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Orlando City

2020 Orlando City Season in Review: Robinho

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After struggling to get on the field for the Lions following Orlando City’s trade with the Columbus Crew on July 11 of last year, attacking midfielder/winger Robinho had to be determined to get a fresh start with a new coaching staff in 2020. Instead, the Brazilian saw fewer games, fewer starts, and fewer minutes despite an incredible amount of fixture congestion and some knocks to attacking players in the middle of the season, and he may have played his way out of MLS.

Let’s take a look at Robinho’s second disappointing season — and seemingly his last — in Orlando.

Statistical Breakdown

Robinho appeared in five matches in 2020, starting two, and played 144 total minutes. These numbers were down from six games, three starts, and 207 minutes a year ago. The 25-year-old native of Madalena, Brazil again did not score a goal or assist on one, attempting three shots, getting one on target. These numbers represent half of his 2019 totals, when he took six shots and got two on frame. However, he came the closest he’s ever come to scoring in purple when he hit the post in a 0-0 draw at Atlanta on Oct. 7. He was also denied by a good save by Brad Guzan in that game, accounting for his lone shot on target in 2020.

The Brazilian passed at an 85.9% rate on the season, connecting on of 55 of his 64 attempts and creating one scoring chance. Robinho committed three fouls and drew four on the opposition, and did not see a card in 2020. Defensively, he chipped in five tackles and an interception.

Robinho did not appear in any of the MLS is Back knockout stage matches but he did appear in one playoff game, coming on in the 87th minute in the 3-1 loss to New England just after Gustavo Bou put the dagger in the net. It felt at the time like a token final appearance for Robinho at the time and was reminiscent of Sacha Kljestan’s last appearance in front of the home crowd the year before in a home drubbing at the hands of the Chicago Fire. Still, Robinho completed all four of his pass attempts in that playoff game, attempting one shot, which was not on target.

Perhaps the oddest stat of Robinho’s time in Orlando is this: the Lions didn’t win any of the games in which he participated. All of his starts with Orlando City were draws. The team went 0-0-5 overall — 0-0-2 in 2020 and 0-0-3 in 2019. If you add in bench appearances to the starts, both regular-season appearances and playoffs, Orlando City went 0-4-8 when Robinho saw the field across two seasons.

Best Game

I’m going to go against my colleagues a bit here, because Scott Carnevale gave Robinho a 6 for his performance in the season opener against Real Salt Lake, which was probably too high, and David Rohe gave him a 4 in the 0-0 draw at Atlanta, which was low in my mind. The only other match in which Robinho played enough minutes to receive a grade was a 4 for his performance in a 1-1 draw at Nashville.

I’ll say his best game was his start at Atlanta. His passing rate was slightly higher in this one than in the opener and with more than twice as many attempts, and he failed to register a shot attempt vs. RSL. He began the game brightly in Atlanta and was at least a threat on the pitch, getting a bit unlucky to crash a shot off the post and also getting denied on a great save by Guzan.

His two shot attempts were a season high and he registered his only shot on target. The Brazilian certainly faded as the game wore on and seemed to try to do too much at times, but it was still his best match of the season as far as I’m concerned.

2020 Final Grade

Robinho is getting an incomplete grade for the 2020 season, as he didn’t meet the minimum minutes threshold to earn a final grade for the season, which also happened last year. There simply wasn’t enough playing time to warrant giving him a rating for the full season. When he saw playing time in the season opener, it seemed as if 2020 held a lot of promise for the Brazilian, but things never quite worked out, and the writing was on the wall when he continued to ride the bench when fixture congestion set in and guys were picking up minor knocks that kept them out of the lineup.

2021 Outlook

The Lions declined Robinho’s option for 2021, so he’ll need to find a new team. The Brazilian is the only player to date brought in by the current regime who didn’t work out all that well, apart from some lower draft picks and perhaps first-round pick Santiago Patiño. Aside from Robinho, all of the transfers brought in under Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira have had some measure of success. Robinho appears to be a talented guy who can pass and keep the ball, but he has to find a way to have more success in getting shots on target — scoring the occasional goal — or creating more chances for his teammates. Even when at his best, he alternated between being selfish in the final third or making a poor decision. At 25 years old, he might simply be a USL-level talent. But perhaps he can find his form with a fresh start elsewhere.


Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn a second victory in a row at home this Saturday?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City is coming off its first win of the MLS regular season and will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s Eastern Conference matchup against the New York Red Bulls. The Lions will have several players back from international duty, making Oscar Pareja’s job a bit easier, although some of them will be on short rest. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points against the Red Bulls?

Stop Morgan

Lewis Morgan has been on a tear this season with five goals in five matches. That is more than every Orlando City player combined so far this season. The Red Bulls were held scoreless in two matches, meaning those five goals have come in three matches, with Morgan scoring a hat trick against Inter Miami. I love that he took it to the Herons like that, but I’m going to need him to cool off a bit against the Lions.

If Orlando City is to stop Morgan it will take excellent defending from the Lions’ back line and of course Pedro Gallese, who is returning from international duty. Orlando City also gets Wilder Cartagena and David Brekalo back, meaning more of the first choice lineup will be available to keep a clean sheet. With the match at home, earning a clean sheet is all the more important.

Proper Rest and Preperation

It might seem silly to say, but having more than a few days between matches is conducive to earning points. When Orlando City was participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Lions never had time to properly recover or train with a game plan for the next match. Now, the Lions are able to do so, and the result against Austin FC reflects that.

Pareja is a top level MLS coach. We know that he has a plan for about the first 20 minutes of any match, and then makes adjustments throughout the remainder of the match. Even so, many of those adjustments have been planned out prior to the match. That, paired with a more rested roster, allows the Lions to be the protagonists Pareja wants them to be.

Shots, Shots, Shots

Orlando City was able to create plenty of chances against Austin FC, and will need to do so again against the Red Bulls. The Lions took 22 shots Saturday night, with eight on target, and they put two in the back of the net against Austin. Hopefully, Orlando City can be more efficient going forward, but if you don’t create opportunities, you won’t score.

The Red Bulls have some decent defenders who Orlando City will have to deal with, including fullback John Tolkin and Carlos Coronel at keeper. If the Lions can pass even close to the way they did against Austin, the opportunities will come, and if that is the case, hopefully the goals will come. Orlando City still has a sizable goal deficit, thanks to the early part of the season, that can only be corrected with more goals on the other end.


That is what I will be looking for this Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

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  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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

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