St. Louis CITY SC: Organic game plan shuts out Colorado Rapids

St. Louis CITY SC gained distance for their top spot in MLS Western Conference after a win over Colorado Rapids. It’s the fifth clean sheet for Roman Burki.

With their 2-0 win over Colorado Rapids, St. Louis CITY SC built on their 7-3-1 home record (11-7-2 overall). The MLS newcomer squad has scored 31 goals in 12 home matches across all competitions, giving up just 10 goals.

The victory added more air in MLS Western Conference between first place St. Louis, 35 points, and Los Angeles FC and Seattle Sounders FC, 32 points each, second and third place respectively.

After the game head coach Bradley Carnell explained more about his strategy for success throughout this club’s first season in MLS.

He designed the two-striker formation against Colorado with Jackson directly behind them as what Carnell described as a creative artist.

According to scouting reports, Jackson turned in his best game for St. Louis with that opportunity.

Not that other players in the CITY lineup had below-average performances. All were above average, especially goalkeeper Roman Burki. He is the captain and CITY’s second All-Star this season.

The St. Louis keeper turned in his fifth clean sheet of the season against the Rapids.

While Carnell was adamant he wasn’t surprised by Burki’s three saves for this match’s clean sheet. That’s because he expects each save to be unique. That’s what the team sees from Burki in training each week.

So Burki was named captain because of his leadership on the pitch, just as during practice. As Carnell termed it, Burki leads by doing. For all those qualities, he was named to the MLS All-Star squad.

This leadership is what enables CITY personnel to recognize they play against themselves, as they face challenges every week. As the scouts report on each team, the players adopt confrontational lines, adjusted as necessary, throughout every match.

With this strategy, Carnell credits the players for every match’s effective game strategy. He identifies the game plan as partly formation, partly personnel.

It was this effective game plan that allowed his two strikers, Adeniran and Gioacchini, to focus on their role as powerful runners in the attacking third of the pitch.

And it’s just such an organic game plan that will enable St. Louis CITY SC to travel deep in the post-season.