Hugo Lloris was caught off guard when he learned that Marc Dos Santos had been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Los Angeles Football Club.
Read more Clippers’ defensive disruptors need more support from others
“You don’t see that type of decision in MLS much,” the 39-year-old French goalkeeping legend said last week. “It’s more common in Europe.”
Since the 34-game MLS season opened in late February, Dos Santos was the eighth head coach to be removed from their post. For the longtime LAFC assistant, whom the club elevated to the top spot in December, dropping points in 10 of 11 league games since the start of August and averaging less than a goal per game in the process precipitated the end to his short tenure.
In that respect, the club parting ways with Dos Santos was less of a surprise.
“A club like LAFC has to be better than that and it’s on us players to increase our level of performance,” Lloris said. “We cannot demand more from our fans. They’re always at their best and hopefully all together this weekend we can create something special on the field and get the three points.”
Lloris’ desire for a fast and positive reaction did not instantly mesh with reality during Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Vancouver, which played a man down for nearly the entire match at BMO Stadium.
At home again Wednesday night against struggling Austin FC (7-10-11, 31 points), Lloris and his teammates have another chance to take a quick step forward under interim head coach Xavi Tamarit.
“We want to succeed,” defender Eddie Segura, the longest-tenured player in LAFC history, said Tuesday. “So I think we’re all united on the same front in terms of trying to do our best in order to win and put the best product out on the field possible.”
Turning things around in time to showcase a fresh identity for the MLS Cup playoffs is the focus for Tamarit and the coaching staff, which as of Monday no longer includes first-team assistant, former academy leader and LAFC2 head coach Enrique Duran.
The ongoing shakeup of the technical staff has placed assistant/goalkeeping coach Oka Nikolav in charge of arranging set pieces. Scoring in those situations has been especially difficult for LAFC (11-9-9, 42 points).
“With one person fully focused on that, and [Nikolav] has some experience with that, we can improve in that part of the game,” Tamarit said. “That I think is so important.”
Read more Rams cut kicker Harrison Mevis as OL Alaric Jackson is suspended for 2 games
Key to finding rhythm and decisive results again, said Segura, is ensuring that the small moments and details that often decide games start going their way.
“I think that’s what’s going to really help us move forward and make us ultimately that stronger LAFC team that we know that we are, that demands respect no matter where we play, whether it’s at home or on the road,” Segura said.
Closing out the season, LAFC welcomes Austin, the Galaxy and Minnesota United to BMO Stadium. The team also travels to New York City this weekend before visiting Seattle in the regular-season finale.
“I think in these next five matches it’s on us to lay it all out there for the team, especially the ones that we have remaining at home,” said Segura, who recently signed a contract extension through the 2029-2030 season with a club option through 2030-2031.
Austin (7-11-10, 31 points) arrives 13th in the Western Conference standings, five points beneath the playoff line. On Saturday, the team was run out of its own building, 4-1, by Nashville SC, the likely Supporters’ Shield winners.
In the spring, LAFC visited Austin and earned a point in a scoreless draw as part of the opening stretch under Dos Santos that produced an MLS record six consecutive shutouts to start a season.
Lloris and the defenders working in front of him, including Segura, who started against Vancouver at center back alongside Ryan Porteous, have remained consistently difficult to beat all year.
The frustration for sixth-place LAFC, particularly since the start of August, resides at the other end of the field.
“We know the behaviors, the habits need time and repetition,” Tamarit said. “These guys have an open mind to receive. They are open to change some things.”
Read more Dodgers decide to keep slumping Shohei Ohtani in lineup for NLCS Game 3
AUSTIN FC (7-10-11, 31 points) AT LAFC (11-9-9, 42 points)
When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: BMO Stadium
TV/Radio: Apple TV/710 AM, 980 AM, 1230 AM, SiriusXM FC 157