Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City at New England Revolution: Five Takeaways

Published

5 years ago

on

I want to preface what’s to come: I have been more positive than a large portion of the fan base about Orlando City this season and I fully intended to remain as such in these takeaways, even if the result of the match was poor.

Well, then the match itself happened. In my humble opinion, this was the worst the Lions have played since the end of the 2018 disaster campaign. Unfortunately, there will be no positivity here today.

Real Grass in Gillette Stadium Doesn’t Help

As the game started and New England Revolution’s new superstar Gustavo Bou scored in just the third minute, I fully expected this to be the one bright side for Orlando City. The Revs are used to playing on turf at home, and really terrible turf at that. Of course, the Lions are used to the beautiful natural surface of Exploria Stadium. Theoretically, the fact that Gillette had grass laid over the turf last night (for an international friendly match being hosted there today) should have been an advantage for the men in purple.

Actually, the first 15 minutes of the match — minus Bou’s goal — seemed to back up that theory. During this time, the Revs were testing the weight of their passes on the unfamiliar surface and made a few errors because of it. Revolution captain Carles Gil went down awkwardly in the sixth minute after appearing to get his foot stuck in on the grass. The Lions can’t have nice things, however, so it quickly became apparent that Bruce Arena’s team was quite capable of making the necessary adjustments to ensure the grass was a non-factor throughout the rest of the game.

Gustavo Bou is Legit

Here’s something none of the clubs in Major League Soccer want to compete against: the next Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Josef Martinez, or Carlos Vela. The bad news is that in his short time with New England, Bou looks to be exactly that. We all saw the wonder volley from his debut match as a Rev. Matter of fact, he was set up on a 45th-minute corner last night to nearly replicate that great goal with another solid strike but the shot barely missed the target. Bou led the Revolution with nine shots, two on target, and often had all the space in the world to work in thanks to Orlando City’s awful defensive showing (more on that later). Had it not been for a fantastic Dillon Powers block in minute 31, Bou might have had himself a relatively easy brace in only his third match for the Revs.

Early Goals Still a Problem for the Lions

This is absolutely a known issue and something that’s been discussed many, many times this year. Not only did Orlando City concede three minutes into the match, the Lions again conceded a mere two minutes into the second half when it was still only a 1-0 game. The team leads the MLS with the most goals allowed in the first 30 minutes this season. From the performance last night, there were two big factors that I saw contributing to this problem. Obviously, the Lions aren’t there mentally when the first whistle blows and that could come down to coaching or on-field leadership, or both. Tactics had a part to play in this match as well. Both halves saw Orlando City coming out to be a counter-attacking team, though they were putting little to no pressure on the ball early.

Tesho Akindele Struggled

There’s no sane way to blame any individual player for the beating the Revs put on the Lions. Perhaps the most surprising performance of the night was that of Akindele. He’s been a more reliable striker, and frankly looked better, all season than Dom Dwyer and has never given off the impression that he lacked confidence. Never up until last night, that is. I’m in no way saying Akindele has been perfect or hasn’t had poor performances this year, just that he hasn’t been deflated when those bad games have occurred. In the 10th and 12th minutes he had excellent service and couldn’t dig the ball out of his feet, and later, at minute 55, Akindele had the ball in a decent position in the box with time to make a decision. He was flustered, undecided, and ultimately did nothing with the opportunities. He managed three shots, with two on goal, and thankfully got the tap-in goal in the 77th that I’m hoping will help Akindele find his confidence again.

Atrocious Defending Leads to Season-High Goals Allowed

If you watched this match, this needs no real explanation. Orlando City’s defense was abysmal versus New England, allowing the Revs 20 shots, of which they successfully converted 20%. Sebas Mendez managed to give up the first penalty kick against the Lions this season with a very clear and obvious handball in the box. Head Coach James O’Connor also had to make a change at the half, due to an injury to left back Joao Moutinho, bringing on rookie center back Kamal Miller in his spot.

I had to keep reminding myself that yes, that is Robin Jansson and I’m not having flashbacks to David Mateos. Jansson came across as being completely lost for a large majority of the match and was often caught flat-footed and ball watching. I’m honestly not sure how he managed two tackles, an interception, and six clearances. Ruan’s defending wasn’t much better, although he did lead the team with three tackles and made small contributions offensively. Lamine Sané was the only true line of defense on the pitch for the Lions. For about the first 30 minutes, I believed he would hands-down be the Man of the Match, especially after his 23rd minute goal-line tackle. Sané was mostly steady for the rest of the match, blocking two shots with two interceptions and four clearances.

So there you have it. Those are the five things I believe we can take away from the Lions’ 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Revolution. Let me know in the comments what you think the team can learn from the loss.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

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

Published

2 hours ago

on

January 21, 2025

By

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!

Continue Reading

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

22 hours ago

on

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.

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

January 20, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

Continue Reading

Trending