Minnesota United slowly finding their footing

Leaving the field, striker Christian Ramirez couldn’t help but sing. He hadn’t scored his team’s lone goal, but he didn’t care. He belted Oasis’ “Wonderwall” along with the TCF Bank Stadium’s crowd of 17,491 like he had just scored an extra time goal to win the World Cup. All this happiness, joy and celebration, all the glee, all for his team’s second win in eight tries.

But Ramirez and the rest of Minnesota United knew what they were up against. Nobody ever said it would be easy. Expansion clubs generally end up with the league’s lost toys, a new coach, all in a new market with new fans that need to be won over before the team can be taken seriously.

“We’ve put in so much work together over the last four or five weeks, and when you keep conceding goals, you don’t get any reward for it,” said head coach Adrian Heath.

He’s right. Minnesota United FC, one of two new MLS clubs this season, have endured a lot of defensive heartache in their first eight games of MLS existence. Not shockingly, the team’s back four, and the goalkeeper, are not thrilled.

“We’ve been working on our shape pretty tirelessly in training, and the coaches have really been harping on it,” goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth said. “Obviously, because we’ve been conceding goals.”

At 2-4-2, their road to the postseason is not a simple one, but one that has seen its worst days in terms of defensive struggles. Or so they hope.

In their first four games, the Loons gave up a gargantuan 16 goals, easily topping (or bottoming, depending on how you look at it) the league in goals conceded. This included a 6-1 loss in their snowy home debut against fellow expansion club Atlanta United.

So they made a move. They brought in veteran MLS defenders Sam Cronin and Marc Burch, both of whom took on starting roles for Heath nearly immediately.

The results showed just as quickly. In the four games since the trade, they’ve managed to turn things around (relatively speaking, of course). They haven’t given up more than two goals in a single game since then, and have picked up four points in the process. This, of course, was highlighted by the franchise’s first clean sheet this past weekend against the Colorado Rapids.

For an expansion team, defensive consistency can take time. As a multi-year vet of England’s old First Division, Heath knows the importance of that.

“I think we’ve gradually gotten better,” he said. “When you consider the start we had, I’m pleased to be where we are. We’ve got another [26] games to go. Let’s see where we are at the end of this little home stand.”

For most teams, four points in four games is nothing to brag about. But considering where Heath’s squad started and where they find themselves now, one point out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference (but again, 26 games to go), they’ve got justified reason to breath a little easier.

“It’s huge. It gives us a lot of confidence for the defenders,” said starting center-back Brent Kallman. “And the guys in front of us can take pride, too. It takes 11 guys to defend. It’s not just the back four.”

Despite the improvement, and keeping in mind the atrocious start to the season, the numbers still show what the Loons need to do to make any sort of a push as mid-season approaches.

The attack has never been the problem. They’re fourth in the league in goals with 18. Ramirez is tied for third in the league’s Golden Boot race with five. Kevin Molino is tied for fifth (with several other competitors in between, in fairness) with three.

Minnesota’s goalscorer over the weekend was US Men’s National Team member Miguel Ibarra (known mostly as an attacker, but who’s played in midfield for the Loons), whom Heath referred to as one of the most talented players he’s ever been around, coaching or playing.

In short, scoring hasn’t been the problem.

But Minnesota have conceded 24 goals. That’s worst in the league by 10. Again, they’ve only made it through eight games, and there’s been little consistency in the back four, tactically or personnel-wise, but the problem is still on the players’ minds, from front to back.

Part of the issue is a lack of talent, a common theme for expansion clubs. But these are also humans. Personality and fit matter.

“As a whole, it’s a new group of guys. We’re still learning things about each other,” Shuttleworth said. “That happens on the training field. We have guys coming in and out of the lineup, players that are going to step in and do a good job.”

They’ve handled those challenges better in recent weeks, but if the improvement is going to mean something, like a spot in the playoffs, the key will be establishing consistency. Heath certainly feels his team can make something of their debut MLS season. The next step may be convincing his squad.

“I keep telling the guys they’ve gotta have as much belief in themselves as I’ve got in them.”

This team, new to MLS, and the players, new to each other, have already shown off their inexperience, at times in spectacular fashion. But their ability to immediately pick themselves up and confront their flaws is nearly just as eye-catching. And the positive attitude they’ve shown, especially at home, deserves praise. As the Loons continue to try to win games, and more Twin Cities fans, that level of enthusiasm will need to be there.

They need to keep improving defensively. And Christian Ramirez needs to keep singing.