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Tag: Adrian Heath
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After Productive Offseason, Loons Look Set For 2019, But Not Beyond
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: After Productive Offseason, Loons Look Set For 2019, But Not BeyondA couple months ago, after Minnesota United announced their roster cuts, I surveyed the wreckage of two years of a “soft open” approach to team building. The team’s roster had massive holes, especially in midfield and defense. Although the club did not move as swiftly and confidently as I expected, they have made five big…
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Loons Look to Future
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Loons Look to FutureWhat next? That has to be the question Minnesota United fans, players, and staff are asking after a second season of missing out on the playoffs, and not gathering too many points. Not only that, but many view the team as having no identity. It’s one thing to lose, but another to lose week after…
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Matchday Thirty Two: Even The Home Magic Is Now Dead, As Loons Sink To Season Low Against Colorado
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Thirty Two: Even The Home Magic Is Now Dead, As Loons Sink To Season Low Against ColoradoThe previous week’s 1-5 drubbing at the hands of Philadelphia felt like rock bottom for the floundering Loons. Then came this past weekend, where the team returned home and collapsed against a woeful Colorado Rapids team that had previously lost seven consecutive matches by a combined score of 1-22. That defeat sealed Minnesota’s 0-4 record…
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Matchday Thirty One: Away From Home, Loons Embarrass Themselves On The Field, And On The Touchline
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Thirty One: Away From Home, Loons Embarrass Themselves On The Field, And On The TouchlineOn the road, against a Philadelphia Union team on the upswing, the Loons were never going to be favorites. But even a sober observer probably didn’t anticipate the team’s complete and total capitulation. Minnesota was down 0-4 at half, and after a switch back to the 3-5-2 and a more relaxed approach from the hosts,…
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The More Things Change…a Comparison Between the 2017 and 2018 MNUFC Seasons
Categories: The AngleContinue Reading: The More Things Change…a Comparison Between the 2017 and 2018 MNUFC SeasonsMinnesota United finds itself in a familiar position. With five matches left, their points per game, goals for, and goals against are tracking to be nearly the same as they were last year. For a team that admitted it got some things wrong last season, signed a number of new players in the off season,…
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Matchdays Twenty-Nine: Back At Home, Loons Return To Better Form
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Twenty-Nine: Back At Home, Loons Return To Better FormLike turning a light switch on, Minnesota United played at home for the first time in a month on Saturday, and suddenly looked like a relatively competent team. On the back of three first half goals, the Loons set the Timbers on ice. But a second half to forget saw the visitors rally back with…
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Matchdays Twenty-Seven and-Twenty Eight: Loons’ Long National Road Trip Nightmare Is Over
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Twenty-Seven and-Twenty Eight: Loons’ Long National Road Trip Nightmare Is OverIt’s easy to forget that Minnesota started their recent stretch of seven games, six of which were on the road, riding high on a crest of optimism. They had just pulled off an incredible week with nine points in three home games, and the playoff line was in touching distance. That was nearly two months…
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Matchdays Twenty-Five and-Twenty Six: Horrible Road Trip Continues, With Losses In Frisco And Kansas City
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Twenty-Five and-Twenty Six: Horrible Road Trip Continues, With Losses In Frisco And Kansas CityThe late summer stretch of five straight away games was always going to test the Loons. With three down, it’s been a failing effort so far. A two week break to recoup and get healthy before the road trip’s two most winnable (on paper at least) matches is welcome. But what evidence do we have…
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Matchday Twenty-Four: Minnesota Battles To Ugly Point On The Road, With Big Elephant In The Stadium
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Twenty-Four: Minnesota Battles To Ugly Point On The Road, With Big Elephant In The StadiumHappily for much of Minnesota’s time in MLS, there has been surprisingly little drama. Sure the team may have been bad and players have come and gone, but there’s rarely been a behind-the-scenes soap opera that other teams seem to attract. But this week was different. Days after sending beloved striker Christian Ramirez to LAFC,…
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Matchday Twenty-Three: Late Gut Punch Dooms Loons, Raises Questions About Leadership
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Twenty-Three: Late Gut Punch Dooms Loons, Raises Questions About LeadershipThrough nearly ninety minutes, Minnesota United were in the process of eking out an undeserved but professional home victory over the Seattle Sounders. Then, in stoppage time, it all fell apart. With recriminations flying thick and fast over what increasingly looks like another season short of the playoffs, it’s time to return to some hard…
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Matchday Twenty-Two: Road Woes Continue For Loons In Deflating Loss To Vancouver
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchday Twenty-Two: Road Woes Continue For Loons In Deflating Loss To VancouverEven thought their impressive three-game win streak catapulted Minnesota United back into surprising playoff contention, it came with a significant caveat: all the wins were at home. Only one other team (San Jose) have won just a single road match this year, and for the Loons to make good on their playoff aspiration, they simply…
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News in Brief: Asylum of Loons in TOTW, Rumors on Ramirez, and More
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: News in Brief: Asylum of Loons in TOTW, Rumors on Ramirez, and MoreMLS Team of the Week Seven goals in two games will certainly earn a team a lot of plaudits. MLS acknowledged the Loons’ performance this past week by placing an asylum of Loons and Adrian Heath on the Team of the Week. Brent Kallman and Miguel Ibarra made the bench. Bobby Shuttleworth, Christian Ramirez, and…
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Matchdays Twenty and Twenty-One: Minnesota Change The Narrative With Two Important Wins, One Big Week
Categories: NewsContinue Reading: Matchdays Twenty and Twenty-One: Minnesota Change The Narrative With Two Important Wins, One Big WeekEven a year and a half on, Minnesota United have struggled to shed the first impression they gave in MLS. Hopelessly inept at defending, mercurial in attack, adrift in midfield, struggling to make a splash in the transfer market, and beset by an endless parade of wingers. Now, thanks to Darwin Quintero, Miguel Ibarra, and a…