5 things we’ve learned from CITY’s first half of the season

In late February, St. Louis CITY SC sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel sat inside CITYPARK’s media room, looked out at a room of assembled reporters, and foretold the future. He had just been asked a question about preseason predictions authored by national media, seemingly all of whom projected a finish in last place—or close to it—for the expansion side. Pfannenstiel, though, didn’t mind the low expectations for the league’s new guys. In fact, he thought it could be a good thing.

“Nobody fancies us at all, which is great,” Pfannenstiel said that day. “It’s an extra motivation. If nobody fancies you, you work extra hard.”

Across the first half of the MLS schedule, CITY has certainly put in the work.

Four months into its debut campaign, St. Louis has defied forecasts calling for a season in the cellar. CITY plays an exciting, aggressive brand of soccer, while posting a plus-14 goal differential that ranks second in the league. With a win on Wednesday against Real Salt Lake, St. Louis can tie the 2018 LAFC squad as the fastest expansion club to reach 10 victories.

There are still plenty of unanswered questions for this CITY team. Can the team maintain its current pace en route to a playoff push this fall? Can it accent the roster with helpful additions this summer? Can it ever get healthy?

The answers to these questions will reveal themselves in time. For now, one thing is certain: the franchise’s first 17 games in Major League Soccer have provided a fascinating and fun experience for those who’ve long awaited top-flight soccer in St. Louis—as well as for those who may not have realized how thrilling the sport can be.

Here’s what we’ve learned about the club through the halfway mark of the schedule.

1. CITYPARK is a treat to visit—as long as you’re not a visiting team. The stadium in Downtown West has virtually all of the bells and whistles you could hope for in a new facility, and the crowds have been absolutely electric. It’s also been especially friendly to the home team. CITY is 7-2-1 at its hometown grounds, trailing in only 52 of the 900 minutes the club has played there. That’s a serious home field advantage for St. Louis, which has scored 28 goals, and placed 61 shots on target in the 10 matches at home. On the flip side, CITY has allowed only seven goals across all competitions at the stadium.

2. Roman Bürki has been well worth the investment. With a base salary of $1.5 million, the Swiss goalkeeper is not only St. Louis CITY SC’s highest-paid player, but the highest-compensated MLS player at his position. Bürki has rewarded that investment with a first half worthy of a spot on the league all-star squad. The 32-year-old captain has started all 17 MLS matches for CITY, posting four clean sheets and a 1.18 goals against average. So far, St. Louis has gotten everything it hoped it would from the club’s most seasoned player, including a steadying presence on the field and a vocal leader off of it.

3. Eduard Löwen might be CITY’s most valuable player. It might be difficult to pick just one MVP on this St. Louis club. Although several players—including Bürki—have stepped up and turned in worthy contributions through the season’s first half, Löwen’s impact has been felt in so many dimensions. The German has done a little bit of everything for CITY, while assisting in multiple roles in the midfield. Notably, Löwen is St. Louis’ go-to set-piece taker, banging in three goals on penalty kicks. Unfortunately for CITY, Löwen’s expected four-week-long absence may reveal just how much the club relies on his driving style of play. 

4. There have been some pleasant surprises along the back line. Speaking of defenders, there’s been a lot to like from the St. Louis rear guards through 17 games in league play. Veteran Tim Parker looks rejuvenated by the fresh start with CITY, bringing a physical and dependable presence to the St. Louis lineup. Lucas Bartlett has emerged from seemingly nowhere to become a key piece at center back, and Kyle Hiebert has proven to be a versatile addition to the roster while giving CITY options at center back and left back.

5. We still haven’t seen CITY at full strength. You can count Löwen, João Klauss, and Njabulo Blom among the team’s most talented players not named Roman Bürki. But as Matt Baker of the Flyover Footy podcast points out, CITY has played only two games where all three have been on the field for at least 30 minutes. That’s a tribute to the overall organizational philosophy for CITY, which has installed a system that works, found players to fit it, and fostered belief up and down the roster. Joakim Nilsson, meanwhile, could be St. Louis’ most talented defender, though he hasn’t played a single second this season while recovering from an earlier knee injury. With Nilsson, Löwen, and Klauss all expected to return later this summer, it will be a fascinating second half of the season as CITY makes its playoff push.