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MLS Players to Watch

Writer's picture: Tristan FiguerasTristan Figueras

Hello everyone and welcome to Early Doors Football. Major League Soccer has gotten off to a flying start, with a lot of interesting results and performances from the first two weeks. I’ve really enjoyed the start to this 2023 season, so I decided to dive deeper into some of the players that caught my eyes over the off-season and the first couple of games. Obviously, I will have to focus a lot on last season, but we can add a little more context after seeing their start to the season.


Kwadwo Opoku:


If there were any lingering doubts about Opoku’s ability, those were all wiped away in LAFC’s match against the Portland Timbers. The young Ghanaian notched his first goal of the season, along with winning a penalty in a bright performance. We saw glimpses of his exciting ability last season, but I think we will see him win his spot in LAFC’s competitive front three.


The 21 year old is comfortable across the front three, which means he perfectly fits in with the Black and Gold’s attack, with Bouanga and Vela regularly rotating with Opoku. He tends to line up on the right hand side, but often finds himself centrally or on the left wing. Regardless of his position, he is exceptionally dangerous in transitions. He is absolutely rapid, and has good control at high speed. His dribbling in tight spaces is not overly astounding, but still more than effective, and will likely be improved on as he matures.


For a winger, he takes a lot of shots, which are normally high quality as well. For someone of his age and profile, this is rather unusual. Especially in a team like LAFC, he will have a plethora of opportunities, and will likely be able to convert a high amount. His ability to threaten from anywhere across the front line, combined with his lightning-quick pace makes him a truly exciting talent. If he can consistently produce similar high-level performances like this season’s opening match, he won’t be in the MLS very long. (Graph via FBref)


Cristian Espinoza:


I am really excited by San Jose’s offense this year, and Espinoza is a big reason for that. Before getting into Espinoza, a new addition this winter is what will really allow this offense to do their thing: Carlos Gruezo. Coming from Augsburg, the holding midfielder brings defensive solidity to the Earthquakes midfield that they have not had before. This will enable the players further up the field to be more confident in transition, and just bring better balance to the team as a whole. The passing network from their recent match illustrates this idea, with his midfield partners Yueil and Monteiro (14 and 35 respectively) getting the license to move forward thanks to his defensive abilities (graph via mlssoccer.com).


But back to Espinoza. He plays off the right and side (Number 10 in the graph above), and is the team’s chief creator. He ranks highly in key passes, expected assists, and crosses (all per 90), which means he has a brilliant relationship with striker Jeremy Ebobisse. He is also a great set piece taker, so all things considered, he is a great creative hub. Espinoza gets into a lot of great spaces and has the vision to pick great passes, especially when whipping in crosses. With Gruezo now in the midfield, I think the entire SJ attack will flourish, but Espinoza is set to profit the most.


Erik Thommy:


For a team with 0 goals this season, it may seem odd to have their attacking midfielder in this list. But to be frank, it is absurd that Sporting KC has not scored this season, and everything suggests that they will be a fantastic attacking team this season, with Thommy being a key part of that.


Sporting KC has had a league high 26 shots on target, accruing an xG of 3.5, which is in the top half of the league as well. In terms of creativity, they have the most key passes, passes into the final third, and progressive passes in the league, largely due to Thommy (among others). He completes nearly 3 key passes a match, and completes a high volume of crosses and passes into the penalty area, so the supply will surely keep coming. Incredibly, he ranks higher than the 93rd percentile in all shot-creating action variations (passes, take-ons, etc), and very highly in goal creating actions as well (when taking into account last season). With Russell and Pulido due to return, I think we could see this SKC side really raise their game and flourish.


John Tolkin:


Tolkin is a highly rated USMNT prospect, so no shock to see him on this list. The 20 year old plays at left back for the New York Red Bulls, and has already been linked with moves abroad. He is a great two-way player, with positive attributes both in attack and defense. What really stands out about him is his defensive ability, but he is not lacking ability in the attacking half either. He averages 2.85 shot creating actions per game, largely in part due to his excellent ability on dead balls. He is a very proficient crosser from open play as well, and racks up a lot of key passes because of this. Something that makes him particularly valuable holistically is his tackling ability.


Clearly, he is a high-quality tackler, but being so effective in the middle and attacking third means he prevents a lot of counters/transitions, and can create chances from his tackles. Creating turnovers enables the Red Bulls to attack quickly while the opposition is still getting in their defensive shape, so he is extremely valuable in this way. He is in the 99th percentile for interceptions as well, so he has the key attributes necessary to be a big-time player for a high level team.He will certainly prove to be an important player for NYRB, as he brings so much to the table on both sides of the ball.


Chris Brady:


Following in the footsteps of Gabriel Slonina, the 19 year old goalkeeper looks set to make his mark on Chicago. After impressive performances for Chicago Fire II, it appears he will take the reins for the first team when he returns to fitness. Similarly to Slonina, Brady has quickly moved up the ranks through the Fire academy, as well as making appearances for the United States youth national teams. The Illinois native signed a homegrown contract back in 2020, so he has been part of the Fire’s long-term plans for years.


In his 12 appearances in MLS Next Pro, he conceded 10 goals and had a save percentage of 81.8%, one of the best in the league. Looking at some more advanced metrics from American Soccer Analysis, he really starts to stand out. In terms of “Goals Added” (which takes into account Shotstopping, Claiming, Handling, etc.), he had the best in the league at 8.77. To explain this in an overly simplified way, to avoid turning this into an article strictly about data, Brady prevented 9 goals over the course of his 12 appearances. His shotstopping was also the best in the league, so he has the raw ability to step into the first team. Brady was out for the Fire’s first match with an injury, but will likely be back soon, so it will be interesting to see how he performs.


That is all for today! Let me know if you all are watching out for any players in particular, the level of the league has risen over the years so there are a lot of exciting players on show. Thanks for reading as always and have a lovely day.


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