Tactical Loon

🚨 2026 In-Season Depth Chart 📊 #MNUFC #MinnesotaUnited

Randomly hearing 'Wonderwall' while out for a walk in Salvador. 🙌 #mnufc

No video breakdowns for the next 4 games - off to Brazil for a few weeks to catch some Brasileiro matches. (Plus maybe cold emailing some scouting reports to @mnufc.com while I'm there 😄). #MNUFC

About to watch Reynoso and imagining him, Pereyra, and Quintero as our three AMs in a 4-2-3-1. #mnufc

Love Bongi's composure here. Instead of forcing a 1v1 or rushing a cross to Caldeira, he lets the play develop for a split second & finds Ant with a great cutback. "Decelerating serves, incredibly, to gain time and to create spaces that were hidden" -Valdano #MNUFC

Not sure when @northlandsoccer.com started posting the actual video of every interview (Cam & players) while at training, but I wish I had started subscribing years ago. 👌 #MNUFC

Update on Ramirez vs. Tani vs. Yeboah: #MNUFC

It's been an absolutely dire few months for #MNUFC. I don't have much to add to what's already been said, so let's just look at one of the few good/interesting build-ups from the last game, lol:

Some members of the #mnufc media are pushing for Hank Stebbins to get the CSO job. Latest comment: "We added 3 players who will all contribute & make us better." Jackson: 29 mins in 6 matches. 0g/0a Malone: 43 mins in 3 matches. 0g/0a Valerius: Waiting on visa What do people think of him?

Some #mnufc possession stats from Opta after 25 games: 10+ Pass Sequences: 25th (8.92 /G) Passes Per Sequence: 25th (3.37 /G) Sequence Time: 26rd (8.79 secs) Direct Speed: 13th (1.77) Average Possession: 25th (46.1%) #MinnesotaUnited

It's been a while since #MNUFC hosted a chalk talk in the Stadium Club. Wonder why they wouldn't want to take questions from fans right now... www.mnufc.com/news/know-be...

Really like how early Chanca reads this situation. He starts his full sprint before the pass even happens, anticipating Trapp getting the ball to Pereyra, who has plenty of space to turn upfield & send him through. #MNUFC

1st half passing map, lol #MNUFC

Cam: "We wanted to be more compact..." #MNUFC

Cam's comments + video of the two goals conceded against Dallas: #MNUFC

Manny breaks down Duncan's role in Orlando's third goal: #MNUFC

"I want the ball... and to connect with the game..." Caldeira has shown glimpses of this with his recent introduction, but Malone could be an upgrade here if we continue with two up top. #MNUFC ⚽️ @mnufc.com 📹 @andygreder.bsky.social 🎤

Here's where Cherrion Valerius appears in the team's highlight videos from the first 4 games of the season: #MNUFC

Frustrating from Duncan on Orlando's third goal. Griezmann is progressing into an area to play someone through, but Duncan is square (not angled), ball-watching (fixated on Griezmann), and oblivious to the runner getting in behind him (not scanning). #mnufc

Another cheap goal/high-quality chance conceded on the counter: 🔴 Boxall gives it away. 🔴 The cheap giveaway immediately bypasses 4 of our 5 defenders & both CDMs. 🔴 Gene gets on the wrong side of Griezmann. 🔴 Right tilt, entire defense shifted except Markanich - poor positioning by him? #MNUFC

Manny talks about our shape last game & then talks about if we'll see it again tonight. After a strong showing from our 2 strikers last match, I’m watching for the next tactical tweak: how else will we provoke the defense to open up the center & find Pereyra as the free man? #MNUFC

"I don't think we necessarily need to spend to improve on the field, I think we need to be strategic and thoughtful..." - Hank Stebbins (Interim Sporting Director for KEA) #MNUFC

Yeboah mentions our 2 strikers & pinning. The clip shows how we failed to exploit what pinning can create: unbalancing their defense (our 2 strikers occupying their back 4 + Pereyra pulling their 6 wide) to create a free man/numerical superiority centrally. Trapp was completely missed here. #MNUFC

Our defensive balance when committing numbers forward for deep throw-ins seems off. Inconsistent positioning in our rest defense is triggering at least 1-2 dangerous opposition transitions every game. #MNUFC

#MNUFC

Yeboah’s 2nd Goal: Gene again at the heart of this goal, just like Yeboah's 1st. A charging run forward with great strength, a 1-2 with Pereyra, ending in a superb pass into space for Yeboah to finish. Also, once again, Caldeira dragged a defender away to help create this opportunity. #MNUFC

Yeboah 1st Goal: This goal was all down to Gene's decision to spot the shape of the midfielders & drive into the space Pereyra created by dropping deep. It was also a great run from Caldeira to drag a defender deep while Yeboah cut back into the space he created. #MNUFC

Does anyone know what happened to Andrew Gregor (Director of Scouting)? He joined in 2023, but looking at our official technical staff he isn't listed anymore. Using web archives he's last seen listed around middle of 2025. Can't find an article about him leaving. (If he did?) #MNUFC

A few details on Hank Stebbins from when he joined in 2023: #MNUFC

Minnesota United is dead LAST when it comes to 'goals vs. xG': #MNUFC

Wil Trapp on how #mnufc might exploit Atlanta: "They get their fullbacks so high, so when we do win the ball, exploiting those spaces as quicky as possible." Look for us to attack quickly in transition? #MinnesotaUnited ⚽️ @mnufc.com 🎥

The most disappointing starting xi that first came to my mind... #MNUFC

It looks like the training pitch lines changed once under Ramsay; I wonder what they look like under Knowles now...🤔 #MNUFC

Marcus Caldeira vs. Atlante #MNUFC #MinnesotaUnited

Total Assists: Kelvin Yeboah (4,100 mins in MLS) - 1 assist Marcus Caldeira (vs. Atlante) - 2 assists #MNUFC

Difference in roles for our double pivot? Gene got the green light to push forward at most opportunities, while Trapp stayed back to form the rest defense to cover transitions. This is where Triantis will help us quite a bit in attack once he's fit imo. #MNUFC

Favorite possession moment vs. Tigres: 🟦 Less positional - more organic structure 🟦 8-man left tilt 🟦 Boxall as defensive diagonal 🟦 Harvey providing a threat wide if there is a switch 🟦 Almost pulled off a great combination & chance while 'invading' their defensive block #MNUFC

What a tragic decline for Bongi. From scoring all those amazing Leagues Cup goals a few of years ago and becoming the 2nd all-time goal scorer for #mnufc, to now playing as a RWB with zero confidence.