A 2025 Orlando City Wish List

The start of preseason training for Orlando City got me thinking about what I’m hoping to see in the upcoming 2025 season. I know that everyone wants to see some signings. It’s frustrating when you see other clubs making moves, but that is way too speculative for me to consider. Instead, let’s look at the pieces that are already in place.

More from Muriel

There are those who want Luis Muriel to be shown the door. As of now, I’m not one of them. I’ve spoken many times on The Mane Land PawedCast that it takes some players longer to adapt to MLS than it does others. Muriel is one of those who needed more time. We saw everything finally starting to click for the attacker in the final third of the season last year, and I expect him to pick up where he left off and expand on it.

I want more from him considering the Lions will be without Duncan McGuire for longer than we’d like. Muriel isn’t a like-for-like replacement for McGuire, but he brings quite a bit when sitting deeper than a traditional striker. If he can find some chemistry with Ramiro Enrique or whoever Orlando City brings in, he can increase his number of goal contributions. Ben Miller gave us a more detailed piece on the possibilities.

Dagur Dan Defense

Dagur Dan Thorhallsson is not a natural right back, but that is where he plays for Orlando City. I’d like to see him continue to get better on the defensive end of the pitch. He’s pretty good when pushing up the pitch into the attack, but he has the occasional lapse when tracking back. This is not an indictment of what he has done. I think he has grown into the position more and more in his time here, but I want him to up the level just a bit more.

A Flexible Pareja

It is well-known that Oscar Pareja sticks with a lineup once he finds one that works. I understand why he does that, but I feel there are times when he’s too rigid in that practice. For example, if having a bigger striker against a pair of really good center backs is the right move, don’t give Enrique the start just because he started the last few matches.

I think mixing things up a little more would also keep some legs fresher heading into the playoffs. It is important to be clicking as a team in the postseason, but doing so more rested is just as important. I don’t expect Pareja to do any of this, but it’s worth asking.

A Quick Start

The last few seasons, Orlando City has gotten off to a slow start. Whether it was fixture congestion or new pieces needing to adjust, the Lions found points hard to come by before the summer, especially at home. I want the club to break out of that habit, while still finding even better form during the summer. It’s easier to ask for something like that than to get it, but it’s my wish list, so why not?

Those are some of the things I want to see in 2025, but I want to know your thoughts on these points. Perhaps you have some wishes of your own. Let me know if the comments below. Vamos Orlando!