player the ball. That will be difficult against Vela because he typically stays out wide, which means fewer players can defend him without a risk of creating gaps in the formation.
Maintaining focus will be key, according to de Boer.
“From the first second we have to be switched on or we will get punished,” de Boer said.
FASTEST TO 20 GOALS, SINGLE SEASON
PLAYER, TEAM, GAMES TO 20, YEAR, SEASON TOTAL
Carlos Vela, LAFC, 20, 2019
Stern John, CLB, 21, 1998, 26
Josef Martinez, ATL, 22, 2018, 31
Carlos Ruiz, LA, 23, 2002, 24
Mamadou Diallo, TB, 23, 2000, 26
Bradley Wright-Phillips, NYR, 23, 2014, 27
Roy Lassiter, TB, 23, 1996, 27
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