"Son Heung-min, playing as a midfielder!" Zero goals — is it the coach’s fault? LAFC fans explode in anger... No valid shots even in the Houston match

*This content was translated by AI.

Amid continued poor form, LAFC fans have also reacted coldly. Some are criticizing LAFC head coach Marc dos Santos (49) for deploying South Korean striker Son Heung-min (34) in the wrong position.

On the 11th at 10 a.m. (Korean time), LAFC suffered a 4-1 defeat against Houston Dynamo at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, in the 12th round of the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) season. As a result, LAFC maintained its third-place position in the Western Conference (6 wins, 3 draws, 3 losses, 21 points), but now faces fierce pressure from fourth-place Seattle Sounders (21 points). Both teams have the same number of points, but Seattle has played two fewer matches. There is a high possibility that the standings could be reversed.

LAFC has now entered a winless streak in three official matches (1 draw, 2 losses). On the 3rd, they drew 2-2 in an away game against San Diego FC, and on the 7th, they suffered a 4-0 defeat in the second leg of the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals against Toluca (Mexico) away. LAFC had won the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals 2-1, but the heavy loss in the second leg caused them to fall behind on aggregate score and miss out on advancing to the final.

However, Coach dos Santos expressed confidence. According to the global sports outlet The Athletic, before the Houston match, Coach dos Santos emphasized, "We are a team that never gives up."

At the same time, Coach dos Santos made a tactical gamble. With key striker Denis Bouanga suspended and unable to play, he placed Son Heung-min in the second line. Son Heung-min has shown his strengths on the wings or as a forward. However, Son Heung-min played in the second line alongside Jacob Shaffelburg and David Martinez.

However, the result ended in a major failure. After conceding the opening goal in the 25th minute of the first half, LAFC allowed another goal just nine minutes later. Son Heung-min did lead LAFC's comeback attempt. In the first minute of stoppage time in the first half, Son Heung-min made a skillful pass that broke through the opposing defense's line. Immediately, Stefan Eustaquio, positioned on the left wing, delivered a low cross into the box, which Nathan Ordaz converted into a goal to narrow the deficit.

But LAFC conceded goals again in the 6th and 10th minutes of the second half, forcing them to hang their heads in defeat. Ultimately, they could not break through the opponent's compact defense and suffered a heavy home loss.

On this day, Son Heung-min faced intense marking from the Houston defense and struggled to build attacks. Although he leads the league in assists with seven this season, he has yet to score his first goal of the season. Son Heung-min also failed to fire his scoring machine in the Houston match. Over the full 90 minutes, he recorded zero valid shots, two shots total, 63 touches, a 95% pass completion rate (40 successful passes out of 42 attempts), and two dribble breakthroughs. According to FootMob, Son Heung-min received a rating of 6.6.

There are also critical opinions suggesting that the poor form of both LAFC and Son Heung-min is not unrelated to Coach dos Santos's tactics. Last month, The Athletic US edition highlighted that "the Son Heung-min and Bouanga duo is not functioning properly" and noted that "Son Heung-min has not scored a single goal in the 2026 season." According to the report, Coach dos Santos himself admitted to the difficulties, stating, "We need to find a way for Son Heung-min and Bouanga to play closer together. This is a problem the coaching staff must solve."

LAFC fans' reactions have also been unfavorable. On Reddit, the largest community in the United States, numerous LAFC fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the heavy defeat after the Houston match ended. One fan mocked, "I've been arguing for a long time that we need to sign a midfielder. But LAFC has brought in the 'smartest coach in the world (Coach dos Santos)' who plays Son Heung-min as a midfielder." Another fan expressed concern, saying, "It seems Coach dos Santos has lost his way."

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*This content was translated by AI.