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Orlando City SC 2017 Postmortem

Published

7 years ago

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As we settle in for the long, dark off-season without meaningful Orlando City soccer games to watch, it’s a good time to reflect on the season that’s just passed by. Every MLS season brings with it ups and downs for the fans of any team.

Sure, we may have experienced more downs than ups in rooting for the Lions in 2017, but if you only cared about your team when it’s successful…well, that’s a bandwagon thing. These are the times that try men’s (and women’s) souls, but also the successes of the future will be so much sweeter for having suffered through these dark times.

Here’s a quick look back at a 2017 Orlando City season that we’ll never forget, but that might not be for a lack of trying.

How did the 2017 season go?

To quote Pete Campbell from Mad Men, “not great, Bob!” Orlando City started like a house on fire, scorching its way to a 6-1-0 record by the end of April to sit atop the table. From that point on, the Lions played more like a dumpster on fire, finishing the year in a 4-14-9 free fall. Not all of those performances were bad, to be fair (the win at D.C. United and the hammering of the Revolution were nice to watch and even some of the draws were well played). But it’s safe to say that songs won’t be written about the 2017 Orlando City season unless they’re written by “Weird Al” Yankovic.

What we learned:

We learned that when it rains, it pours. The team was embarrassed on the pitch throughout the year and also off of it, with two player arrests during the season as well as the not-illegal-but-still-dumb ejections from Epcot. But the main thing we learned is that even a team that looks solid at the start of the season and plays with a great deal of spirit can suddenly spiral horribly out of control.

Game that best summarized the season:

The epitome of the 2017 season was the 2-1 home loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps. Orlando City dominated possession (72.3%) and out-shot Vancouver, 25-7, but still managed to lose. The Lions got only four of those 25 attempts on frame against a team that had played midweek and flown across the country — and had the game-winning goal scored by a player they traded just before the season, Brek Shea.

Chasing guys down the field is a sight that we saw far too often in 2017. Let’s move on. 

What went right:

For the first two months of the season the club could hardly put a foot wrong. Even in games when the Lions could get very little going offensively, they managed to defend resolutely and find a way to score a goal. The Lions also opened their new building in style, winning the first five matches at Orlando City Stadium and going unbeaten in the first six in their new home. We’ll never forget this moment (it still gives me chills):

The additions of Jonathan Spector, Scott Sutter, Yoshimar Yotun, and Dom Dwyer were all positives as well.

What went wrong:  

Nearly everything after May 1. Orlando began to concede the first goal rather than score it, and the defense caved under the stress of needing to play nearly flawless soccer for 90+ minutes every game. City lost by three or more goals six times from May 1 to the end of the season.

Biggest surprise:

The play of right back Scott Sutter opened a lot of eyes among Lion Nation. We knew very little about the Swiss-English defender when he was signed from Young Boys at the start of the season but he played anywhere from solid to brilliant soccer in that position for Orlando City, scoring a stunning late tying goal at Seattle and adding four assists in his first season in MLS, while also helping the club’s defense in a position that had previously been troublesome. He got very little help up that right side through the season, which makes his play even more impressive.

Unexpectedly awesome performance:

The 6-1 win over the New England Revolution on Sept. 27 came out of nowhere. Sure, the Revs went down a man early, but Orlando had just been run over in Foxborough three weeks earlier and had won only one game — against conference doormat D.C. United — since June 30. The Lions hadn’t scored more than three times in a game all season and had only done that twice. No one saw a team-record six goals coming, 10 men or not. It was an island of glorious in a sea of meh.

Player who fell short of expectations:

The easy answer here is everyone. But to pick one, you’d probably have to say Cyle Larin, which is odd, considering he led the team in goals again and was efficient overall. Larin’s goal total of 12 seems OK until you consider that seven of those came in the first 10 games. His DUI arrest helped derail his season and he never completely regained his early season form.

What needs to change for 2018:

Orlando City needs to find a competent and consistent partner for Jonathan Spector in central defense. Multiple players performed well next to Specs for brief spells but then the wheels would fall off, whether it was Jose Aja, Leo Pereira, or Tommy Redding. The club must also get more attacking bite from the midfield so that the strikers don’t become stranded as they did all too often in 2017, and the Lions must get a higher percentage of their shots on target.

Coach grade:

I’ll take the heat from readers and give Jason Keis a C- for 2017. Kreis entered the season trying to change things, which isn’t easy, especially in the process of overhauling personnel that don’t fit the system. In some ways he succeeded and others he failed, but there looked to me to be a clear plan he’s trying to implement at least and it speaks highly of him that the team appeared to be willing to work for him down the stretch — the last (meaningless) game notwithstanding.

He tried to rebuild the defense and it was better for the most part, although, when it did break, it did so in spectacular fashion. The unwillingness to shift back to the 4-2-3-1 when the 4-4-2 wasn’t working — aside from a few times during games — may have cost the team some opportunities to gain more points as the subpar midfield got overrun several times throughout the season. Degree of difficulty was high but he still could have done more, and he must do more.

Overall team grade:

There’s no way to give the Lions anything other than an F here. The team posted its lowest point total in three years of MLS play. Roster overhauls are never easy, some key absences hurt at times, and it didn’t help that the Eastern Conference improved by leaps and bounds from top to bottom, but there’s no reason for this team to have fallen so far off the path it was on early in the year. Four wins over the final 27 games is simply unacceptable. Jason Kreis has another transfer window and a lot of work to do to get this team where it needs to be or ownership will have little choice but to blow it up and start all over again.

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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs Defender Thomas Williams Through 2026

Orlando City signs Homegrown center back Thomas Williams to a new contract through 2026 with a club option for 2027.

Published

4 hours ago

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January 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced this morning that the club has signed defender Thomas Williams through the 2026 season with a club option for 2027. The Homegrown Player has been with the first team since 2021 and will continue for at least two more years.

“Thomas is someone whose future we’re still very excited about and we’re happy to get him locked in with us for a couple more years,” Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’s shown a lot of growth these last few seasons, continuing to get game action with Orlando City B and proving the importance of our development pathway, and we’re looking forward to having him with us for the foreseeable future.”

The Titusville native joined the Orlando City Academy in 2015 and made his professional debut for the club on Aug. 7, 2020 against New England Revolution II. He played in 13 games that year with 10 starts and recorded 844 minutes. His play on the Young Lions’ back line earned him a first-team contract on June 15, 2021, at just 16 years old, making him the youngest player in club history to sign a Homegrown contract.

The 20-year-old center back made his MLS debut on April 16, 2022 in a 2-0 win over the Columbus Crew in Ohio. He made five appearances with three starts in all competitions that season, recording 271 minutes. To date, those are the only appearances he’s made with the first team.

Since joining OCB in 2021, Williams has made 69 appearances with 61 starts and recorded 5,132 minutes. He’s been booked 19 times and sent off twice, both times after receiving second yellow cards.

What It Means for Orlando City

Williams is the fourth natural center back for Orlando City on the current squad behind Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Rodrigo Schlegel. He played well early in his OCB and MLS career, but has struggled recently. Last year, he played exclusively with the second team, partnering with Nabi Kibunguchy.

While Williams hasn’t made much of an impact on the first team so far, he’s only 20 years old and still has plenty of time to develop. Extending his contact shows that the club still has faith that he can turn into a key player for the MLS side.

It’s unlikely that Williams will see any time with the first team in 2025 (barring injuries and/or suspensions), considering that he’s also been behind versatile defender Kyle Smith at the center back position. He’ll likely spend the upcoming season with OCB, continuing to develop and earn his spot with the first team. As a Homegrown Player, there isn’t much risk in signing Williams to a new contract, especially if the club’s technical staff thinks he can develop into a quality defender.

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Lion Links: 1/22/25

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

Published

8 hours ago

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January 22, 2025

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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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