Minnesota United FC vs. FC Dallas
Allianz Field | Saint Paul, MN
04.30.23 | MLS Week No. 10 | MLS Game 9
8:00 pm CT | AppleTV - Free, FS1, 1500 ESPN)
Hello, fellow waterfowl enthusiasts, let’s channel our Midwestern-ness by saying…ope. Because that’s the kind of thing you say when, U.S. Open Cup aside, the Loons have gone from unbeaten through five games to having dropped three consecutive games. And, while the boys' effort was definitely there on full display, it's the late-game goals that have turned promising play into frustrating final scores. Now, we need to be goldfish. There’s a lot of season to be had yet, and a lot more training to be done with Sang Bin to continue to gel with his teammates’ style of play. Hopefully, some of that development and growing chemistry can make a difference on Sunday night at Allianz. While a good many starters had the night off against Detroit City, it’s a win, and positive results can spark more of the same. Let’s hope that’s the case against an always-dangerous FC Dallas attack.
Minnesota United
Run of Form: D-W-L-L-L
The win over Detroit City helps, but it won’t score the boys any points towards their standing in the Western Conference. In MLS play, the attack has lacked the consistency of the defense, but they’ve had stretches throughout their most recent games when they’ve applied plenty of pressure to the opposition. Too often, though, a quality scoring opportunity has been stifled by one too many touches in the final third. And, with a style of play that relies on quick runs, missed opportunities can be critical to end results. But, there’s no doubt that more on-target scoring conversions could change the tides in a hurry for the Loons current run.
FC Dallas
Run of Form: L-D-W-W-L
FC Dallas’s three-match unbeaten run ended with a 3-1 loss at New York City FC last Saturday. Since their disappointing season-opening loss to MNUFC, Dallas has put together a strong run of form, falling only to the aforementioned NYCFC and unbeaten juggernaut LAFC. Road losses at LAFC and NYCFC, two elite clubs that everyone would expect to see near the top of their respective tables when dust settles at the end of the season, is nothing to sneeze at. And, while there are no moral victories, Dallas isn’t prone to letting their losses become habitual. In fact, they haven’t lost consecutive games since late May of last year, with the second of those two defeats coming at the hands of Minnesota United.
Keys to the Match
Fire When Ready
So far this season, the Loons have registered 84 shots on goal while they’ve faced 118 total from opponents. That’s a pretty good gap between us and everyone else, even if MNUFC technically has had more quality shots on goal with a combined expected goals value average of 9.46 compared to all their opponents averaging a value of 9.31. Still, advanced metrics don’t equal goals, and no doubt, the Loons attack knows they need to score more. In terms of this Sunday’s matchup, less isn't necessarily more when it comes to shots on goal. The boys need to strike quickly and be confident in their abilities to skip the extra juke or pass and take a stab at making quick strikes when those one-touch opportunities present themselves. Hopefully, against Dallas, the Loons can apply a “shoot first, apologize later” approach this weekend.
Man In The Middle
Kervin Arriaga has been exactly that this season for the Loons, as the young Honduran continues to impress in year two with the Loons. He’s shown more offensive prowess than in 2022 along with the kind of endurance that allows him to cover a lot of ground. With offensive threats like Jesús Ferreira, Alan Velasco and Paul Arriola on the pitch, it’s Arriaga’s defensive playmaking that will be particularly valuable to the Loons lineup on Sunday. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Arriaga dropping back more than usual to further solidify the defense.
Better Connected
In terms of creating more quality looks at the goal, the Loons must find a way to bring more fluidity to their passing. With the defense being a platform to build off of, it’s clear that Coach Heath wants to utilize counter attacks this season. And, while the Loons tend to look more comfortable off the ball than on it, the passing game needs to keep miscues and interceptions at a minimum. That means striving to be quicker with their decision making in those moments and sharpening their accuracy as they look to find the open man. The Dallas attack is quick enough to take advantage of an off-the-mark pass, so cleaner passing will definitely be necessary to earn a successful result on Sunday.
