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| Why, yes, I am showing my age. |
Minnesota United FC
The Basics
8-6-5, 29 pts., 31 gf, 29 ga (+2); home 4-2-4, away 4-4-1; 5th in West; 11th overall
Last 10 Results: WTWTLWTLLL
Where They Played 'Em:: AHHAAHHAAH
A Narrative
After going 7-2-3 over their first (why not?) 12 games, Minnesota has slowed down to 1-4-2 in recent weeks – including dropping the last three straight games. Their schedule has been tough-ish, but getting on the wrong side of a slugfest against a woeful, stumbling FC Dallas side and picking up a red card, a…let’s call it a significant suspension (see below), plus a loss at home against Austin FC(!?) points to something that looks an awful lot like a limp in the Loons once-mighty stride. (And what do you do to a horse with a limp? All together now!)
As noted in past posts, I really am trying to tighten up these posts (and largely failing), so, without further ado let’s move on to...
10 Things I’d Tell People About Minnesota United FC, as of June 27, 2024
1) The Old Gray Mare, Etc.
Back when I was previewing FC Cincy’s opposition, I saw Minnesota coolly dismantle a Charlotte FC that has proven sturdy and effective in 2024 (e.g., currently 4th in the East and 7th overall), i.e., not at all like the team Dallas ran ahead of, or the one the Seattle Sounders absolutely stuffed (and, no, 90th minute red cards don't count). Then again…is that so surprising?
2) Minnesota Is a Team of Average
I sincerely rate, even admire a number of players on Minnesota’s roster – e.g., Robin Lod, Michael Boxall, and Dane St. Clair – but, with the exception of Lod, I wouldn’t call any of them league-elite – and Lod’s only league-elite attribute is his flexibility. Dude’s like getting a wild card in every deal. Very much related…
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| And, again. Wonder how she got cast? |
Someone who goes by TransedentalMedit8n helpfully posted a list of actual and potential absentees for Minnesota on the Timbers subreddit. While I get too carried away on this – i.e., the core of Eric Ramsay’s preferred XI will be there – the absences do take a bite at the top of Minnesota’s lineup. Finnish striker has been out for a couple (exact date unknown, not looking it up) and that robs them of, beyond goals, a high-defensive presence. Pukki hasn’t delivered a ton of goals this season (just two, with a single assist on the side), but the man who picked up the slack he left, Tani Oluwaseyi (seven goals, four assists), appears set to miss Saturday’s game by way of international duty. The trick with Oluwaseyi: he has done most of that off the bench – so missing him also means missing a game-changer. And yet I’m not sure he’s the loon Minnesota will miss most…
4) Two Yellows, One “Big” Absence
Referee Drew Fischer directed Hasani Dotson to Minnesota’s locker room last weekend with two quick, rough yellow cards in last weekend’s loss versus Austin, which leaves them with “Wil Trapp…AND?” for the visit to Portland. Personally, I doubt Dotson ranks in the Top 10 when it comes to MLS d-mids, but he does know the position and plays it regularly…unlike the rest of the available options. If this detail hasn’t entered into Phil Neville’s game-plan, I got nuthin’…and yet…
5) The Once and Future Option
Fun fact: Lod spent a fair patch of 2023 playing as a d-mid and he did fine, if not better than. What he and Trapp lack in midfield bite (not a ton, honestly), they make up by playing fast, well and accurately in the other direction. I don’t know Minnesota well enough to know Ramsey goes with Lod, but he’s not a bad option – just different than what Dotson provides.
6) The (Probable) Targets
Timbers fans may know South African Bongokuhle Hlongwane from seasons past and he’s a decent option, if primarily as a field-stretcher. Ramsay has also leaned heavily on South Korean winger Sang Bin Jeong, if with middling results. These are by no means incapable players – they have 7 goals and 3 assists between them (with the balance for Hlongwane) – but they do seem, for lack of a better word, as containable as they have proven to be and/or adept at running out of rope. No less importantly, Minnesota doesn't (appear to) have a target/possession player to help them hold the ball high up the field. Which could be why....
7) High and Passive
That’s the way I saw Minnesota defend against both Dallas and Seattle – i.e., they filtered into the middle and attacking third, but didn’t press much. Swear to God they swarmed teams earlier this season, but the current/late approach played out closer to asking a team to break you down higher up the pitch. It's probably an attempt to turn the ball over high up the field, only without risking the shape.
8) A Right Back Issue All Their Own
Local-boy-made-good-enough, Caden Clark, has played in every game for Minnesota this season, save one, and has started eight. He’s young (21) and, based on what I’ve seen, not the greatest defender. As such, I’d like to think the Timbers can set up Jonathan Rodriguez to make a meal out of him one way or another. Fwiw, I think he’s learning the position…
9) Where I Don’t See an Issue
I’ve heard talk of center back Kervin Arriaga moving on during the Austin FC broadcast (I think) and appreciate that St. Clair may still be out/recovering from international duty. They’ll still have Boxall and St. Clair’s backup, Clint Irwin, is good enough that I wouldn’t count on getting much past Minnesota’s central defense on set pieces, or any time they’re set, deep and organized. Get them back-pedaling, sure, I like those chances. Outside of that, I expect Portland will need to work for goals. Moreover, I expect the Loons to make them work for it. Fwiw, I think Minnesota fielded a starting lineup and approached the game at Dallas thinking they could run 'em over. While that's a possibility when they come to Portland...nah, I can't see it.
10) Joseph Rosales Has a Cannon
That’s a note for both dead-ball situations and when they can find him in open play. And he typically plays on the Minnesota's left/Portland's right. Just...keep an eye out.
That’s all for this one. Big game and, as I see it, a winnable game. The future is now, etc. We’ll see how it shakes out and kick it around Sunday morning (because I’m going to this one!).
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