Minnesota United: Gold Cup break perfect timing

MLS takes a hiatus for the next two weeks with the group stages of the CONCACAF Gold Cup taking place. This could be perfect timing for Minnesota United.

With the U.S. Open Cup fixtures out of the way, MLS takes a hiatus for the next two weeks with the group stages of the CONCACAF Gold Cup taking place. This might just be the perfect timing for Minnesota United.

Even with a resounding victory over Sporting Kansas City in the U.S. Open Cup this week, the Loons’ form is sure to be worrying manager Adrian Heath.

The three league games before the USOC fixture saw Minnesota United score just twice, conceding seven, and picking up zero points as they look to reach the postseason for the first time in their history.

Their next MLS match is on Saturday, June 29 against new boys, FC Cincinnati, who currently sit bottom in the Eastern Conference and have lost eight of their last nine matches in the league. With two weeks before that game, Heath will be looking for improvements from his side.

This squad still needs time to gel with eight new faces coming into the team after the last game of 2018, but there are still problems within that need addressing, particularly at the back. With Francisco Calvo traded away to Chicago fire midway through the opening stanza of the campaign, the Loons look to be wearing thin at centre half.

Michael Boxall and Brent Kallman have been there since MNUFC’s debut in the league. Ike Opara came to the club in the offseason. But after those three, only Wyatt Omsberg, a 2018 SuperDraft selection, fits into the middle of defence. That is not the most inspiring depth at one of the most important positions in the team.

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Could going back to three at the back be the right idea? Opara, Kallman, Boxall and Omsberg can fight it out for the three spots in the middle of the defence, while using wing-backs instead of orthodox full-backs could help a transition for either Hassani Dotson or Miguel Ibarra on the left side. In this formation, the possible strength of the squad could be:

• GK – Mannone, Shuttleworth, St. Clair
• CB – Boxall, Kallman, Omsberg, Opara
• RWB – Finlay, Gasper, Manlay, Metanire
• LWB – Dotson, M.Ibarra, Miller
• CM – Alonso, Gregus, R.Ibarra, Martin, Molino, Olum, Schuller
• AM/ST – Danladi, Quintero, Rodriguez, Toye

Could a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 work for the Loons? It is a system that Heath has put into practice before, but it has not been perfect. Get the balance of the XI right, and the results should come, but that balance is all-important.

Thankfully for Heath, he has two weeks to find it. This break might just have come at the perfect time for Minnesota United.