Soccer <\/p>\n
I can\u2019t be the only one who feels like I blinked, and now we\u2019re through 10 matchdays of the regular season. Okay, phew. It\u2019s not just me.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
As we look back at the latest slate of MLS matches, we\u2019ve got Nashville SC<\/a> showing their muscle, a dynamic Portland Timbers<\/a> attack, and so much more.<\/p>\n As always, if you want to read up on the rest of Matchday 10 in detail, check out Matt Doyle\u2019s column<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Hey, remember when I wrote this about Nashville<\/a>, even after their loss to the Seattle Sounders<\/a> last weekend?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Nashville, lest we forget, are no slouches this year under B.J. Callaghan, beating the<\/em> Philadelphia Union<\/em> and outplaying a pair of other Eastern Conference contenders.<\/em><\/p>\n Yeah, well, let\u2019s go ahead and file that under \u2018things that aged well.\u2019<\/p>\n Nashville SC put up the performance of the season in a staggering 7-2 win<\/a> over Chicago Fire FC<\/a> on Saturday. Once the game settled into a rhythm \u2013 one totally dictated by Callaghan\u2019s team \u2013 after the first few minutes, they were downright impeccable en route to taking a 7-0 lead<\/em>. The Coyotes were ruthless down attacking Chicago\u2019s left side, where Jonathan Bamba<\/a> often leaves space in front of Andrew Gutman<\/a>. Chance after chance came from the wide overloads that Nashville created in their 4-2-2-2 setup.<\/p>\n In this passmap, via MLS Analytics<\/a>, you can see just how aggressive the Andy Najar<\/a> – Jacob Shaffelburg<\/a> – Hany Mukhtar<\/a> right side was for the hosts:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The extent to which Nashville snuffed out the Fire was a surprise, but the fact they played really, really good ball wasn\u2019t. Ever since Callaghan has had access to a pair of senior central midfielders, Nashville have shown mettle against some of the best in MLS, including Philly, Cincinnati<\/a> and Charlotte<\/a>.<\/p>\n In any conversation about the most dangerous teams in the league right now, it would be a mistake to leave out Nashville.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Speaking of the most dangerous teams in MLS\u2026 there are a whole bunch of them at or near the top of the East!<\/p>\n It might just be that the top six teams, outside of Vancouver<\/a>, all play in the Eastern Conference. Let\u2019s run through them, shall we?<\/p>\n With Nashville in sixth, the top of the East is chock-full of elite-to-borderline-elite teams. And that\u2019s before we get to Orlando City<\/a>, whose new-look right side could propel them higher up the table.<\/p>\n It becomes increasingly clear every week: the East is a battle.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n With at least three goals scored in five of their last six games, the Portland Timbers are officially back<\/em>, folks.<\/p>\n Since that 3-0 win<\/a> over the Colorado Rapids<\/a> last month, the Timbers\u2019 attack has been firing. They\u2019re ninth in MLS in xG per game in that stretch with 1.77, according to American Soccer Analysis, which puts them ahead of teams like Inter Miami, San Diego FC<\/a> and FC Cincinnati. That stat should scare opposing defenses on its own. But it gets even scarier: Portland\u2019s attack has found this much success without star left winger Jonathan Rodr\u00edguez<\/a> starting a single game.<\/p>\n The DP is still working his way back from injury, having made just three substitute appearances this year. In those appearances? He\u2019s snagged an assist and a goal, the latter coming from the spot in the Timbers\u2019 4-2 win<\/a> over the LA Galaxy<\/a> on Sunday.<\/p>\n The attack is only going to get stronger for Portland. Watch out, MLS.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The book is out on Minnesota United<\/a>. Every team in MLS has seen enough film of Eric Ramsay\u2019s team to know how to give themselves a better chance at beating them, and the way you do it is by forcing Minnesota to have at least a bit of the ball.<\/p>\n In a 0-0 draw<\/a> with Toronto FC<\/a> earlier this month, Toronto offloaded 50.1% possession on Minnesota and stymied their attack in the process. The next time out, FC Dallas did almost the exact same thing to earn a 0-0 draw<\/a> in Minnesota. And while the Vancouver Whitecaps held all but 44.6% of the ball on Sunday, the Loons\u2019 attack still fell flat in a 3-1 home loss<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you can make Minnesota United use even some of the ball, you can take away their biggest strength: attacking on the break through their dynamic front two.<\/p>\n While that’s a pretty glaring weakness, there\u2019s good news for Minnesota fans. The club\u2019s leadership knows the team\u2019s lack of possession threat is a problem. And that\u2019s where Julian Gressel<\/a> comes in.<\/p>\n Reportedly soon to be added to the squad, Gressel is one of the most reliable wide chance creators this league has ever seen. In his seven full MLS seasons, the 31-year-old has hit the eight-assist mark five times. Between his open-play crossing and set-piece service, Gressel is a weapon like few others in this league. He\u2019ll add a different dimension to a team in need of one.<\/p>\n Minnesota United are problem-solving in real-time, and I can\u2019t wait to see what it looks like on the field.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n I\u2019d like to offer FC Dallas something of an apology. I wasn\u2019t familiar with the potential of your attacking game.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to pick holes in Dallas\u2019 4-3 win over Inter Miami on Sunday. None of Lionel Messi<\/a>, Luis Su\u00e1rez<\/a>, Jordi Alba<\/a>, or Sergio Busquets<\/a> stepped on the field ahead of a massive CCC semifinal clash with Vancouver on Wednesday night. As a result, FC Dallas didn\u2019t take down anything close to Inter Miami\u2019s best group. Still, they took down a lineup that was undoubtedly more defensively sound than normal, thanks to Javier Mascherano\u2019s inclusion of five center backs and a set of workmanlike advanced players.<\/p>\n \u2026and Dallas still bagged four goals in the process.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n I firmly believe Eric Quill\u2019s team is still trying to find itself after a jam-packed offseason. Dallas are trying to answer questions like: How can we play through Lucho Acosta<\/a> and Petar Musa<\/a> while maximizing the strengths of some of our other more direct attacking pieces?<\/em> And: How can we make the field big to let those attackers shine in space without being exposed at the back?<\/em><\/p>\n The win in Florida didn\u2019t fully answer those questions, with Musa out injured and Sebastien Ibeagha<\/a> struggling defensively. But Sunday was a reminder that FC Dallas have enough pieces to do some real damage in MLS this year.<\/p>\n Those pieces just have to gel.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n