Revelations from season trends and More Reflections on Sporting KC’s win over LA Galaxy

groans. Nothing beats inspiring the fanbase with your lineup choices…

When Sporting Kansas City’s starting 11 was posted ahead of their clash with LA Galaxy on Saturday night, groans could be heard in thebluetestament.com’s match thread Twitter and more.

Six players aged 30 and over were in the lineup: Backs Ben Sweat and Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, aged 30; back Andreu Fontas and right winger Johnny Russell aged 32; Graham Zusi and Roger Espinoza at the age of 35. This 2022 season, with the playoffs a flickering light in the distance, fans want a youthful lineup almost every night to build for the future. That’s an understandable wish.

“Why… why… just why…” (An admirable answer… perhaps the best)

According to FBref.com, Sporting Kansas City’s average ball possession percentage in 2022 is 49.2%.

On Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park against LA Galaxy, Sporting’s possession rate was 37%, the third lowest of the season. Her 83 total pressings were the second-lowest of the season, and her 18 pressings in the offensive third were the second-lowest of the season.

The game plan, according to the stats and the eye test, was clear: let the galaxy have the ball, start pressing right in the galaxy’s half, and hit them on the counterattack (particularly on the left side of the galaxy). Staying compact in low pressing and knowing when to attack and, more importantly, how, takes discretion and composure (ie experience). Having players who can hit accurate and long passes when needed is also crucial to executing the game plan. This main recipe – with some important touches – ensured a 4-2 victory. And it wasn’t an anomaly.

Lo and behold… Look what we found here

Ball possession in the above games was all well below the season average. In addition, the number of pressings in the attacking third was, with one exception, well below or slightly above the season average of 36.88 per game. Those two stats combined resulted in four of the season’s six wins and three of the season’s five draws, but only one of the 14 losses (a 2-1 loss to New England Revolution), with games played against teams that are currently averaging lying 7^th place in the overall standings. To be honest, the find was a revelation.

For comparison: In games where possession increases to 42-48% and the pressure in the attacking 3 increases^approx stay about the same, scores drop to 0-4 with only two goals scored.

The other trend in the eight games with little possession and little pressing in the attacking third is who started in midfield. Of course, the brave Remi Walter started all eight, but only two on the #6. Uri Rosell was 6th for six of the matches. Roger Espinoza started five of the eight on one of the #8s while Felipe Hernandez took his place in three others. Cam Duke only started one, as did newcomer Erik Thommy. At right back Kayden Pierre started two and Cam Duke one. The lion’s share of five starts went to the veterans Ben Sweat (2) and Graham Zusi (3).

It’s not far from logic to suggest that executing the wily old veterans in a game plan with low possession and a lower confrontation line will yield results.

‘Why?’ the lineup choice? It’s about winning. And the game plan. And who can execute the game plan.

Don’t take this to mean that I’m a proponent of Uri Rosell starting in midfield (No. Not. No…) or even a proponent of favoring Espinoza over others or Zusi over Pierre. However, Espinoza and Zusi received whoscored.com’s fourth and fifth highest ratings for Sporting behind Salloi, Agada and Thommy v LA.

However, the most interesting observation is Sporting KC’s transition from a successful team with high possession and relatively high pressing to a successful team with low possession and a lower confrontation line. The press still exists, it’s just going to other areas.

Out with the “old”, in with the “new”

When a team is able to attack in a variety of ways, including effectively via counterattacks, it can afford to sit around and wait for the creases and opportunities.

The results above and the nine goals (excluding the four goals on Galaxy) were scored by the “old” attacking guard, a guard who had scored 19 goals in 22 MLS games. The 4-2 victory against Galaxy was the first time that summer newcomers Erik Thommy and Willy Agada were in a game together. The “new” guard is here, and it goes well with the “old”. What do Germans and Nigerians do differently?

Of the Agada train and the running runners

Instead of focusing solely on calming the ball and then trying to do something with it, Agada does really well at bringing down a ball for one of the teammates Foot or quickly to his Foot. But there is more. Agada struggles to win and then hold position once the ball is at his feet. Or he plays it quickly and skilfully.

See here in the 54^th minute he comes on for Roger Espinoza after a John Pulskamp goal kick:

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Here Agada takes a header from Espinoza with another goal kick and then feeds winger Daniel Salloi, who runs in the centre.

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did you see the hesitation Agada thinks about playing Salloi earlier but realizes he should wait for Salloi’s diagonal run to find the space. It’s Agada, getting the ball up with his thigh and protecting the ball that gives him time to wait a split second.

The Agada train certainly travels with energy and joy. But it has staying power due to its technique and ability to intertwine with its teammates. Not only does he endure long balls to him (he’s not good with his head against open field defenders and I think his teammates know that), but he gets runs from him a lot more often because those who try often reach the goal ball.

There are five other instances from Saturday Night of Willy doing similar Willy things. The cumulative effect is that even if Agada’s initial play is backwards, Sporting can move forward much faster.

“He stands like a statue, becomes part of the machine

Feel all the bumpers, always play clean,” Pete Townshend

Thoughts on Erik Thommy’s play in brief. What the Bundesliga veteran has brought to Sporting’s midfield is trend-setting. The direction has emanated from his purely business attitude and leadership. Time and time again you can see how Thommy directs traffic and guides his teammates with his movements, and his will to succeed is contagious. This leadership (one might call it stability) contrasts with the vocal leadership that Espinoza offers and the leadership by example that is Remi Walter.

His play has also taken on a leading role. I do not have access to the tracking data provided to privileged others, but if I had to guess, the number of runs and attacks with the ball down the diagonal from Thommy Match-to-Match would likely be significant. Combined with Agada’s play and the resulting inspired play of others, Sporting’s attacking patterns change.

VS LAFC on July 23 (typical for pass networks throughout the season):

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Against LA Galaxy on Saturday:

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Not only did all three goals in the first half involve diagonal runs – by Thommy, Espinoza, then Salloi – but all the goals involved ran from zone 14, that zone before 18, and extended almost as far.

www.americansocceranalysis.com

Also, each goal affected the most dangerous zone: zone 17. The first: zone 15 to 17. The second: 18 to 17. The third: 17 to 17. Why is all this important? To date, Sporting Kansas City has not ventured into Zone 14 successfully, or at all. And according to whoscored.com, Sporting is bottom in the entire MLS in percentage of shots inside the box this season. This trend may just be coming to an end.

Let’s take another look at the Thommy goal and how it’s constructed. A pinball magician?

diagonal sphere. diagonal sphere. diagonal run. diagonal sphere.

are you inspired now It’s a valid question.

• Agada does not have Gerso Fernandes type speed. However, his outburst to part ways with his defender in the 68^th and 79^th minutes were encouraging.
• It’s just a game. Let’s not overlap… but I’m ready for more. And so is the cast of the Shades of Blue Soccer show. Listen to other takes of this match that are not included in this article.
• Agada (had to…) give another Willy moment: at 49:15 of the 2nd^nd Half (see the full game on Twitter here MLS on TUDN: Sporting Kansas City vs. LA Galaxy / Twitter), Salloi gets wide left of LA’s penalty area with Agada at the top of the penalty arc. Agada changes pace and runs toward the open space between a rectangle of defenders. Salloi plays for a give-and-go before losing the ball on Agada’s back pass. Recognizing space, possibility, intent, and urgency are things that haven’t happened regularly for Kansas City in 2022.
• We all know that Salloi’s contract expires at the end of the year. But we literally have no idea what status Salloi has for next season. He didn’t sign. There are crickets from Sporting on the subject. Salloi himself does not give an answer that tends in one direction or the other. No salloi next season could mean fewer celebrations. That Russell/Salloi connection is still going strong despite the numbers. And the Hungarian can play. It’s not like he has a season like 2019 or 2020. He’s past that. And it’s just reaching its prime. Ready for a struggle to fit into a European midfield team? Or prepared to be part of a possible athletic rejuvenation?
• Rebuilds a winning spirit by choosing tactics and a line-up that buys valuable playing time for the youngest players such as Pierre, left-back Logan Ndenbe (missed through injury), centre-back Robert Voloder, attacker Marinos Tzionis and midfielders Duke and Hernandez on the road to the finish the last nine games of the season? Let’s face it, Thommy could essentially end Duke’s significant playing time. Khiry Shelton can move wide and take away Tzioni’s under-minutes and the occasional start. Manager Peter Vermes seems to think Voloder isn’t ready. Will you be content with just Ndenbe, Pierre (probably due to his recent performances) and Hernandez scavenging significant minutes from this group?

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