25. Orlando City SC Need All That Mickey Mouse Magic In 2020

/ American Soccer, MLS / By

I would say that one of my biggest worries in American soccer, is that Orland City Sc’s shitty play/management will effect NWSL’s Orlando Pride. Unfortunately, both teams are run extremely shit, meaning both have done fuck all in their +4 years of existence. I will give the Pride a nod for bringing in players with big names, but they need more than that. Similarly, Orlando SC bringing in Kaka was the wrong move. I get that it was MLS’ MO to go after old superstars but that was MLS 2.0. This is MLS 3.0. A trendy new league that attracts young, talented, promising players from South America.

Kaka was not the answer in 2016, and in 2020 it won’t be Nani. That doesn’t mean he isn’t any good. Nani can still hang with the best of MLS. He had a fucking great season last year. But everyone would agree that he wouldn’t be able to win on his own. Not to say he is on his own. Sure there are few players worthy of starting every game, but it’s not enough to compete for even a playoff spot, no less a championship.

Nani and XI Other Guys

The Good: Hey they didn’t give up 74 goals last season. Centerbacks Robin Jansson and Lamine Sane saved this team from itself. While Nani was running the offense, these two held it down on defense. If weren’t for kinda poorish midfield and forward play, this team could have easily been in that 8-9 spots. Mauricio Pereyra joining late was an interesting addition to help Nani with the build-up, but it came too late.

The Bad: Injuries… Injuries and Dom Dwyer, and that 6 spot.

Orlando’s Spongebob Gif for 2020

 

Nani and all of Orlando SC fans praying for a striker. Look, Dom Dwyer was as inconsistent as me and my diet. It’s unacceptable. I get that he wants to be with Syndey Leroux and I would never want to separate families, but that trade to Minnesota United would have been the best for his career. He needs to hit that F5 and it won’t happen this season.

Got to mention that Akindele had an okay season, but… well he disappeared when they needed him the most. 2 goals in his last 9 games. Gotta come through when the team isn’t super far off a playoff spot. Orlando needs to go and spend some money on a proper number 9.

Offseason Moves

The lack of spending is what is clear here. You didn’t even have to go out and spend on new players. You have a rock-solid center back in Lamine Sane, WHY LET HIM GO!? I just don’t understand. Especially now that Pareja has come to supposedly implement a 3 backline. You’re gonna need a strong dude to hold it down. I do however like Urso. I think he’ll transition incredibly to the league. But without a good partner in midfield, his performances won’t be as spectacular.

I will say, I hear very good things from Daryl Dike. A player that “could have easily gone number 1” in the draft. Unfortunately, Dike is coming off losing in the National Championship to Georgetown, and I hate to say, he won’t be a part of the second-best team of the league.

Potential Starting XI

I’m basing this 3-4-3 off the Montreal preseason game. What could end up working here is that attacking front. If Orlando can restructure Dwyer’s deal to free up a DP slot, and they go out and bring a quality striker like Seattle did with Ruidiaz, then this lineup could be interesting. Michel playing that Winger/Fullback positions is also interesting in that we need to see how effective he can be dropping down to support the defense.

I can’t 100 percent vouch for that midfield either. Rosell isn’t exactly the best defensive midfielder out there. With Pareja trying to play a through the wings, the central midfielders won’t be asked to do much on offense. Meaning, if their sole purpose is to lock down the midfield, Orlando fans can worry a little on whether or not Rosell is that guy.

Betting Odds

+8000 via Bovada

Don’t hate these odds given how successful Pareja has been in the MLS. If Orlando could somehow find themselves in the playoffs, do not expect them to make it past the first round. But there isn’t really enough depth in this team to make it a whole season.

Best Watches

 

Orlando’s 2020 schedule is a bit similar to the 2019 schedule, in that I believe their season will be defined in the last 10 weeks. In 2019, they got only 3 points, all on ties, in their last 7 games. This season, they finish the season, @Miami, @Atlanta, @Philly, vs Nashville, vs NYCFC, @Toronto, vs New England. With the exception of Nashville, those other 6 games are gonna be brutal. They’re gonna have to scratch, claw, and grind to earn some of those points.

Other games include a battle for the 5 pm slot of opening day with, DallasVsUnion. I think you should watch this game vs Salt Lake because we all want to see what this season will entail for Orlando. Will Pareja’s new system be enough to keep this team afloat this year? How will a full season or Pereyra, Dwyer, and Nani play out? Are they gonna continue to roll over dead when they play Atlanta this year?

Don’t hate those.

Predictions

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFOracFClBg?start=19]
Orlando City SC is one of those teams that’ll boom or bust. By boom, I mean, YES THEY CAN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. But I don’t think so. The lack of spending is a clear giveaway of how the suits feel about the team. Nani was their Baby Yoda, and they’re gonna regret not moving on from him sooner. I think Orlando will lose a lot of tight games. They’ll have maybe 10, or more loses decided by 1 goal. I think they’re better off going all out for the US Open Cup in 2020.

There you have it. Join me for the 24th team blog, as I preview each MLS team from worse to first in 2020.

 

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