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1. What is Minnesota United's best formation?
1. What is Minnesota United's best formation?
It's been a difficult season for Minnesota United, who sit 14th in the Western Conference. A disappointing resumption to the regular season after the World Cup in which the Loons really struggled to score left manager Cam Knowles looking for answers, so he tinkered with his formation. He switched from his preferred 3-4-3, which offered stability but lacked consistent threat in the final third, to a more expansive 3-5-2. While this change kicked Minnesota's attack into action, it came at the expense of the defense, which devolved into one of the worst in the league. Now with superstar attacking midfielder Joaquín Pereyra injured, Minnesota employed a 4-4-2 in their 2-2 draw against Houston in their last match, intending for more stability. There have been clear benefits and issues with each of these formations, with none of them bringing better results. As Minnesota looks to rescue their season, they are facing a big dilemma: what is MNUFC's best formation?
The most recent system used was the 4-4-2. With two solid blocks of 4, it provides structure to a team that had been giving away chances far too easily. In particular, it helps guarantee numbers out wide. Too often this season, Minnesota has difficulties getting pressure on opponents in wide areas. This is exactly what happened on Houston's second goal last Saturday, which occurred after the Loons shifted to 3 in the back. Bogusz had all day to put in a cross which ended in the back of Drake Callender's net. But in attack, Minnesota's forwards often appeared isolated. Whether this is a system that will be used going forward, or if it is just a stop-gap while Pereyra is sidelined, it doesn't maximize Minnesota's talent on the roster. MNUFC has a lot of strong defenders who operate well in a back 3, which is why they've played with 3 center backs for much of the past 2 years. Minnesota's tried and true 3-4-3 makes them a tough team to break down, but this season their attack really struggled in this setup. It should be noted that some of this came down to underperforming with the final touch. But the bigger issue was a lack of chance creation, with the front 3 often feeling undermanned in the final third. With Pereyra playing as a right winger, the Loons missed any sort of playmaking in central areas. As a result, they were one of the lowest scoring teams in the conference.
This is why MNUFC shifted to a 3-5-2. Pereyra has free rein to find the game and make things happen. With Kelvin Yeboah and Marcus Caldeira making runs to feed off Pereyra's creativity, Minnesota has no troubles finding the back of the net. It's keeping the ball out of their own goal which is the problem. Where the Loons are overly vulnerable is in the wide areas. The center backs don't push out enough to engage with opposition wide players, forcing the wingbacks to defend the whole flank. This leaves them outnumbered, forcing MNUFC central midfielders to make a decision: shift out wide to provide cover, compromising the middle of the field, or leave the wingbacks on their own. Either way, it was resulting in too many gaps for Minnesota. However, this is the formation that got the best out of Minnesota's roster. It gets all their best players on the field in their best spots, with Yeboah alongside Caldeira up front, Pereyra as a 10, Markanich as an attacking wingback, and 3 center backs on the pitch. If Minnesota can find a way to solidify this system, they could turn their season around. But for now, their lineup indecision is indicative of the root of their struggles this season: lack of an identity.
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Minnesota's best formation is not a 4-4-2. This is how the Loons lined up against Colorado, and it did not work. For a team that's been allowing lots of goals, it was sensible to switch to a 4-4-2, which inherently provides structure against the ball with two compact lines of 4 behind the strike partnership. However, Minnesota is still leaking goals. This match ended 2-2, despite Colorado playing the final half hour down a man. Where Minnesota really looked vulnerable was in the wide areas, particularly down their left hand side. Morris Duggan was forced into the role of left back in this one with Markanich in concussion protocol. As a natural center back, his starting position was narrow, meaning if the Rapids could quickly get the ball out wide, there was lots of space to exploit. To make things worse, the left wingers didn't do a good job getting back and providing cover. This is how Colorado got their first goal. Keegan Rosenberry had no pressure on him and was able to deliver a perfect cross into the area. Getting isolated out wide and failing to get pressure on the ball in these areas was an issue when Minnesota was playing with 3 in the back, and the 4-4-2 was supposed to solve this. But with this problem persisting, it makes little sense to continue with the 4-4-2 when MNUFC is more effective in attack in other systems. With a 3 in the back setup, Anthony Markanich has more license to get into the attack. He's one of the best goal scoring defenders on the planet. And in recent addition Cherrion Valerius, the Loons could have a solution to the right wingback spot that has been a problem point for them this year. Valerius is a willing runner who loves to get forward and combine in the final third. In attack, Minnesota are at their best with two forwards. Having a physical presence up top like Caldeira unlocks Kelvin Yeboah, who has been nothing short of sensational this year. With two productive strikers in front of an elite playmaker in Joaquín Pereyra, the 3-5-2 is Minnesota's most potent attacking setup. This is the formation Minnesota United should stick with for the rest of their season if they want to try to make a late playoff push.
2. How can Vancouver get back to their best?
2. How can Vancouver get back to their best?
Vancouver travels to St. Louis in a massive game between the first and second place teams in the Western Conference. St. Louis will be looking to achieve the longest ever unbeaten run across all competitions, having picked up a point in 20 straight matches. Vancouver, on the other hand, has been decidedly average of late. Since the World Cup break, the Whitecaps are 5-4-5 in league play, and 6-7-8 in all competitions. It's easy to point to Sebastian Berhalter's departure and heavy legs from the past two seasons for their dip in form. But the truth is Ollie Larraz has done well in the heart of midfield and every MLS team has dealt with fixture congestion. So what's behind Vancouver's slump and how do they turn things around against the hottest team in the league?
The crux of Vancouver's recent struggles has been their defense. The 'Caps are one of the best defensive teams in the league, with only Nashville allowing less goals per match. They are so good at suffocating opponents with their high press and not allowing them out of their own half. But lately they've been easier to play through, leading to a lot more instances where they are defending in open space. For a team that plays a high line, they aren't particularly adept at this, and Cubas being out of the lineup on international duty has exposed this deficiency. But it's impossible to replace a player like Andrés Cubas, who means everything to the Whitecaps' front foot press. Another player that hasn't been replaced is Ali Ahmed, who left in the winter. Vancouver sorely miss his energy on the counter press and his devastating ability in 1v1 scenarios. Recruitment has been an issue for the Whitecaps, as many of their new signings haven't moved the needle, either due to inconsistency or lack of quality. This is especially so on the press - Ryan Gauld and Brian White are tireless workers, but can't cover the whole field. Vancouver's other attackers haven't maintained this intensity, and it's shown in the last couple months. As a result, Vancouver aren't the juggernauts they were for the past year and a half, but they are still a very solid team. If they can get their press right against St. Louis, they will have a chance to get a massive result that would go a long way to getting this team back on track for the top spot in the West.
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In the opening 20 minutes of the match, Vancouver absolutely got their press right. They were at their suffocating best, led as always by Brian White and Ryan Gauld. Those two were all over the field putting pressure on St. Louis City players. Oliver Larraz was equally impactful, relentlessly stepping out of midfield to eliminate time and space, forcing St. Louis into uncharacteristic turnovers. It was an organized press by the Whitecaps, with the wingers and midfielders connected to the high press of the forwards. When Vancouver pressed as a unit instead of as individuals, they made it very difficult for St. Louis to get out of their own half. However, even with this positive start to the match, Vancouver failed to capitalize. It's an issue that's haunted this team for much of the year. They simply aren't ruthless. Whether it's failing to beat players 1v1 or lack of patience, the Whitecaps get themselves into great positions but can't take advantage. Against St. Louis, they were taking too many shots from distance, none of which tested Bürki. Now, it must be said that the home side did a great job getting bodies in front of the ball, but without Berhalter, the long shot isn't as dangerous for Vancouver anymore. The rest of the match was cagey, with Vancouver looking second best. Importantly, their defense held strong. They weren't left scrambling in open space very often, and when they were exposed, Takaoka was there to save the day. It was a massive clean sheet at the end of an improved performance by the 'Caps. If Vancouver continues to play like this, they will remain in contention for the top seed in the West.
3. How can New England and Cincinnati adapt without star attackers?
3. How can New England and Cincinnati adapt without star attackers?
After a promising summer that saw New England climb to second place in the Eastern Conference, they have now dropped two straight. Both losses were similar: The Revs allowed an early goal, failed to capitalize on their chances, and then allowed a couple late goals when they pushed numbers forward to end up with 3-0 losses. It is important that the Revolution bounce back from these last few performances, and they are going to have to do so without winger Jack Harrison. The Englishman added more creativity and control when he was in the lineup, but is set to be sidelined for at least a few more weeks. This opens the door for Lucas Langoni, who is just returning to health himself. Langoni's profile as a RW is different than Harrison. The obvious reason is that he is right footed instead of left footed, so instead of cutting inside, he is more likely to be direct and go down the line. This means that the Revolution will be more dangerous on the counter attack, as Langoni and Peyton Miller are both very quick and can strike in an instant. With a more direct approach, the Revolution would have to rely upon Gil to be precise in transition and their defense to be solid when they play against the ball. They have Matt Turner in net, who has been fabulous this year, to call upon when they do concede chances. In front of Turner, they need youngster Joshua Wynder to settle in. He has a lot of potential but hasn't played a lot over the past few years, so it is going to be important that he gets acclimated to the MLS and starts performing to his highest potential alongside Kohler or Fofana. Another way that New England could adapt in the absence of Jack Harrison is to play Ilay Feingold at right back, pushing Matt Polster back into midfield, where he can help the Revs control the game. Feingold is more of a threat from the wide areas than Polster, which would give them another attacking piece on their right flank and make them more dangerous in possession.
On the other side, FC Cincinnati will likely be without Evander. The Brazilian has been crucial to Cincinnati's success this season. They struggled heavily at the start of the season when he was injured, and once he found form, their attack was unplayable. Now, with Evander injured, other players are going to have to step up. Namely, Kévin Denkey, who did just that against Atlanta United. His brace powered them to a much needed win, giving them more of a cushion over the trailing teams in the Eastern Conference. The Togolese forward is going to have to be the focal point of the attack and provide more than just his goal scoring prowess. Another spot that is going to be important for Cincinnati is their right wingback. In the last game, David Douděra got his first ever MLS start. Douděra has excelled for Slavia Prague over their past few championship seasons, so there is optimism that he could be a very positive addition for Noonan's side once he gets adjusted to the MLS. Another option at this position is Ender Echenique. The speedy Venezuelan has shown that he can be more than just a vertical threat. Against Charlotte, when Cincinnati were once again without Evander, Echenique picked up more of a central position to become a playmaker. Noonan is going to have to be creative to come up with a solution without Evander in order to maintain the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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In this game, several Revolution players stepped up in a big way for their side. Mitrovíc shifted Peyton Miller over to the right wing, and he was outstanding filling in for Harrison. Miller's 2 assists, both to striker Dor Turgeman, showcased how Miller has evolved this season. On the first goal, he keeps the width and waits for a switch from Joshua Wynder. When it comes, he stretches the Cincinnati backline before playing a clever cutback pass to Turgeman. Equally important to Miller's movement is that of Ilay Feingold. His inverted run drags a defender away, creating space for Miller and eventually the cutback for Turgeman. This is an element of their attack that they don't have with Polster on the field. His attacking instincts and beautiful service make him a serious weapon when he's healthy, so New England are going to have to utilize Feingold more as they deal with Harrison's injury. On New England's third goal, Miller once again receives the ball on the right touchline, although this time he's farther away from the net. He then drives inside past a couple Cincinnati players before slipping in a perfectly weighted through ball for Turgeman for the eventual game winner. Another key piece to this Revs attack is Turgeman, whose clinical edge has been questionable at times this season. However, he took both goals very confidently and now has 3 goals and 3 assists in his last 4 games for New England. With the dangerous movement of Turgeman up top and the multidimensional play of Miller, the Revolution don't have to rely too much on Carles Gil, which has been an issue for them over past seasons. When everyone else steps up, the Revolution has shown that they can still be a serious threat even without Jack Harrison.
For FC Cincinnati, they relied on more chance creation from the wide areas. New addition Tyrell Malacia got 2 assists in this game, with one of them remarkably coming from a throw-in. He was a constant threat down the left hand side of the attack and has a good variation of service. Plus, he is only going to grow into his role for Noonan's side as he adapts to the league and Evander returns from injury. Cincinnati fans should be excited to see how Evander can amplify Malacia's skillset by his ability to drag in defenders just enough before releasing the ball to one of his teammates, who is now in a dangerous position and attacking an unbalanced defense. Without Evander in the starting lineup, they struggled to play through the middle. Gerardo Valenzuela didn't get on the ball enough to be impactful until the second half, when Cincinnati was chasing the game and Evander came off the bench. It’s clear that Cincinnati will have to solidify their defense heading into the playoffs. However, it is just as important that they become less reliant on Evander if they want to make a run this postseason.
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