Mr. October: How Steve Cherundolo turns LAFC into a late-season machine | OneFootball

When the calendar thins out and playoffs become the focus, Steve Cherundolo’s LAFC tends to play its most complete soccer. It’s a quiet tightening of screws—spacing, rest defense, set-piece detail, game-state management—that turns faulty rosters into trophy threats.

Yes, it helps that LAFC has added prolific attackers nearly every window: Bouanga, Bale, Giroud, and now Son Heung-min. So it becomes a classic case of correlation versus causation. But while General Manager John Thorrington deserves credit for Summer-window reinforcements, it’s Cherundolo who ensures those pieces actually fit.

That’s no small task. Look at Atlanta United—loaded with talent, but lost in structure. At LAFC, even after aggressive summer activity, results tend to follow. That’s why I call the former USMNT fullback and first-time MLS head coach: Mr. October.

A Reputation Earned, Not Given

Cherundolo and his two assistants Razov and dos Santos watch the game at the Rose Bowl in 2024 (Celso Oliveira / Pitchside US)

Cherundolo arrived with minimal head-coaching experience, backed by trusted lieutenants Ante Razov and Marc Dos Santos. But in Year One, the club secured the American soccer Double: Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup. That wasn’t a playoff hot streak—it was a season-long supremacy confirmed in October.

Fast-forward to his fourth season in charge, and criticism has crept in. Some call him overly pragmatic. Others labeled LAFC’s attack “boring Dolo Ball.” His surprise decision to announce a post-season return to Germany drew headlines. But as the leaves turn, patterns emerge. The team hardens.

This summer, LAFC beat Club América to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup, earning nearly $10 million in FIFA payouts and global visibility. They didn’t go far in the tournament—but they showed they could one day belong. And Cherundolo was the tactical backbone behind that readiness.

LAFC Ahead of Schedule in 2025

Son Heung-min has electrified LAFC since arriving in LA (Celso Oliveira / Pitchside US)

From September through October (2022 to Sept. 21, 2025), LAFC under Cherundolo has gone 19-6-7 across league and domestic cups—a blistering 1.97 points per game over 32 matches.

It’s not that LAFC becomes a different team in October—it’s that its principles mature.

🗓️ 2022:

A modest September (2-1-1) gave way to October steel (3-1-0), followed by a playoff sprint: 3–2 over the Galaxy, 3–0 over Austin, and the epic MLS Cup win over Philly.

🗓️ 2023:

A shaky September (1-2-2) preceded an October snap-back (3-1-1). LAFC reached another MLS Cup final, falling to a brilliant Columbus side led by Cucho, Rossi, and Wilfried Nancy.

🗓️ 2024:

The “boring” tag peaked after a 1-2-2 September. Then came a sledgehammer October: 5–0–0, including wins over Cincy, St. Louis, and a U.S. Open Cup title.

🗓️ 2025 (so far):

Despite a hectic year—CWC travel, Giroud out, Son in—LAFC has rattled off three straight wins in September: 4–2 at San Jose, 4–1 at RSL (away), and 4–1 at home vs. RSL.

Why LAFC wins in the Fall

1. Defensive Floor Shows Up First

Even in jittery Septembers, LAFC keeps matches in one-mistake territory. Cherundolo’s rest-defense concepts limit chaos and force opponents into low-percentage looks. When the attack reconnects, the transition is seamless—from solid to smothering.

2. Role Clarity Hardens by October

Razov and Dos Santos help etch tactical roles with precision. In 2022, Vela thrived as a drifting playmaker. In 2023, the team leaned into counterpress cues. In 2024, fixture congestion forced a simplified buildup—leading to a deadly set-piece and transition game. In 2025, Son’s arrival brought rhythm and spacing that finally allowed Bouanga to thrive again.

3. Game-State Management > Aesthetics

Cherundolo coaches for control, not style points. That frustrates critics, but players respect it. LAFC often denies opponents early oxygen, then hits the accelerator in the second half. In a league of travel, altitude, and chaos, that discipline pays off.

4. Set-Piece Superiority

Fall surges often include dead-ball goals. From the 2022 Galaxy playoff win to the 2024 October streak, LAFC has profited from rehearsed far-post stacks and second-ball traps. The Tuesday–Thursday grind shows up in weekend box scores

2024: From Noise to Silver

LAFC celebrates the US Open Cup title in LA (Celso Oliveira / Pitchside US)

September 2024 saw a rocky run: draws vs. Houston and Austin, a loss at Dallas, and mounting media frustration. Then came the Open Cup final win (Sept. 25), which flipped the switch:

2025: Sonny In, Giroud Out, CWC Lessons Banked

Mathieu Choiniere is one of many additions LAFC had during the Summer window (Celso Oliveira / Pitchside US)

Giroud’s exit left a hole. Son Heung-min’s arrival alongside Supplemental players Mathieu Choiniere and centerback Ryan Porteous changed the team’s geometry. Even after a swift elimination from this year's Leagues Cup and irregular form, LAFC didn’t panic. They used the Club World Cup as a lab for solving high-press setups and back-five defenses. Come September, the league form returned—decisively.

The film shows a team toggling between a 3-4-3 and 4-3-3 base, with Son creating downhill lanes for Bouanga and outlet options for the eights. If trends hold, October will be cleaner, calmer, sharper, just in time for a deep playoff run.

Answering the Critiques

Steve Cherundolo during a press conference following LAFC's win at home vs. RSL (Celso Oliveira / Pitchside USA)

Sometimes. But boring is what smart defending looks like from the other side. October results speak louder than vibes.

Maybe. But the team doubled down, repurposed its midfield, integrated Son, and regained scoreboard control.

Not anymore. Cherundolo’s trend lines prove he understands playoff timing, travel loads, and roster management better than most.

And credit to Thorrington: for every miss (Biuk, Stipe, Giroud), there’s been a timely pivot—Son, Bogusz, Lloris—that extends LAFC’s title window.

📊 By the Numbers: Sept + Oct (2022–2025*)

The October Promise

Styles win applause. Habits win rounds.

Cherundolo’s October habit is to sand away volatility until games become predictable for his players and uncomfortable for his opponents. If “Mr. October” sounds like a nickname borrowed from baseball—well, it is. And it fits.

The real question now: Can LAFC finish the job?

Cherundolo has one MLS Cup title. In 2024, they were ousted early by Seattle—while rivals LA Galaxy hoisted the trophy. The Columbus loss(es) in the finals weren't forgotten, either. Now in 2025, he has one last playoff run to silence critics, seal his legacy, and prove LAFC’s era under his leadership wasn’t a fluke.