The second month of the 2015 MLS season started just like the first ended: with (mostly) low scores and disappointingly disjointed midfield play. Everybody's scratching their heads about goals being down, and when that's the question fingers tend to get pointed at the forwards.
Gotta look deeper on this issue, though, and here's where I'm pointing the finger: MLS teams are having real, undeniable trouble turning possession into positivity. This is always a bit of an issue early in any season, but it's been magnified so far this year.
Let's start with the biggest offenders:
1. The Crash
On Friday I wrote about Philadelphia's troubles in the air, and that very issue proved to be the deciding factor in the Union's 3-2 loss at Sporting KC on Sunday evening. Whether it's Rais Mbolhi flapping at crosses (or rooted to his line), or defenders simply getting out-jumped and out-fought for stuff that's just kinda hopefully launched into the box, Philly have no answers.
If you can use the ball to kill off games, then you won't have to defend in your box so much and you'll give up fewer set pieces. You'll give up fewer run-of-play crosses. You'll ask less of a goalkeeper who looks very much out of his depth.
The Union, unfortunately, can't do that. They attempted 212 passes, lowest in the league this year. They completed just 53 percent of them, which would be a killer number at the Blackjack table but is depressingly bad for soccer. Do the math and you'll see that adds up to 112 successful passes. Previous single-game low for any team in 2015 was 172. Lowest in 2014 was 137. In 2013, it was 119.
I'd go back further, but my computer is begging for mercy. Luckily, Ben's on it:
Congrats to Portland on their first win of the season, and to Porter on the Face of the Week nod.
