Talking Tactics: Son Heung-Min's flying start has LAFC playing with house money this MLS season, but focus remains on the future

The first thing that must be established here is that making vast tactical assumptions based on 120 minutes of work is a pretty rash thing to do. There are too many variables, things that can go wrong. Everything, numerically, must be taken with a grain of salt. But let's extrapolate.

It is a good thing that the early statistics make for compelling reading and are consistent with the way that LAFC like to play soccer. MLS is an athletic league, and Los Angeles have made no bones in leaning into that. They are, in effect, built around Denis Bouanga, an immensely skilled, very quick left winger, who effectively paces the whole thing.

They like to hit on the break, and rely on exploiting open spaces in transition. That is why, in fact, Olivier Giroud was such an imperfect fit. Son would seem to be the opposite. He runs a lot. He tackles a lot. He dribbles a lot - but at the right times. In theory, this is the perfect player for this style.

And so far, the data supports that idea. Son has played a game and a third for LAFC, and everything aligns with what most expected: he is the perfect versatile attacking forward for this side. His first appearance, a leg-stretching cameo in a 2-2 draw with Chicago, showed some promise - but was effectively a write off. 

Son came on, ran around a bit, didn't see loads of the ball, but with a decisive burst into the box won a penalty that saw LAFC snag a tough draw. There's not much to be learned from that. That was, effectively, a trial run. 

But his second showing offered a far clearer picture. Son started through the middle in a 4-3-3, with Bouanga on the left and teenager David Martinez on the right. And Son mostly stuck there, operating slightly left of center but, broadly, playing like a traditional No. 9. 

WhoScored

The resulting numbers made for fine reading. Going forward, Son was nothing short of magnificent. He created the most chances in the match, completed 100 percent of his dribbles, and forced two good saves out of Revolution and USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner. 

But perhaps more important for LAFC was the stuff he did when his side didn't have the ball. The Black and Gold are a ball-dominant side, with the seventh-highest average possession numbers in the league. When it comes to winning it back, though, the numbers are mixed. They are middle of the road in tackles, interceptions and clearances.

Coach Steve Cherundolo has made all of the right noises about wanting to win the ball back - but his side are bang average at it. Part of the issue is a lack of defensive pressure from the front line. Bouanga is a wonderful attacking player, but his defensive effort is lacking. He is 375th among all MLS players in tackles plus interceptions, with just 20 on the season. He has completed just eight tackles all year. 

And that's fine. In MLS, you are allowed to have passengers (see Lionel Messi for more). But having two is difficult, and there was a real fear that Son could further disrupt the balance. 

The reality, to date, is far from that. Against New England, Son was arguably the most effective defensive player on the pitch - despite playing as a center forward. He won the second most duels, was fouled more than everyone else, and won possession in the final-third three times.

And that doesn't even account for the less tangible stuff: sprints, constant movement, the symbolism associated with the continuous effort of a player making so much more money than everyone else.

There are, admittedly, some caveats. The asterisk to Son's excellence is the fact that he was playing against a markedly poor New England side. The Revolution are a bit of a mess, lacking in ideas going forward and middling when it comes to their defensive stats.

Under Caleb Porter, they are a team caught in stasis, and, as things stand, far out of the playoff picture. It's a tough game to take any major conclusions about the effectiveness of a footballer. 

The other is that LAFC, as a whole, managed to win without being particularly good. There were some fears when Son signed that he would find it difficult to play alongside Bouanga. That worry still makes sense. Bouanga, like Son, is a natural left winger who likes to cut onto his right foot. He doesn't hold up play, link with his teammates, or create space for others.

Bouanga might be the best inside forward in MLS, but he really doesn't do anything else. He can't.

That means Son will have to adapt to him. And against New England, he did. Son, in a remarkable act of self sacrifice, stopped doing some of the things he is elite at in order to make space for another footballer. Whether that was an idealistic one-off remains to be seen. 

LAFC are in an agreeable spot. They are fifth in the West, and have a real chance of securing home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. And with 10 games to go, there's a real chance that they could secure it - especially if Vancouver continue their midseason slide. 

The fact that they are out of Leagues Cup, too, will give them something of a boost. The sole focus for them is MLS. The schedule is kind, too. Remarkably successful expansion side San Diego will be a tough matchup, but the calendar is otherwise remarkably light. Son seems to have joined at the right time.

Still, for all of the good vibes, this feels very much like a long-term project. Cherundolo is leaving at the end of the season, with plans to return to Germany, where he was beloved towards the end of his career. Son has signed a deal through the end of 2027 - with an option for 2028.

Results in the present are important, but LAFC will have to retool, revamp, and change at the end of the season. Perhaps, for now, they are just fortunate that their star signing has already started to settle.