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Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City at Sporting Kansas City

Published

9 years ago

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I said this last week but I’ll say it again: Orlando City needs a victory. And again it will be difficult. The Lions go into a difficult environment on the road to face a desperate Sporting Kansas City team. Orlando may be winless in five (0-2-3) but SKC is winless in seven (0-5-2). The last time the Lions went into a tough environment on the road to play a struggling team, the Red Bulls loss happened, and this Sporting team has just as dangerous an attacking force as New York.

Orlando City has started and finished games well but has had problems in the middle, particularly before halftime. Is this the week we see the first full 90-minute effort since the 4-1 win over Portland? Let’s hope so, because we’ll all feel better with three more points in pocket. The Lions did manage a nice win over Sporting KC last year in a 3-1 final at The Artist Formerly Known as the Citrus Bowl.

Here to help us learn more about the 2016 version of SKC is Cody Bradley from SB Nation’s Sporting Kansas City site, The Blue Testament. Cody was nice enough to stop by and answer our questions. I also answered his, which you can check out over at their place.

It’s been awhile since our two teams have met. Who are Sporting Kansas City’s key off-season additions and subtractions that we should know about and how have they affected Peter Vermes‘ team and approach this year?

Cody Bradley: The big one is of course the loss of Krisztian Nemeth. Nemo wanted more money (the team did offer him more when they didn’t have to, just not enough) and things kind of went south between the two sides. Brad Davis and Justin Mapp were brought in for attacking reinforcements and Davis has been playing on the wing opposite Graham Zusi. Justin Mapp has been injured and played a total of 8 minutes thus far. The best addition has been Portuguese defender Nuno André Coelho. He is tied with David Ousted for first in minutes played (they’ve both gone the full 90 all 12 matches) for all of MLS, and he has been damn good basically every single one of those minutes. Diego Rubio is also a new arrival as a young DP on loan from the Spanish second division. He is Dom’s backup at striker and Vermes only has until June 30 to decide if he wants to purchase the player or send him back to Spain.

Brad Davis has two goals, both of which were really impressive. He has been almost as good as anybody on this team (not that it’s really saying much), but the offense is undoubtedly missing some bite with the loss of Nemeth. He was incredibly dangerous cutting in and attacking from the wing, while Zusi and Davis are probably more content to send in a cross. This means Dwyer gets all the attention from both CBs, and he has been struggling to get proper service.

When Coelho arrived, it was unsure where he fit into the depth chart. He established himself as a starter over Ike Opara and he’s given Vermes three very good defenders. He’s also provided him with some versatility. Coelho has a bit of David Luiz in him in. He’s very technical and is able play in front of the CBs as a defensive midfielder. He fancies himself to take long-range shots and let me tell you, I’ve seen some absolutely ridiculous free kicks from him in training. His quality and versatility even led to Vermes switching up his beloved 4-3-3.

The jury is still out on Diego Rubio. You can see that the instincts and talent are there, but he hasn’t had much time to get used to the league and settle in. He does have one goal to his name in his 162 minutes for SKC. Rubio is the only other option for striker behind Dwyer and has provided much-needed depth, at the very least.

SKC got off to a good early start to the season but of late has been on a run of poor form, going 0-5-2 in the last seven and 1-6-2 in the last nine. What’s up with the team and how are the fans reacting to it? Are they calling out Vermes?

CB: Admittedly, most fans are not handling it well. And that’s not to say they should be. This organization promises — and this fan base expects — much more from Sporting KC. Two goals in the last five matches is just unacceptable. Call us snobs, but we demand hardware.

That being said, I’m far from panicking. SKC is only nine points off the top of the table. They have given themselves a chance to get a result in almost every match. The defense has been pretty good at limiting chances and they haven’t conceded more than two goals in a match. And hell, Sporting is actually getting shots off as well. They just simply are not good ones. Another thing to keep in mind is that the top six teams on the Supporters’ Shield table are the teams that have done the damage to KC.

There are, of course, some people who will blame Vermes. But the guy has done everything you could want from a manager in a slump. After a couple poor displays he stepped up intensity in training and had the boys in two teams playing a real feisty 1v1 game. After a couple more bad games he switched up his formation and his tactics (I really can’t stress enough how big of a deal it is that Vermes switched up his 4-3-3. He loves that formation like Orlando loves Dom Dwyer. You know, like so much that he actually hurt himself a little bit (: ). Then when it got really bad, he benched his star players who were not performing in favor young guns like Jimmy Medranda.

It’s definitely not good right now. But I’m confident they will get this turned around. PV is a great coach and there is simply too much talent for them to continue this trend.

What kind of formation and tactics can we expect from Sporting KC this weekend against what is most likely going to be some variation of a 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-3 by Orlando City, and what do you view as the game’s key match-up?

CB: When the Galaxy came to town, Vermes really did throw out something different. He went with a veteran-heavy lineup and figured out a way to get his best players on the field. The formation is still a mystery, but all three CBs were playing and Graham Zusi was at right back…or something. The team looked pretty solid, but he immediately went back to the 4-3-3 the last two games. He liked the way they played on Wednesday night so I imagine we see it again.

Because the issue has been in the final third and with finishing, the key match-up simply has to be Dom Dwyer against Orlando’s CBs Mateos and Hines. Dwyer set himself a mark of 30 goals to aim for this year. But he’s only got four goals right now and hasn’t scored in the last six games. In the very likely event that Dwyer is benched and/or rested this game, the key match-up would remain in the same spot on the field. This could be a big chance for Rubio to earn a permanent spot on the team.

What is your anticipated starting XI, key injuries/suspensions, and score prediction for Sunday?

CB: Ike Opara is suspended for a ridiculous second yellow card on Wednesday night. For the most part, everyone else is available.

(4-3-3) Tim Melia; Amadou Dia, Nuno Coelho, Matt Besler, Chance Myers; Soni Mustivar, Roger Espinoza, Benny Feilhaber; Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer, Brad Davis.

* * *

Big thanks to Cody from The Blue Testament for stopping by and giving us some insight on SKC.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

Orlando City transfer rumors, Orlando Pride preseason begins, USMNT at Inter&Co, and more.

Published

27 minutes ago

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January 22, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The ManeLand

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Up here in Tallahassee, I’m waking up to snow/sleet, closed schools, closed government offices, and potentially icy roads. Many people will get an extra day off of work, however, I still get to go to work. I’m sure you can imagine how happy I am about that. Enough of my winter grumbling. Let’s get to the links but not until after we wish Orlando City fullback Michael Halliday a happy 22nd birthday.

Orlando City Reportedly Targeting Croatian International

While I can no longer say that Orlando City hasn’t signed any new players, the club is still moving at its traditionally slow speed as compared to other MLS clubs. We had the signing of Nicolas Rodriguez last week. Now, we have Tom Bogert report of yet another winger prospect for the club in Croatian Marco Pasalic from HNK Rijeka, though it is not a done deal. Hopefully the other targets Bogert mentions are of the striker variety.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881755961125449765?s=46&t=pMoq7Wulqfb35D7C8ydroA

Pride Preseason Begins

The 2024 NWSL champions are back to defend their title. The Orlando Pride returned to training on Tuesday. The club hasn’t needed to add many pieces, though some of the players already here, like Simone Charley and Grace Chanda, haven’t actually played any minutes for the Pride yet. Most of the chemistry is in place for Seb Hines, but reinforcing those bonds will be the challenge as the Pride look to repeat.

USMNT at Inter&Co Tonight

Hopefully you have tickets to the USMNT friendly match versus Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The match starts at 7 p.m. and there are television and streaming options if you’re not going in person. Despite the squad having 14 players with three or fewer caps, Mauricio Pochettino does not consider this an “alternative” squad, nor does he want the players to think of themselves like that.

Girma Reportedly Nearing Completion of Chelsea Move

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is reportedly headed to Chelsea FC Women for a record $1.1 million transfer fee. That is a very big chunk of change for San Diego FC to use to try to replace one of the best defenders in the world. The deal is not complete as of Tuesday evening, but according to the original report from The Athletic, it is close to being done. Girma would be the first women’s soccer player to earn a transfer fee of over $1 million.

MLS Transfer Updates

Other MLS clubs keep on putting pen to paper when it comes to new players. The Chicago Fire are bringing in Jonathan Bamba on a Designated Player deal from La Liga side Celta de Vigo. The Luca de la Torre loan from Spain’s RC Celta de Vigo to San Diego FC is also official.

https://twitter.com/sandiegofc/status/1881741042904350864

Cucho Hernandez evidently wants to stay with the Columbus Crew, though he is still waiting on a new offer.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881786193693823104

Free Kicks

https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1881749040863588770?s=12&t=_WZBNG4ILAyRLdwBeB4mpQ
  • Keep your eyes peeled later today for the NWSL schedule drop.
https://twitter.com/nwsl/status/1881749035218042954?s=46&t=pN-YJp3s7ZQlCXqnTAgSfw

That will do it for today. Stay warm out there, my friends. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

By

Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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