Gareth Bale does not find his best performance with Los Angeles FC

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, with Major League Soccer announcing on Monday that he has the best-selling jersey in the league.

Gareth Bale is first in the list of players with the most jerseys sold in MLS

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 apparently hasn’t earned the full trust of MLS head coach Steve Cherundolo.

Bale still has to impact

Bale has only made two starts in ten appearances since arriving in MLS just under three months ago. At first, Cherundolo dosed the 33-year-old player’s minutes because he came from the preseason and it took him a while to reach full form. After five games as a substitute, Bale finally made his first appearance in the LAFC lineup in a 4-1 loss to Austin FC on August 26.

He was part of the attacking trio with Carlos Vela and boy Arango, but failed to get along with them during the 60 minutes he played, before being substituted. The decision to start Bale was counterproductive for LAFC, because he seemed lost, missed a shot on goal and his completion rate was 80%.

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 every game differently,” Cherundolo said before Tuesday’s game against Minnesota United.

Bale has scored two goals in ten appearances, but all of them when his team enjoyed a comfortable victory. Bale’s first goal came in a 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City on July 24; and the 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.

(D)