Opposition scouting report: St. Louis City

St. Louis City is off to a 1-0-2 start and are currently the only team in MLS not to have allowed a goal yet this season. We asked our friends at the St. Louis City podcast Flyover Footy to provide this scouting report:

Team form

Overall good. Best defensive performance in the league with three clean sheets and there’s been a clear emphasis on our defensive performance as the foundation for Olof Mellberg’s system in his first three games. Our attack is still figuring itself out. There’s a desire to play on the ball more, but lack of quality decision-making and positioning prevents us from retaining quality possession without treading water in our defensive third. Two of our three games though have seen a good amount of volume in the attack, with the flood gates finally opening last week making our three-week goal-difference +3.

Key players

Marcel Hartel, Edu Löwen and Roman Bürki. I could nameo João Klauss and Cedric Teuchert, but our offense hums when Hartel is leading or a key piece in counter attacks or the direction our attacking third takes. Löwen CAN play in the attacking third but has more often been asked to be a deep lying playmaker or No. 6 in the connection from our backline up into the attack. He will touch the ball the most if STL is humming… and Bürki is in the opinion of every STL fan and a lot of national pundits, the best keeper in the league in both shot stopping and distribution.

One thing fans should know

This is not the same St. Louis CITY SC team that lost to the Sounders four times in the past two years. There’s been low possession numbers in 2 of our 3 games still, and while this team does like to high press… they’re much more willing to drop back into a mid block and take away space to initiate turnovers as opposed to stretch themselves vertically. They’re trying to be a tactically patient team and then use their numbers to draw in the opposition, which creates advantages in the attacking half in both possession and counters.

Notable injuries

Joakim Nilsson (CB) has been hurt to start the year but is questionable for the first time. He likely won't start but we've been keen on subbing our backline so he might see minutes along with Timo Baumgartl, who is healthy but getting his fitness back.

Projected lineup

3-4-1-2: Bürki; Horn, Kessler, Hiebert; Wallem, Löwen, Durkin, Totland; Hartel; Klauss, Teuchert