Cover Photo: AlelzPhotos (@AizuMedia IG, Area Sports Network)
November 12, 2024 (CINCINNATI, OH) - FC Cincinnati were on the losing end one of four upsets in the first round of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, as they lost to New York City FC in penalty kicks on Saturday at TQL Stadium. So... what now?
A bombshell was dropped following the match on Saturday, with 2023 Landon Donovan MLS MVP winner Luciano Acosta telling the media that his future with the club was... uncertain. Acosta signed an extension through the 2025 season, but reportedly had conversations during the summer about a potential move. Laurel Pfahler of Queen City Press has a great story on this over on their Patreon, I recommend you read her story.
The home stretch of the season for FC Cincinnati is one that would be characterized easily by the word "frustrating". Injuries plagued the team, most notably to their 2023 MLS Defender of the Year Matt Miazga. The club did a job at replacing Miazga as best as possible, pairing USMNT defender Miles Robinson with former FC Porto centerback Chidozie Awaziem and former Houston Dynamo centerback Teenage Hadebe in Pat Noonan's back 3 system.
But, of course, when talking about Cincinnati's season, especially from a lineup perspective, it obviously has to be stated - as tracked by FC Cincinnati staff writer Carter Chapley - 42 matches across all competitions before the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs for FC Cincinnati... and 42 unique lineups... a borderline unprecedented stat (don't fact check me, I don't know if it's actually unprecedented) that allowed for little consistency in creating partnerships across the pitch.
The inconsistencies were obviously most notable in the front line, with the striker position, and the backline. Miazga, Hagglund, Awaziem, Robinson, Murphy, and Keller all played at least 10 matches across all comps (a quarter of the club's matches) on the backline - and that's not including late season addition Teenage Hadebe that played in every match after making his first start in October, nor does that include Alvas Powell or DeAndre Yedlin, who played as outside CBs for many of their 30ish appearances each for the club...
The frontline problems were another - Aaron Boupendza started off the preseason on hot form, but his off the field issues proved to be an issue again... as his contract was terminated by the league midway through the season. The club weren't able to find a number 9 DP replacement, opting with a half season loan of former St. Louis CITY SC forward Nicholas Gioacchini from Como, who failed to score or assist a goal in any of his minutes for Cincinnati.
Yuya Kubo had a standout season as a forward, scoring double digit goals for the first time since his time at Gent... when he would have also been playing for the Japanese national team as they worked to qualify for the 2018 Russia World Cup... before FC Cincinnati was even in MLS. But Kubo was used everywhere on the pitch - at the 9, the 10, at the 6, as a wingback in both channels. Sergio Santos put up similar numbers to his 2023 season, Corey Baird regressed from his 14 goal season in 2023 in Houston... and Kevin Kelsy, on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk, started off hot... scoring 5 goals in 11 matches.. and then scored once in his last 18 matches for the club.
Brandon Vazquez had 17 goals in 40 matches (3196 minutes) in 2023 across all competitions... 129 minutes/goal... and that was considered a regression of a season for Vazquez before being sold to Monterrey in the winter...
Yuya Kubo, Sergio Santos, Corey Baird, Kevin Kelsy, Nicholas Gioacchini, and Aaron Boupendza had... 28 goals in all comps combined... in 8070 minutes, 288 minutes/goal.
Last season, Pat Noonan was criticized by many for his lack of rotation during the season - as the team seemed to look mentally and physically exhausted in the Eastern Conference Final against Columbus, as they lost after leading 2-0 early in the match. Noonan, in 2024, went to the opposite extreme, partly due to injuries and national team duties affecting availability of his players, by not repeating a lineup once... leading to rather inconsistent results throughout the entirety of the campaign.
This upcoming winter transfer window will be as crucial as ever.
Tom Bogert dropped the news Sunday evening about FC Cincinnati nearing the signing of Cercle Brugge forward Kevin Denkey. League sources have since confirmed the news to Area Sports Network.
As one that now co-hosts the Asian Football Show podcast (check us out: https://youtube.com/@theasianfootballshow?si=vQQusaRilupY89a9), I've been following current Feyenoord forward Ayase Ueda since he made the move from J.League's Kashiwa Antlers to Cercle Brugge for the 2022/23 season before making the move to Feyenoord a year later...
In that one season with Cercle Brugge with a strike partnership with Denkey, Ueda thrived - scoring a career high 23 goals in 42 matches across all competitions, pairing well with Denkey - as Cercle Brugge finished 6th in the Belgian Pro League. Ueda's value quadrupled that season, from €1.50M to €6.00M in that one season... as he was sold for over €8.00m that following summer... an over 5x profit in one season.
If FC Cincinnati could find a U22 number 9 with a similar profile as Ueda to pair with Acosta and Denkey... that could find the success similar to what Cincy saw with Brenner/Vazquez/Acosta in 2022...
Another question lies in the backline. Who stays for 2025? FC Cincinnati have Chidozie Awaziem (TAM), Teenage Hadebe (TAM), Matt Miazga (TAM) all signed through the 2025 season, with Miles Robinson's contract (TAM) having a club option for 2025. That's on top of Ian Murphy's extension this season signing him with Cincinnati through 2026, and Nick Hagglund, while his contract ends after 2024, expected to return in some capacity as a fan favorite Cincinnati native. Will Robinson be with FC Cincinnati for the entirety of the 2025 season... or at all? I'm not sure if FC Cincinnati can justify holding 4 TAM level CBs on their roster.
Yes, Obinna Nwobodo will not be a DP in 2025. That, alongside the end of Gioacchini's loan... should open up 2 available DP spots for FC Cincinnati. If one goes to Denkey (regardless of salary, that transfer fee will result in him being a DP), Chris Albright and the Cincinnati front office still have another DP to play with.
The wingback position could be explored... Luca Orellano never really found a permanent home as a wingback on either side, ending the season as a forward pairing with Kubo and Acosta in the front three... Yamil Asad looked like a fantastic pickup this year, but left a bit more to be desired going forward... as did veteran fullback DeAndre Yedlin - both struggling with their dribble success rates, as well as their final ball service into the box.
We've seen how important good service can be from those wider channels - in Atlanta United's upset over Inter Miami in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, former Moreirense and Braga fullback Pedro Amador recorded an assist in every match against Miami...
Yamil Asad last assisted a goal in July, Yedlin in May. Amador has an assist in 5 straight.
FC Cincinnati fans rated this season... on average... around a 5/10, based off a poll and very loose calculations made to average out the results...
What did you think of FC Cincinnati's 2024 season? What are your expectations from the Orange and Blue in 2025?
On Monday evening, LDU de Quito announced the passing of FC Cincinnati player Marco Angulo. Angulo, 22, was on a season long loan at CDU this year from FC Cincinnati and was in an car accident last month. Our condolences go out to the Angulo family and friends during this difficult time.
