I want to focus on the teams that perhaps no one is talking about, have had eventful off-seasons, or are just straight-up enigmas. I’m not necessarily saying all these teams are MLS Cup dark horses or will be any good at all but rather each being an interesting, unique case for differing reasons. So interesting, that I recommend keeping track of these clubs even if you aren’t a fan.

FC Cincinnati

The other “Queen City,” ew, I know. Hear me out though. While the majority of teams in MLS have had a slow transfer window, FC Cincinnati has been busy. They managed to win the race to sign the highly touted, Brazilian international, Brenner. He had been linked to moves to several different European clubs including Juventus, Arsenal, and AC Milan. Cincinnati shocked everyone when they ended up being the team that got him.

In addition to Brenner, Cincinnati has also signed ex-DC United playmaker, Luciano Acosta. He had a spectacular 2018 season in MLS notching 10 goals and 15 assists before earning a move to Liga MX. However, he only managed 5 goal contributions in Mexico. Whether he can reproduce that 2018 season on a consistent basis is yet to be seen. Most recently, they’ve signed the exciting, young Ghanaian winger Isaac Atanga who will bring more dynamism to the FCC attack.

Regardless, one of Cincinnati’s biggest struggles in the 2020 season was chance creation and they’ve gone out and signed three possible solutions to that problem. On top of all this, Cincinnati will be playing in their brand new, state-of-the-art stadium that is arguably the best in the league. FC Cincinnati has finished in last place in their first two seasons but this could be the season they start turning things around. While far from a finished product, Cincinnati will be looking to have its first winning season in 2021.

Austin FC

This the most obvious on this list simply because you can never really predict how an inaugural team will perform. A perfect example was last season when Inter Miami dominated headlines but it was Nashville who ended up having the surprising but better inaugural season. Austin FC has gone out and built a solid roster that if everything clicks they could very well be making the playoffs their first season.

They’ve gone out and signed some tantalizing South American players mixed with MLS veterans. Midfielder Tomas Pochettino and winger Cecilio Dominguez come into the league as Designated Players and will look to lead the Austin FC attack. Underlooked additions to this roster are young defenders, Jhohan Romaña and Žan Kolmanič, both looking to prove themselves in a better league. Speaking of youth, because they are an inaugural team, they got the first pick of the draft and selected Generation Adidas player, Daniel Pereira. He will have a good mentor in the midfield with Alex Ring, who Austin acquired from NYCFC and is highly regarded as one of the best midfielders in MLS.

Other notable MLS veterans that Austin has acquired are Nick Lima, Matt Besler, Diego Fagundez, Kekuta Manneh, and Ben Sweat all of which who have been consistent, solid players in MLS. Austin has gone out and built not only a talented roster but a balanced one. Only time will tell if first-time head coach, Josh Wolff can get the most out of their roster. 

Vancouver Whitecaps

The Whitecaps are a weird team, but that’s what makes them so intriguing. They don’t really have an identity but have shown glimpses of being playoff contenders. They had a solid midfield and have built upon it with the signing of young Brazilian, Caio Alexandre. Alexandre played more as a defensive midfielder at Botafogo, but with Whitecaps already deep in that position, the assumption is that he will play a more advanced 8 role. Alexandre will need to use his more advanced role and passing range to create counters for the team.

The Whitecaps have also signed another South American in winger Déiber Caicedo who will add speed and dribbling ability to the Whitecaps attack. Just as surprising as the signing of Caio Alexandre, the Whitecaps also signed right-back Bruno Gaspar from Sporting CP in Portugal. Gaspar is entering his prime and will be the fullback partner to Ali Adnan who is arguably the best left-back in MLS. It will be in the Whitecaps’ best interest to get the most out of this fullback pairing that has the potential to be the best in the league.

Whitecaps already had a solid foundation for their roster entering this off-season and they’ve gone out and built upon it. Their coach, Marc Dos Santos, was all over the place last season when it came to tactics and formations. He will need to be more consistent this season for the Whitecaps to consistently win. As of right now, the Whitecaps are built as a counter-attacking team and could be electric if all cylinders are firing. We will see if the Whitecaps of the 2021 season will be more like the impressive side that beat LAFC 2 – 1 or the disastrous one that lost to LAFC 6 – 0 that we saw last season. Or both…

Colorado Rapids

The Rapids were a pleasant surprise last season finishing 5th in the East led by a core of young Americans. Instead of depending on Designated players, the Rapids have put a heavy reliance on youth and some underlooked European talent. The investment in youth bore its fruit last season when young players like Sam Vines and Cole Bassett really took their games to the next level. Rapids were the underdogs in most games but always played with a chip on their shoulder. When their backs were pinned against the wall is when they played their best.

However, they have to start stringing together consistent performances week in and week out. Not only winning the high pressure games but the easier games they should be winning comfortably. Inconsistency normally accompanies a predominantly young squad and it will be up to coach, Robin Fraser, to build upon last season and create consistency. Another key will be to get the most out of their only designated player, Younes Namli.

Namli is the catalyst for the Colorado Rapids and getting greater production out of him is going to be essential to go further this season. Kellyn Acosta will also need to step up and begin to dominate games in the midfield. Lalas Abubakar will need to continue to be the rock at the back and continue as one of the best centrebacks in the league. If Colorado can get all these different components working together consistently week in and week out they could potentially be one of the most dangerous teams in the West. 

New York Red Bulls 

The once-great giants of the East, the New York Red Bulls, have fallen in recent years. However, there is hope for the 2021 season. Like the Rapids, their hope lies in their youth. Their youth combined with still recently acquired coach, Gerhard Struber. Struber comes straight from the Red Bull footballing system which prides itself on not only playing youth but relying on them. Their footballing philosophy is the epitome of modern soccer which is high pressing, possession-based football.

Struber started implementing this system late last season but has now had an entire off-season to drill it into his team. He has some exciting young players to carry out this system in Caden Clark, Dru Yearwood, Andrés Reyes, Cameron Harper, Kyle Duncan, Cristian Cásseres Jr., and others. The youth will also be supported by solid MLS veterans in Aaron Long, Daniel Royer, and Florian Valot. The recent drama with designated player Kaku signing with another team while still under contract at Red Bulls is still a major question mark come the beginning of the season.

Whether Kaku plays for the Red Bulls this season or not, there is still plenty to be excited for in this team. We could see the revival of the New York Red Bulls being ignited by Struber and his young core of players this upcoming season. Regardless of whether Red Bulls win or not, watching how Struber utilizes his youth will be something to look forward to.

Conclusion

As we wait for Charlotte to get on the pitch in 2022, consider following the journey of the following five teams this season and who knows, they could surprise us. If you aren’t a Charlotte fan, whether you are a neutral or already have a team, they might be worth tuning into watch.

The post Five Intriguing MLS Teams to Watch in 2021 appeared first on Regal Soccer.

EAST

Atlanta United – Josef Martinez (Striker), Alan Franco (Defender), Ezequiel Barco (Winger)

Chicago Fire – Ignacio Aliseda (Winger), Robert Berić (Striker), Gastón Giménez (Midfielder)

FC Cincinnati – Brenner (Striker), Luciano Acosta (A. Midfielder), Jurgen Locadia (Striker)

Columbus Crew – Gyasi Zardes (Striker), Lucas Zelarayan (A. Midfielder), Pedro Santos (Winger)

DC United – Paul Arriola (Winger), Edison Flores (Winger)

Inter Miami CF – Gonzalo Higuaín (Striker), Rodolfo Pizarro (Midfielder), Matías Pellegrini (Winger), Blaise Matuidi (D. Midfielder)

CF Montréal – Victor Wanyama (D. Midfielder) *

Nashville SC – Jhonder Cádiz (Striker), Randall Leal (Winger), Hany Mukhtar (A. Midfielder)

New England Revolution – Gustavo Bou (Striker), Adam Buksa (Striker), Carles Gil (A. Midfielder)

New York City FC – Jesús Medina (Winger), Maximiliano Moralez (A. Midfielder)

New York Red Bulls – Dru Yearwood (Midfielder), Kaku (A. Midfielder)

Orlando City SC – Nani (A. Midfielder), Mauricio Pereyra (A. Midfielder)

Philadelphia Union – Jamiro Monteiro (Midfielder)

Toronto FC – Jozy Altidore (Striker), Michael Bradley (D. Midfielder), Alejandro Pozuelo (A. Midfielder)

WEST

Austin FC – Tomas Pochettino (Midfielder), Cecilio Dominguez (Winger)

Colarado Rapids – Younes Namli (A. Midfielder)

FC Dallas – Bryan Acosta (Midfielder), Franco Jara (Striker)

Houston Dynamo FC – Darwin Quintero (Winger)

Sporting Kansas City – Johnny Russell (Winger), Alan Pulido (Striker), Gadi Kinda (Midfielder)

LA Galaxy – Jonathan dos Santos (Midfielder), Javier Hernandez (Striker), Kevin Cabral (Winger)

Los Angeles FC – Carlos Vela (Winger), Diego Rossi (Striker)

Minnesota United – Jan Gregus (Midfielder), Emanuel Reynoso (A. Midfielder)

Portland Timbers – Sebastián Blanco (A. Midfielder), Yimmi Chara (Winger), Jaroslaw Niezgoda (Striker)

Real Salt Lake – Jeizon Ramírez (Winger), Albert Rusnák (A. Midfielder)

San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Espinoza (A. Midfielder)

Seattle Sounders – Nicolás Lodeiro (A. Midfielder), João Paulo (Midfielder), Raúl Ruidíaz (Striker)

Vancouver Whitecaps – Ali Adnan (Fullback), Lucas Cavallini (Striker)

The post Designated Player Catalog appeared first on Regal Soccer.

With the recent hiring of Greg Vanney for the head coach position, Galaxy is entering a new era. The ex-Galaxy player turned coach brings hope to the organization with the masterful job he did in turning Toronto FC from one of the worst MLS teams to MLS Cup and Supporter’s Shield winners. He completely transformed the culture of the club, making Toronto the example of MLS excellence year in and year out. His 2017 MLS Cup winning Toronto is arguably considered to be the best team in MLS history and at the very least one of the best MLS teams of all time.

Vanney has quite a daunting job ahead of him with LA Galaxy. With so many years of mediocrity at Galaxy, fans have lost patience and another bad coaching stint would most likely take them over the edge. Unlike, Guillermo Barros Schelotto though, Vanney has already proven that he has what it takes to create a winning culture and team in the MLS.

So how exactly can Vanney revitalize LA Galaxy and bring them back to their former glory days? Before going into potential Vanney line ups and the LA Galaxy roster we need to look at his system and tactics to see how everyone will fit.

Tactics

The core problem that has haunted LA Galaxy in these lackluster years has been a lack of identity. Galaxy hasn’t had a playing philosophy or identity since they won the MLS Cup in 2014. Having an identity provides guidance and consistency in every aspect of a club. From the players signed, lockerroom environment, and on the pitch performance every aspect is guided by a club’s identity and philosophies. When no such identity exists, the club has no guidance or direction.

Greg Vanney comes into LA Galaxy having a clear identity on how he wants his team to play and the kind of players he requires to fit his system. Vanney likes his team to be electrifying on offense through an aggressive possession-based but fluid style with an emphasis on attacking the wide space. On defense, his team normally sits in a high-mid block in a man-oriented pressing system. This clear identity and style was key to Vanney’s success at Toronto.

Vanney is a flexible coach when it comes to formations but he tends to favor a 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2. However, because of his philosophy of fluidity, the formations aren’t rigid but rather constantly adapting or changing depending on the opposing team. The first example we see of the fluidity of his system is when his team has the ball.

Build Up Phase

On offense, Vanney’s team shifts to a 4-1-4-1 from the 4-4-1-1. The box-to-box midfielder (8) pushes up while the more creative second striker (10) drops down beside the number 8. The defensive midfielder (6) drops down even deeper to be the link between the defense and offense.

Vanney likes his teams to build-up starting from the back. During the build-up phase, the fullbacks stay back to be passing options for the centrebacks and the six. The six, the single pivot, moves laterally to follow the ball being passed across the defensive line to be a passing option to connect the defense to the offense. Once the six receives the ball, his job is then to start the attack by either playing a through ball over the top for the wingers, play a splitting pass to the striker (9), or play it short to the create ten.

This six is the heart of Vanney’s system because he links the entire team together, provides cover for counters, and is always an available passing option to reset play. The six can very much control the tempo and pace of the game in this system. Michael Bradley played this role perfectly at Toronto and had been crucial to Vanney’s system working.

The six requires strong positioning, passing range and defensive capabilities. However the six is not just stuck in front of the centrebacks. Vanney’s system relies on fluidity and balance. If the six finds an opportune space in the attack, he has permission to join the attack. However, when that happens it is up to the eight to sit back instead and cover for the six. Balance.

Finding who can play this six role effectively at Galaxy will be a major priority for Vanney.

Wide Overloads

After the build-up phase is when Vanney wants his team to exploit the wide spaces by creating numerical advantages with overloads. As mentioned earlier, he wants fullbacks to stay back during the build-up phase but this role completely changes once the build-up phase is over. Once build-up is over the fullbacks can push forward push into the attack but not whenever they want. They push when there is an opportunity to create these wide overloads.

A common scenario in Vanney’s system is that the six will play the ball to the ten. Depending on what side that occurs, the winger will then cut inside into the half-space, to allow room for the fullback to overlap and join the attack out wide. At the same time the nine shifts towards the side that this all happening to further overload that area. This gives Vanney’s team a four versus three overload in the wide space. This forces the left-back to mark the winger and leaves the fullback open (light blue).

This isn’t the only type of overload that Vanney drills his team teams to do. There are different variations for different formations and situations within each game. In other scenarios it could be the box-to-box midfielder who runs into the half space and the number ten overlaps. Vanney prepares his team for any possible circumstance. That’s what made Toronto so difficult to play against for so long. Vanney’s teams are flexible and fluid enough to adapt to anything thrown at them.

A large part of that fluidity comes with the elite playmaker, the number ten, in Vanney’s system. Vanney has had the opportunity to coach some brilliant MLS playmakers that have been key to his teams. Vanney’s flexibility to adjust his tactics to put his playmaker in the best possible position to thrive is why they have thrived under him. Nevertheless, Vanney needs an elite playmaker just as much as the playmaker needs him.

Playmaker

While the 6 is the heart of Vanney’s system, the 10 is the brain. They are the puppetmasters of the offense and the catalyst of the attack. While we will be referring to the playmaker as the 10, it doesn’t mean that they necessarily play a traditional number ten role. His two most notable playmakers being perfect examples of not being traditional number tens.

First, it was Sebastian Giovinco who Vanney played as a second striker behind Jozy Altidore in a 4-4-2. Then there is Alejandro Pozuelo who played more as an advanced midfielder and winger. However, there is one common denominator between Vanney’s playmakers regardless of their playstyle. Full creative freedom.

Part of the reason that the system we have seen from Vanney has heavy emphasis on fluidity is to get the most out of these playmakers. Vanney doesn’t want to limit their creativity in any way. The 10 moves around the pitch wherever he thinks is best to make something happen. Vanney coaches his team to make sure they know what to do when the playmaker roams.

With the ten roaming, an unorganized team can get exposed. They need to know how to adjust their positioning to not only support the playmaker in the attack but cover on the defensive side as well. That’s where Vanney does an excellent job in making sure his team can adjust fluidly.

Defense

On defense, Vanney prefers a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 in a man-oriented high press. The most defining aspect of his system is the man-oriented part. A lot of modern defensive systems have zone-oriented systems. When defending, each player has to cover a specific zone that they are in charge of marking any opposing player who enters that zone. However, once that opposing player leaves the zone the player doesn’t follow him out of it but rather his teammate who has that new zone covered does.

In a man-oriented system such as Vanney’s, instead of players having zonal assignments they have player marking assignments. Each player has a specific opposing player they need to mark throughout the game. The specific player they need to mark can change throughout the game but they will always have a marking assignment. For Vanney, the most important of these assignments is the marking of the opposing double pivot.

Vanney puts a strong emphasis on marking the opposing midfield double pivot. Most teams in MLS play with a 4-2-3-1 and have a double pivot of midfielders to provide defensive stability and help the build up on the offense. If they are tightly marked and unable to get the ball it forces the opposing team to have to play wide which is what Vanney wants.

While Vanney has a very particular philosophy and system he wants to play, he still remains flexible to adjust his tactics on a game to game basis. Now that we have an understanding of Vanney’s system, it’s time to see how the current LA Galaxy’s roster fits into his system.

Roster

While the team’s 2020 record may not reflect it, on paper, LA Galaxy has a decent roster with potential but is missing some key pieces. However, the roster that Vanney is inheriting is better than the one he inherited at Toronto FC when he arrived in 2014. The roster has a mix of experience and youth but depth outside the first 11 is lacking. With that said, there a still quite a lot of question marks surrounding the roster.

Let’s first take a look at how Galaxy would line up in Vanney’s system if there was a game today. This is assuming if the recent reports on Pavón going back to Galaxy are true.

Defense

Analyzing the roster starting from the back to the front, we will start with the defense including the goalkeeper position.

At goalkeeper, new signing Jonathan Bond should be the day one starter. Bringing much experience from Europe and using up an international roster spot, he has clearly been brought in to play day one. Behind him, Galaxy has great depth at the keeper position with Klinsmann. Unfortunately for him, it looks like he will continue to be a backup keeper as he has been the majority of his young career.

As for the centreback pairing, this was an issue in the 2020 season that finally received attention this offseason. Whether it was because of coaching or individual reasons, LA Galaxy has struggled to find an inspiring centreback pairing for years now. With new signing Derrick Williams, Galaxy and Vanney are getting exactly what they needed. Williams is a left-footed centreback with great mobility and passing range. All traits suited to the high defensive line and possession based style Vanney likes his team to play.

As for his partner, Steres was the most consistent of the centrebacks last season. It could very well be DePuy or Gonzalez with no one out of contention with a new coach. However, Steres seems to fit the profile of centreback who fits Vanney’s system the best of these three. Centrebacks in this system will have to defend in transition often so it also important to have great fullbacks who can help cover.

Luckily for Galaxy, they do possess some top-quality fullbacks. Fullback is by the strongest position for the Galaxy on the defensive side. With the recent acquisition of MLS Cup winner, Jorge Villafańa from Portland, they are getting one of the most consistent MLS left-backs of the past 6 years. Combined with the young and explosive Araujo, it will make for potentially one of the best MLS fullback pairings in the league.

Both players also have large engines and can run at top gear for 90 minutes and more. This might prove to be even more useful with the lack of pace at centreback. They will probably find themselves having to run back on defense often to help their slower centrebacks stop counterattacks. Behind Villafaña and Araujo, Galaxy also has some good depth with Oniel Fisher, Danilo Acosta and young Josh Drak.

Midfield

The biggest question in the midfield is who is going to be Vanney’s new Michael Bradley. The only defensive midfielder on the Galaxy roster as of writing this is young Panamanian international, Carlos Harvey. Most of his playing career in the US has been in USL but was brought up to the Galaxy first team late into the 2020 season. While he certainly has potential, his professional playing experience is limited.

With the number six role being the heart of Vanney’s system, it is crucial to have a general in that position. As previously mentioned, this player needs to be defensively solid, have good positioning, and a strong passing range. Harvey does possess these traits at a core level but will have to refine them in order to run the midfield as Bradley did at Toronto for Vanney. Bradley came into Toronto an established player, Harvey is in the complete opposite stage of his career.

As for the number eight, Dos Santos is a fantastic player for Vanney to have in that role. He’s great in possession and able to unlock defenses with his late runs and passing in the final third. All skills very much suited to the number eight role under Vanney. However, the concern would be those times when Dos Santos does have to come back to defend which isn’t his strong suit. As well as the lack of depth in the midfield, a common trend throughout the rest of the positions in this Galaxy team.

Wingers

Things get interesting when it comes to the attacking players of Galaxy. One of the few bright spots of Galaxy in the past couple of years has been Cristian Pavón. However, his loan finished after last season and he is technically a Boca Juniors player as of writing this. Galaxy is keen on bringing him back and the feeling is mutual with Pavón. Bringing him back should be another priority for Galaxy.

Pavón has been one of the few dynamic Galaxy players since arriving in 2019. In many games, Pavón seemed to be the best chance for Galaxy to create something on offense. With Vanney preferring his wingers to cut into the half-spaces, Pavón could flourish under him. Both Pavón and Álvarez working the half-spaces would help get the most of their individual creative abilities. They would also both be cutting onto their stronger foot. All that combined with the fullbacks, Villafaña and Araujo, overlapping could prove to be a nightmare for opposing teams to defend against.

Once again, the winger options behind these two is very limited and the quality drops off significantly.

Striker and the Number Ten

Perhaps the two biggest questions surrounding this roster have to do with the striker and the number ten positions. The first question is whether Chicharito will bounce back from a disastrous debut season in MLS. LA Galaxy is paying him a fortune and he will need to pay it back this season will goal production. His lack of production wasn’t necessarily all his fault, however. Apart from the off-field issues he went through last season with his injury and divorce, on the pitch Guillermo did not set up Chicharito for success.

Chicharito is a pure poacher, he needs service to get the most out of him. Many times last season, he was too isolated up top and the only service he would get would be desperate crosses. This made defending against Chicharito and Galaxy very straightforward for opposing teams. Vanney’s Galaxy won’t be so drab and predictable, further helping put Chicharito in the best position to thrive.

Vanney’s use of the playmaker also known as the ten will also be advantageous to Chicharito. Part of the reason why Jozy Altidore thrived under Vanney was that he had Giovinco to keep opposing teams’ attention and to play off of. So many times teams would focus on stopping Giovinco that Altidore was left openings to exploit to score easy goals. This suits Chicharito even better with his excellent off-the-ball movement and his poaching nature. However, this leads us to the biggest question for this roster.

Who will be Vanney’s Giovinco or Pozuelo in LA? As of right now, the best choice would be Lletget, however, he is nowhere near the level of either Giovinco or Pozuelo. He doesn’t possess the creativity, flair, or technical ability to run the offense. Galaxy needs their elite playmaker who can link the offense together and single handily take over games. If Galaxy bring back Pavón, they would have no more Designated Players slots left to bring in that number ten.

Finding this player should be the number one priority for Galaxy. There is a case for Álvarez slotting in more centrally as that second striker/playmaker and it would give him creative freedom to operate in the middle. However, Álvarez is still very much raw and isn’t consistent enough to lead the offense just yet. Galaxy may have to wait out Dos Santos’ contract, renegotiate it or sell him in order to make space to buy an elite DP playmaker. This should be something that LA should highly consider because of the difference an elite playmaker can make in Vanney’s system.

Continuing with the trend, the depth in these positions is severely lacking and needs to be addressed in order for Galaxy to make it through a long season.

Conclusion

While this LA Galaxy team has potential it will not by any means be an easy task for Vanney to get them back to winning ways. There are four main keys to give this team the best shot of winning in the 2021 season. The first is to sign an elite playmaking Designated Player. The second is to resign Pavón. The third is to get Chicharito scoring. Lastly, the fourth and most overlooked one is to get Harvey comfortable playing in MLS. While these won’t guarantee Galaxy becoming contenders in the West, they sure will put Galaxy in the best position to succeed.

Greg Vanney has already built up one club from being at the very bottom to be at the very top year in and year out. His time and impact at Toronto will go down as one of the most impressive coaching stints in MLS history. However, LA Galaxy is a rebuild and will provide its own unique challenges. With the rich winning history both the Galaxy and Vanney have, he will have high expecations to live up to. What a story it would be if the ex-Galaxy player turned coach turns things around at his old club. While there is a lot of work to be done, LA Galaxy is in the best hands to rebuild its legacy.

The post How Greg Vanney Can Rebuild LA Galaxy’s Legacy appeared first on Regal Soccer.

The number ten is given to a highly creative, technical player whose job is to use these assets to create magic and pull the strings on the offensive side of the game. Whether it is going on a dazzling, dribbling run through the entire opposing team or picking a beautifully weighted through ball in behind the defensive line, the ten is the maestro of the attack.

It is this sole focus on attacking that is the reason why tens are disappearing in the modern game. High pressing systems that require every single player to defend are taking over. Having a passive number ten who has no defensive duties just doesn’t cut it anymore. Tens are being replaced by athletic, box-to-box midfielders who run up and down the pitch for ninety minutes. For this reason, the classic number tens are fading away into a not so distant memory.

However, hope is not all lost for the number ten role. Whereas Europe can be described as a dry desert that a ten will struggle to survive in. There is a place where it is a paradise for the classic maestros of football. An oasis in the midst of all the desert. It isn’t temporary but rather can serve as a permanent safe haven. A place where tens are not only welcomed but can strive in and be the key attacking stars they once were. This oasis… *dramatic pause* is Major League Soccer.

In a world where the number ten role is dying, it is more alive than ever in MLS. As recent as in the past five years, you are almost guaranteed to find a brilliant ten who pulls the strings for every MLS team who reached the MLS Cup final. In 2015, the MLS Cup finalists were Columbus Crew and Portland Timbers. Each team had an elite ten with Federico Higuaín on Columbus and Diego Valeri on Portland. In 2016 the two finalists were Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders, following the same trend, each had their own elite ten. Nicolás Lodeiro on the eventual winners Seattle and Sebastian Giovinco on Toronto. The next year in 2017 Toronto ended up winning the MLS Cup in a rematch with Seattle with Giovinco leading the way.

Fast forward to 2018 and we have Portland once again but this time they’ve added Sebastian Blanco, another high-level number ten, but with Valeri still there he played wide. Atlanta United, of course, had their own number ten, Miguel Almiron, and ended up beating Portland to win MLS Cup in just their second season in the league. Then we look at last year, 2019. Seattle wins the MLS Cup once again with Lodeiro against their familiar rival Toronto. This time Toronto has a different number ten in Alejandro Pozuelo replacing Giovinco. Do you get my point? There is a direct correlation between an MLS team’s success and an elite number ten playing for them.

This correlation isn’t just a recent occurrence either. When number tens were the biggest stars in world football during the 90s and early 2000s, the number ten hype train was in full effect in MLS as well. MLS boasted the likes of Carlos Valderrama, Marco Etcheverry, Mauricio Cienfuegos, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Piotr Nowak, and Guillermo Barros Schelotto to name some of the electrifying, era-defining MLS number tens. Unlike the rest of the world, tens in MLS didn’t just last for an era. They continue to be an essential role and player that the best teams in MLS build their team around.

Elite number ten equals MLS success. Is that a law of nature? Just about. The role is so vital in MLS that one can easily make the argument that in order to be an MLS Cup contender it is a requirement to have an elite number ten conducting the offense. It almost seems like you are at an automatic disadvantage right off the bat if your MLS team doesn’t have such a player. But what makes MLS different than other leagues around the world that makes it such an ideal place for number tens?

Two main reasons. The first is that the 433 formation with two box-to-box midfielders is the most popular formation to play the modern high press system. There is no room for a number ten in this formation and system. On the other hand, MLS teams and coaches happen to heavily favor the 4-2-3-1 formation. Number tens are historically used in the 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 formations. If you look at the current semi-finalists for the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, all four teams play in a 4-2-3-1 with a ten in the middle of it all.

It is no coincidence that every single semi-finalist this year is playing a 4-2-3-1. With each team having a top number ten, their goal is to build the system and team around their tens. Columbus has Zelarayan, New England has Gil, Sounders has Lodeiro, and Minnesota has Reynoso. In most cases, the 4-2-3-1 is the best formation to get the most out of them. Placing your ten centrally provides them with the most accessibility to get on the ball which is exactly what the number ten needs to dictate a game.

When the defense wins the ball, the ten will be close enough to receive it immediately to initiate a counter. He can link-up play between the two holding midfielders, the wingers on his side, and the striker ahead of him from this position. He can also run in behind the striker to receive a layoff or sit back and be available to recycle play. You want your number ten to have the max accessibility to the ball and his teammates. This is how you get the most out of his creative and technical abilities.

The second reason MLS is such an ideal place for tens today is the gap in quality between MLS attackers and defenders. This gap is a result of the unique roster and salary restrictions that MLS has. A byproduct of these rules is that teams tend to invest more money into their attacking core but at the sacrifice of their defense. The three designated-player slots are normally best utilized for high quality, dynamic attackers who can single handily take over a game. And what has been the most influential position on the soccer pitch? That’s right, the number ten. So naturally, MLS teams will use one of their DP slots on a number ten who normally can easily play at a high level in Europe but opts to play in MLS instead.

This creates mismatches within a game. When you have a DP number ten who gets paid millions because of his quality going up against an MLS defender who normally gets paid a couple hundred thousand in most cases, it’s just not fair. This gap between the quality of tens and MLS defenders is a big reason why they can, in many cases, completely outclass opponents in MLS. The gap in quality between the two makes it an uneven playing field with the advantage clearly in favor of the number tens.

Not only does the lower quality in defenders affect the 1 v 1 scenarios but the entire defensive organization of teams. The quality of the defensive structure and discipline of most MLS teams isn’t very good. While coaching is probably more to blame for this, the players still remain major factors of the success of a press. If an MLS team plays a high press to try and mitigate or counter the effect a number ten has over a game they risk exposing themselves. Simply because they can’t run a press as effectively as the superior teams around the world. All it takes for a great number ten to break most MLS presses is a clever pass or dribble to escape the press and expose the defense.

The MLS has hosted and continues to host a wide variety of number tens. At all their cores they are just those young kids having fun in a street futsal match playing for the pure love of the game, but they also all bring something unique to the number ten role.

Carlos Valderrama was your prototypical number ten who would dance and play with opposing players with his mesmerizing dribbling ability only to distract you until he played an impeccable pass to a teammate for an easy goal. Sebastian Giovinco played the ten role more Bergkamp-like playing as a second striker but still keeping all the pizazz of a traditional, showboating ten. Miguel Almirón was a skillful ten but one who also loved to use his natural, blistering speed to fly past defenders. Nicolás Lodeiro has the elite attacking creativity of any great MLS number ten but combines that with a high work rate and never-ending stamina to not only contribute offensively but defensively too. One could go on and on about the different legendary number tens of MLS and how they made the role their own.

But while the glory days of the number ten are gone in world football, the glory days are very much still alive and strong in MLS and not going anywhere anytime soon. In a soccer world that has moved on and no longer welcomes number tens, they will always have a special place in MLS.

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