FC Cincinnati has a full week between games for the first time since July 25, after the club lost 2-1 at Columbus Crew.
For the first time in a month, FC Cincinnati will have a full four-day training build, and more time to study and work on aspects of its play and strategies, as it prepares for arguably its most difficult game of the MLS season.
FC Cincinnati plays at Nashville SC at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Geodis Park. Nashville leads the MLS Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield standings with 49 points (15-2-4), setting a league record for points through 21 games. FC Cincinnati has 31 points (8-6-7) and is in sixth place in the Eastern Conference after a disappointing 1-1 draw against a depleted Seattle Sounders club.
Having
a full week to prepare will help FC Cincinnati, who has had a busy month with nine games, six in MLS and three in the Leagues Cup.
“I think I forgot what the rhythm was like,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. “And we changed it up a little bit just to work on a few things and change up some of the meeting spaces. But it's nice to have it slow down a little bit, take a step back and look at some things and trends. It's been good to slow it down a little bit but still plenty of things to talk about and try to improve ahead of an important game.”
A look at FC Cincinnati’s opponent, Nashville SC
Nashville SC has built the best record in MLS by excelling on all sides of the pitch. The club is fourth in the league in goals scored with 43, and first in goals conceded with 17. Its goal differential of plus-26 is one behind Vancouver, which leads the Western Conference.
Nashville has had one of the best attacking duos in the league for several years. Sam Surridge has 12 goals. Hany Mukhtar has nine goals and six assists.
Cristian Espinoza, a 31-year old Argentinian, signed with the team in the offseason from San Jose Earthquakes. He has three goals and 10 assists.
In July, Nashville SC acquired winger Elias Saad on loan from FC Augsburg in Germany’s premier league, Bundesliga. Saad started for Tunisia in the World Cup and adds height and versatility to the attack.
“Espinoza's a fantastic player," Noonan said. “Surridge and Mukhtar have been there. They (have) other weapons. And so, they are opportunistic, but they're opportunistic because they read the game well, understand spacing, transitions, duels. When you watch them, there are moments where they understand how to move off the ball to gain an advantage. They understand how to compete for direct play and pick up and anticipate second balls. They're all very good in front of goal on the dribble, creating their own shot.”
Nashville SC has the best defense in the league, allowing 17 goals in 21 games. Nashville SC has a deep group of center backs. Brian Schwake, 25, from Illinois, has nine clean sheets in goal.
“They're the best team in the league,” Noonan said. “But what sticks out is the consistency of their play over the course of the season. I think on both sides of the ball, they’re very effective in their play. How they step to the ball, how they make it difficult for opponents to break them down. I think they all work in a really strong way together.
“And defensively they work, they make it difficult. which presents more transition moments because they're doing a good job of helping to create turnovers.”
Nashville is very hard to beat at home
Nashville SC has the best home record in MLS, with 10 wins, zero losses and one draw. The draw was 2-2 against D.C. United on May 9 and Nashville scored two late goals to salvage that point.
In the team’s 10 wins, they have outscored their opponents by a total of 30-10, scoring three or more goals in seven of those games. The most recent home win was a 3-2 thriller over Columbus in their last game on Aug. 22. Reed Baker-Whiting and Andy Najar scored in second-half stoppage time to lead Nashville from behind.
New England and Vancouver have eight home wins, and FC Cincinnati is one of seven teams with seven.
Conversely, FC Cincinnati has one of the worst road records in MLS, 1-4-5. There are three other teams in the league that have one away win. FC Cincinnati’s only road victory was May 2 at Chicago Fire FC, when Evander scored a hat trick, including a penalty kick in stoppage time, for a 3-2 win.
Noonan is 2-0-1 in Nashville, including a 2-1 win last year. FC Cincinnati is 4-3-4 against Nashville SC in MLS play. The teams had four meetings, all draws, when they were in the United Soccer League (USL) together.
“Every match is a challenge,” Noonan said. “The goal isn't to be the first to win at somebody's home ground. It's to go win a game. And sure, there are maybe coaches or players out there that find extra motivation in those things. I don't, but I just want to see us perform in a strong way and go win a road game against a good team.”
Will FC Cincinnati add any players before the transfer window closes?
FC Cincinnati has not brought in anyone during the transfer window, which ends Sept. 2. While that is a concern to fans, Noonan said the club is emphasizing making the right move and not just adding someone for the sake of doing so.
“There have been a lot of conversations about different options,” Noonan said. “They have been ongoing and they will be until the deadline, but they haven't stopped. If nothing happens, we're going to work with the group we have to finish out the year in a stronger way than the first half. I think things are trending in a better way, but my job is to continue to manage the group that we have.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati tries to solve road woes against the best team in MLS
