Page 72 - Soccer360 Issue 104

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER FOCUS
“TEAM CAPTAIN ROMAN BURKI WAS NAMED 2023 MLS GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR.”
Above:
Roman Burki was named the top goalkeeper in MLS
Right:
Luciano Acosta was sensational throughout the 2023 MLS regular season.
was about assembling a squad that would work together and play for each other. The club didn’t have a single player in the top 20 MLS goalscorers in 2023, but Klauss and American youngster Nicholas Gioacchini led the team with 10 goals each. Löwen finished fourth in the league in assists, contributing 14 helpers in his debut MLS season. “The mentality,” Lowen said after a 4-1 win over Sporting Kansas City in October, “should be first, ‘How can I serve my teammate?’ instead of ‘How can I serve myself? How can I score the most goals?’ And I think then the success will come.” This is exactly the type of attitude that St. Louis were seeking in the players that they brought in. They had the opportunity to build a squad from scratch and wanted to ensure there wouldn’t be any unnecessary problems in the locker room. The lack of drama within the squad was likely also a key contributor to the shortfall of national headlines. Drama sells and there wasn’t much of it going around in Missouri.
“It’s not just about being the best footballer in the world. If you’re not a good person, if you don’t fit into our core values, then there will be no place for you in St. Louis.” Pfannenstiel said.
The outfield players weren’t the only ones getting the job done either with goalkeeper and team captain Roman Burki being named 2023 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. The former Borussia Dortmund shot stopper was perfect for head coach Bradley Carnell’s system, which was crucial to what the club was able to accomplish.
“Playing a unique way, like ours, it’s not just the best player. It’s the right player with the right tools,” Carnell said back in February.
Carnell’s system isn’t the most complicated
tactical setup, merely consisting of a simple 4-4-2 formation. How it is utilized though is the real focal point. Carnell sets his forwards up to put consistent pressure on opposing defenders by pressing high up the pitch. In theory, this should cause opposing teams to make more errors at the back. It is a high-
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