Herdman, Courtois focus on fundamentals | Farsi, Sirois shine as CanMNT call-ups loom | MLS IN REVIEW, Week 1
Major League Soccer kicked off its 2024 campaign in style this week with 15 matches setting the stage for what promises to be another exciting season full of drama, intrigue, and, of course, plenty of talking points to break down and discuss.
So, without further ado, let's kick off our 2024 MLS season coverage with 3 key (Canadian!) takeaways:
Courtois, Herdman focus on fundementals
The return of Laurent Courtois to CF Montréal – this time, as head coach – brought with it the promise of a return to the tried-and-true philosophy dubbed "Nancy-ball" that saw the club thrive under former manager Wilfried Nancy in 2022.
It's an brave, attack-minded system that Nancy implemented to great effect with the Columbus Crew, too, as he went on to win the 2023 MLS Cup on the front-foot against Los Angeles FC.
So, for Montreal fans, expectations were for fluid, dynamic attacking football: Instead, Montreal focused on its fundamentals, sitting deep when they needed to be deep and frustrating Orlando with an organized block – an approach that earned them a 0-0 draw on the road against an Eastern Conference top threat. You take those, and it's a good base to build belief on, as Courtois balanced philosophy-building with early results... as did John Herdman over at Toronto FC.
You get your fundamentals right and go from there. And there is nothing more fundamental than looking solid from minute 1 to minute 90.
— Armen Bedakian (@ArmenBedakian) February 25, 2024
A 0-0 against the Supporters' Shield winners, away from home?
As good a start as any for John Herdman's #TFClive to kick-off 2024
For a club facing the toughest mountain climb, Herdman kicked off his 2024 campaign with a pragmatic, defensively solid showing against an FC Cincinnati team that was so effective at home they secured the 2023 Supporters' Shield for it.
So, what's next in Toronto's evolution? Finding the best fit for Federico Bernardeschi and Richie Laryea and Jonathan Osorio, for one; the much-maligned Italian winger played right wing-back in game one but he'll want to be closer to goal at some point. Finding a solution at no. 9 is also going to be key, as Prince Owusu was no Christian Benteke in the 18-yard box. And finally, and perhaps most importantly... Lorenzo Insigne needs to remember that he is Lorenzo Insigne.
If there's any hope for Toronto, it'll have to come from the left foot of the diminutive Italian on the left, who was limited to less than half a handful of shots, just one on target – far too timid for a player expected to lead this team's attacking output. LAFC's Mateusz Bogusz did a better job impersonating Insigne with this brilliant tiraggiro than the player who literally coined the term did.
UNREAL 🤯
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 24, 2024
Mateusz Bogusz with an absolute stunner. pic.twitter.com/HA5QKX3JGt
It's early days in this Toronto FC 2.0 (3.0? 18.0?) project, but there's no harm in letting Insigne have a go a little more often. To be honest, not many others on this team are going to be calling for the ball, anyway.
Mauro Biello faces tough GK decision
Balancing cohesion, experience, and an immediate need for a result against the longer-term evolution of the Canadian men's national team is no enviable task, but it's one that interim manager Mauro Biello now faces.
Does Biello stick with what's always worked – Milan Borjan et al – in order to secure a win against Trinidad and Tobago and book a spot in the 2024 Copa America? Or does he change things up where he can to try and fix what put Canada in this position in the first place?
To the latter, CF Montréal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois continued to put his hand straight up for selection considerations, putting in exemplary performances in the opening week. Highlighted by a bit of late-game heroics to keep CF Montréal level against Orlando, Sirois was rock-steady away at Orlando City, and will be happy with keeping (yet another) clean sheet, too.
New MLS season, same Jonathan Sirois, who kept a clean sheet as #CFMTL drew 0-0 with Orlando City
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) February 25, 2024
He made 4 saves on 1.26 xGOT today to help his team nab a point
After keeping 12 MLS clean sheets in 2023, the former #CanPL GK of the year is off to a good start in 2024
📸CFMTL pic.twitter.com/A2LNLh0yqo
That's not to say Sirois is ready to take on the no. 1 mantle for the CanMNT just yet – and it would certainly be a bold decision to put him in net against T&T in such a crucial match-up. But Dayne St. Clair won't be pleased with conceding a late goal to Austin's Guilherme Biro in what was essentially the last kick in a game that Minnesota United thoroughly dominated otherwise. And, while James Pantemis did well in goal for the Portland Timbers, Max Crepeau's visa issues should hopefully clear up soon enough and he'll be back in goal shortly thereafter, too.
If Biello is looking to make a change, it's probably Crepeau's spot to lose.
Speaking of potential call-ups...
Mo Farsi needs to be locked in
MLS Cup champs Columbus Crew kicked off their 2024 season with a solid 1-0 win over Atlanta United in a match that saw two Canadians start in Jacen Russell-Rowe and Mo Farsi, but it was the latter's contributions who I'd like to highlight here.
Farsi was an ever-present threat out wide on the right for the Crew, creating chances and driving toward goal with pace and purpose, giving Atlanta a headache for... 51 minutes. That's all he managed in this opener before being subbed off with an apparent injury, as Atlanta brought Farsi down in the box on a driving run and conceded a penalty (which Cucho Hernandez went on and missed!).
Jacen Russell-Rowe and Mo Farsi in the #Crew96's 1-0 win vs Atlanta today:
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) February 24, 2024
JRR:
3 shots (0.26 xG)
2 chances created
1 post
2/2 dribbles
3 recoveries
5/5 duels won
MF:
3 chances created (0.12 xA)
1 PK won
29/37 passes (78%)
1/1 crosses
1 interception
3 recoveries#CanMNT pic.twitter.com/53HYfdo8kK
Farsi will look to bounce back quickly, of course, but it's just the latest example of the incredible trajectory the former Cavalry FC star has had since leaving the Canadian Premier League and winning the MLS Cup; Farsi remains a potent attacking, creative and defensive asset in a position (or positions) that Canada could use more depth in. It's getting to be about that time that a call-up has to come, surely.
Of course, the final decision is down to Farsi himself; he had been previously called up, but chose not to accept, instead waiting to see how things played out with potential Algeria national team interest, too. But if there's ever a time to lock him in, that window is getting smaller and smaller. The more he shines, the more the possibility of losing him emerges, so perhaps a Copa America promise would get him over the line.
