Hello again, waterfowl folks. So, Wednesday evening in Frisco, Texas didn’t quite go the way the Loons had been hoping, mainly on the scoreboard. The Loons certainly put in the effort against FC Dallas, but it was an uneven showing that lacked consistency on both ends of the pitch. But, there is little time to dwell on what went wrong on Wednesday, as another double-match week carries on into Saturday’s showdown with the Austin McConaughey’s. Thankfully, the boys will have the home crowd behind them this weekend, but if they plan to reclaim the form they showed prior to the roster’s ransacking due to international duty assignments, the Black and Blue will need more than a home-field advantage to right the ship. So, let’s get into it.
| Run of Form
Minnesota United FC (8-5-5)
Run of Form: L-L-D-W-L | Standings: 4th in the West
When it comes to pinpointing what went wrong for the Loons in their 5-3 loss to Dallas, one stat seems to stand out above all else: Expected Goals - DAL - 0.9, MIN - 2.7. Yeah, made me do a bit of a double take even, but for as much as the MNUFC attacking third was able to apply pressure to the Dallas backline, the finishing touch just wasn’t there when quality opportunities presented themselves for much of the evening. The hat-trick from Dallas’ Petar Musa certainly played a big part in what would be the final result in this one, as the Loons’ defensive line experienced their own struggles in trying to keep the Dallas attack out of the box. When hosting Austin, though, they must see some improvement in the back if they hope to erase the memory of relinquishing 5 goals on 1xG on Wednesday night.
Austin FC (6-7-6)
Run of Form: D-L-L-L-D | Standings: 9th in the West
Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with LAFC saw Austin start out fast and get on the scoreboard early, while also holding LAFC’s high-octane attack without a shot up to the 90th minute. But, as he has often done throughout his storied career, Kei Kamara would find the late equalizer in that final minute of regulation time. While a point against LAFC is decent and should at least partially bolster Austin’s outlook coming into Allianz Field on Saturday night, their form prior to the draw had been anything but exemplary, losing the previous three matches to Colorado, RSL, and Portland. And, while they still hold a play-in spot in the Western Conference playoff mix, the Loons could be in a good position to send them tumbling below it with a positive result at home.
| Keys to the Game
A Stronger Cup of Jo
While we did see the return of Joseph Rosales to the lineup against Dallas on Wednesday, I’d be inclined to say that he was just getting back into the swing of things after being away with the Honduran National Team. He still looked sharp with his corner kicks, but we didn’t get to see as much of his playmaking abilities with the spaces along the sidelines. The hope would be that whatever Coach Ramsay comes up with for a strategic approach in this one, it will open up those spaces for Rosales to operate more effectively as he has throughout the season.
Keep it Clean For Clint
Obviously, Wednesday’s match is one goalkeeper Clint Irwin would like to forget, but the onus can’t be completely on the keeper. Petar Musa’s goals came with little to no resistance applied by the defensive back line, as they would be caught chasing a number of unsuccessful attempts to catch the Dallas attack in an offside trap. They’ll be hoping to keep the porch a lot cleaner in this one, and that may come to fruition if Devin Padelford is medically cleared to go on Saturday. Whether he is or isn’t, the center of the defense needs to be tighter and could benefit from an end-to-end player like Hassani Dotson or Wil Trapp dropping back a bit more to further solidify the defense’s ability to keep any Austin attacking efforts at bay.
Keep Clark Clickin’
If there is a positive to pull from Wednesday night’s loss, it’s the performance of Caden Clark. He continues to show how dangerous he can be, and not just in relief of absent players, but for the long haul of the season. While it may not be something that's shown up on the stat sheet yet, we’ve seen glimpses of his playmaking abilities and just how dangerous he us with the ball at his feet. Clark has proven that he can be effective as an attacker, while also figuring out how to play out of the wingback spot. Where he ends up in Saturday night’s lineup may be a toss-up depending on who will be available, but the homegrown product is deserving of the minutes he’s seen and can be a major factor for the Loons’ chances to get something going against Austin.
