Note: This story originally ran in February, but it’s been updated ahead of FC Cincinnati’s participation in the MLS is Back Tournament. Today’s edition highlights the central midfield.
Previous breakdowns:
Goalkeeper
Defenders
One of the biggest takeaways from preseason was the quality within the midfield group.
Other than Siem de Jong, every other center midfielder enters 2020 with previous MLS experience or comfort playing the club’s playing system. De Jong arrives having played a similar style with AFC Ajax.
In the closed-door scrimmage against the Philadelphia Union, Cincinnati’s midfield bossed the match by dictating momentum, creating passing lanes and stopping Union attacks. Similar performances will be crucial for the Orange and Blue throughout 2020 if the club has a successful season.
Haris Medunjanin
No. 6
Age: 34
Position: center midfielder
Acquired during the 2019 MLS Waiver Draft, Medunjanin should play a major role for FCC this season.
He played every game for the Union last year and provided a team-high 10 assists. Expect the former Bosnia and Herzegovina international to create similar goal-scoring opportunities from his deep-lying playmaker role for his new team.
Update: Medunjanin played every minute of the two opening matches, and offers respectable experience as the midfield anchor. Playing alongside Frankie Amaya and Allan Cruz, Medunjanin's a crafty player who can create scoring chances for others.
Allan Cruz
No. 8
Age: 24
Position: center midfielder
FCC’s 2019 MVP awaits his second MLS season hoping to improve upon his team-high seven goals last year.
More importantly, Cruz starts the campaign in his natural role. In 2019, he started the year as a winger before interim head coach Yoann Damet dropped him into the central midfield.
With Cruz surrounded by more talent than the team had a year ago, he should be even more influential in his sophomore MLS season.
Last summer, GM Gerard Nijkamp said that Cruz and Frankie Amaya are players this club should build around. That’s exactly what Nijkamp did.
Update: A tough tackler and intelligent passer, Cruz played in both regular season games in March and scored FCC's first goal this campaign. If he continue his form from 2019, the Costa Rica international will continue being one of the most underrated midfielders in the league.
Frankie Amaya
No. 24
Age: 19
Position: center midfielder
The teenager had an impressive breakthrough rookie season in 2019 – finishing fourth in the league’s rookie of the year voting – and is ready to show even more in 2020.
Last year’s top pick in the MLS SuperDraft, Amaya worked his way from fighting to make the matchday squad to being one of the club’s most important players.
With a stronger roster around him in 2020, there’s less pressure on him to be the creative man in the middle.
During preseason, Amaya showed he can deliver goal-scoring opportunities and notched his first professional goal. There should be more goals during league play this year.
Update: The 19-year-old midfielder also started in the first two games of the season. While his role saw him play higher up the field in 2019, Amaya produced impressive performances playing alongside Medunjanin deeper in the midfield back in March.
Only two games into his second professional season, it's exciting to see what comes next for the teenager.
Tommy McCabe
No. 26
Age: 21
Position: center midfielder
Back for a second professional season, McCabe enters 2020 with more clarity than his rookie campaign. Last year, he played in a position group saturated with players and initially went on loan to North Carolina FC. Recalled in late May, McCabe finished with six MLS appearances, including two starts.
Despite the limited number of appearances, he’s a promising player who can be influential at the base of the team’s midfield.
Update: McCabe didn't make the 18-man matchday roster in the club's opening two matches.
Fatai Alashe
No. 27
Age: 26
Position: center midfielder
Alashe enters his third season with FCC – making him the third longest-serving player. The midfielder dealt with injuries throughout 2019, but he’s healthy entering the new year.
Since he’s been in Cincinnati, Alashe has provided glimpses of his quality and experience. If this midfield unit plays with an attacking and holding midfielder, it’ll need dependable box-to-box guys to help in and out of possession. That’s Alashe’s specialty.
Update: Alashe was an unused substitute against Atlanta United FC and the New York Red Bulls, but could play a key role in the midfield during the MLS is Back Tournament.
Head coach Jaap Stam has mentioned how demanding his tactics are, which could mean noticeable squad rotation during the group stage. When he's inside the pitch, Alashe delivers consistent performances as either a box-to-box or holding mid.
Caleb Stanko
No. 33
Age: 26
Position: center midfielder
Stanko awaits his second MLS season as one of the unit’s best tacklers. The defensive mid can break up an opponent’s possession and can create opportunities for teammates – something we saw a lot during preseason.
In 2020, expect Stanko to be a connecting point between the defenders and midfielders.
Update: Similar to Alashe, Stanko made the matchday squad but didn't play. The midfielder has player in a deeper position, but can breakup opposition's possession and is looking for his first appearance this season.
Siem de Jong
No. 11
Age: 31
Position: center midfielder
Arriving via a free transfer from Ajax, de Jong is a former Dutch national team player who can link play between the midfield and the attack.
A traditional No. 10 was a position that FCC lacked in 2019, but de Jong is a player who thrives in that role. Once his visa is sorted and he’s able to join the club, expect de Jong’s quality and experience to shine in his debut MLS season.
Update: De Jong joined FC Cincinnati practice sessions in the days leading up to the home opener – which was postponed, of course.
While we await his MLS debut, he'll likely play as an attacking midfielder who can link play between the wings and forwards. Regardless of how Stam uses the former Dutch international, he'll be play a big role in the attack.
