Hello again, avid birdwatchers. How are we feeling after yet another international break without any Loons action on the pitch? Perhaps you’re feeling like, while you have a great deal of respect for those being chosen to represent their home nations, you’re ready for those in-season call ups to be over for the rest of 2024 MLS season? Welp, you’re not alone, and while there is still one more break to navigate in October, the good news is that Loons again have a bye on that weekend, so they hopefully won't have to play down nine guys or put a field player in goal (shoutout Columbus). Now, with a full squad back in place, it's truly time to focus on their late-season surge and push it as far as this group of lads can take it. So, with St. Louis CITY waiting in the wings, what will the Loons need to do to hold strong and keep themselves in the playoff mix? Let’s get into it.
|Run of Form
Minnesota United FC (10-11-6)
Run of Form: W-L-W-L-D (MLS Regular Season)
The stop-and-start nature of the 2024 season, including the Leagues Cup break, has felt drawn out, but with international duties now behind them, the Loons can focus to their playoff push. Their 2-1 win over San Jose was crucial, showcasing that Minnesota can capitalize on key chances while the defense delivered a much-needed boost. Jefferson Díaz continues to settle into the defensive third, adding fresh energy, while Kelvin Yeboah has made an immediate impact up front. If the Loons want to stay in the playoff hunt, they’ll need consistency in the final stretch.
St. Louis CITY SC (5-10-13)
Run of Form: D-W-D-D-L (MLS Regular Season)
They may have come out of the gates as one of the league’s most surprising clubs in 2023, but St. Louis CITY SC's 2024 campaign has been quite the sea change in comparison to their inaugural season. It’s been far more challenging for CITY throughout their sophomore season, but the club isn’t lacking in terms of impact players in their midst. Offensively, they've relied on contributions from Nökkvi Þórisson, Eduard Löwen, and João Klauss throughout 2024, with each scoring five or more goals on the season. However, defensive frailties and inconsistencies in key moments have been a sticking point for CITY. Surely this is a club that will continue to battle, even if a playoff spot may prove too far out of reach at this point in the season. And, further proof of CITY’s fighting spirit was on full display when they nabbed their last victory in early September, a 2-1 win over Western Conference leaders LA Galaxy. Hopefully, the Loons will be ready to play the role of road warriors once again and handle any sort of ravioli that St. Louis can throw at them come Saturday night.
| Keys to the Game
The Bongi Boost
While his early season showed some struggles, the Bongokuhle Hlongwane we all know and love appears to have returned. Hlongwane has regained his form as a standout in the attacking third, using his pace and finding his finishing touch to make the net gains he was lacking earlier in the season. Maybe even more importantly, it’s Bongi’s ability to play end-to-end and provide reinforcements to the defending third that make him so valuable to the Loons. And, against a more-than-capable St. Louis attacking third with a number of scoring threats up front, Bongi’s ability to cover a lot of ground may be even more important if the boys are to hold Klauss and company out of the net.
Operating Room
As we’ve seen throughout the season with his emergence in 2024, Joseph Rosales is a dangerous man with the ball at his feet. From corner kicks to long crosses, Rosales has proven that when given space to operate, he can put the ball in the places it needs to be to threaten the opposition’s defensive efforts inside the box. While the Honduran hasn’t lacked these kinds of service attempts in recent weeks, the defensive efforts of opposing teams doing their best to limit his space to operate have ramped up as the season has gone on. Rosales’ development is no longer a secret to MLS at large, so let’s hope that Coach Ramsay can find some ways to give Rosales more space along the sidelines to operate and set up his teammates on the other end of those services.
Maintain In The Midfield
Whether it's been injuries, international duties, or in-season transactions, the Loons’ midfield hasn't had much of an opportunity to gel as a unit and build true consistency in their performances from match to match. While Wil Trapp has worked hard to be a guiding force in the middle, it’s been a much tougher job to handle without the services of former Loons’ CDM Kervin Arriaga following his in-season departure. Whatever Coach Ramsey is scheming up for CITY, let's hope that the chosen midfield personnel can help seal up any of the cracks in the defensive third.
