Previously on La Plata: Vice, Inter Miami were led by the data.

Hello. Is this post a conclusion to Season 1? Or a sequel to the data-led recruitment post last time out? Or perhaps, it’s a prequel to Season 2. Let’s just say it can be all of those things.

It’s been a busy few weeks in Miami. This post brings readers up to speed on the 2021 MLS Playoffs and subsequent off-season recruitment as we look ahead to the second, and final, MLS season here in Miami. Let’s go out with a bang…

Inter Miami 1-0 Portland Timbers (2021 MLS Cup)

I suppose I need to start this post chronologically and update you on the 2021 MLS playoffs…which Inter Miami won 🎉 The playoff format was fun, although Chris (FMEadster) and I were hit with a rather frustrating bug that meant we played out the showpiece final between one another a few weeks after the Semi Final AND, more disturbingly, with only 11 players registered on both sides. A week old bug report, which remains unanswered/acknowledged at the time of writing, details the how/why this happened.

It’s annoying Chris and I couldn’t play out the pinnacle of Season 1 MLS with our best squads, and the match definitely suffered because of it. Neither side looked capable of a goal until a rare Inter Miami attack saw Gonzalo Higuaín run into the penalty area and cross low to Rodolfo Pizarro. Two Inter Miami Designated Players combining on minute 85 to crown Inter Miami the best team in Major League Soccer. Ever?

By winning the Supporters’ Shield and now the MLS Cup, Inter Miami become the first side to claim both trophies concurrently since LA Galaxy in 2011. It’s probably fair to say we are the best team in North America, and that’s a bloody good achievement considering how we looked 6 months into the campaign. Here is the completed FM Season Print™ for you to download and stick on your fridge door…

Miami Galácticos

My previous post in this series detailed the data-led scouting approach that I wanted to undertake on the domestic market ahead of 2022 recruitment. With FM Stag’s help we identified a number of players that we’d compete for in the various MLS drafts at the end of the calendar year. In addition to this, a $20m war chest was handed out to me by England President David Beckham for that one marquee DP signing, who could push us on towards the main target of 2022: CONCACAF Champions League.

I’ll therefore detail below how we did in the various markets (Drafts/Trades and Discovery), and explain some of my reasonings for making these recruitment decisions.

Domestic Drafts, Trades & Generation Adidas

Oneil Fisher (Re-Entry) - One of Stag’s top recommendations was signed from the Stage 1 Re-Entry draft. Fisher arrives as our 1st choice Right Back, but also is natural at left back. I hope he can continue his high performances in tackles and interceptions that propelled him to the top of Stag’s data tableau for defensive performances 📈.

Carlos Rivas ($0) - Another Stag recommendation is Carlos Rivas. He arrives as a backup Striker for some much needed pace and acceleration. Although not strictly a domestic draft or trade, Rivas re-enters the league on a Free having being associated with Orlando City a few years ago in MLS. His high attacking stats detailed last time out were earned in the Colombian 2nd tier, so I am cautious with my optimism as to how this signing might turn out 🤞.

Andreu Fontàs (Trade) - I missed out on a Stag recommendation hat-trick by losing out to DC United on a trade for Atlanta Winger, Brooks Lennon. But we did make a good trade for a guy who can play both Centre-Back and Left Back instead. Fontàs joins from a brief visit at Columbus Crew, after being signed briefly from Kansas City.

I like Fontàs’ ability on the ball, and I think he can be brought into games as a Ball Playing Defender when I feel we’ll get more possession. With his good Technicals and Vision, he also suits a three at the back system with him pushing on or perhaps even slot as a DM when I need someone to sit and spread the play. He provides a lot of options. The only downside is his high salary, and he is perhaps the one signing where I’m not sure it’s definitely the best decision to recruit, as it prevents me from registering 2-3 lesser squad players.

Dirk Fritze (Generation Adidas) - I previously traded with Austin FC for their seventh 1st round Superdraft pick. With six Generation Adidas players (usually the best in the draft) available, I was hoping one of the AI clubs before me would not select one. This turned out to be the case, with Dirk Fritze being the final GA player selected on pick 7 🎉 . Fickle Fritze looks ok, and he’ll definitely be getting MLS and US Open Cup minutes across the season from the left wing.

Discovery Signings

Edwin Cardona ($0m) - Rodolfo Pizarro, who started out as a deeper playmaker in season 1, has ended up as a Striker alongside Gonzalo Higuain in my 4-4-2. It just seems to work better this way. So, I therefore moved quickly to get a creative presence in midfield before the season concluded having seen Edwin Cardona’s decision to leave Tijuana/Boca Juniors on a Free.

There is a lot to like about Cardona. A Midfield Orchestrator media description tag in FM usually gets me excited. He has great vision and technical quality, with the ability to play in various midfield positions.

His signing was my first foray into using Target Allocation Money (TAM) too. TAM is a pot of money from the league which allows me to bring down big salaries during the contract negotiations, meaning I’ve got a near Designated Player on Senior Contract terms 🤝.

Valon Behrami ($70k) - It must be about 10-15 years ago, but I once remember reading Valon Behrami described as “The Swiss David Beckham”. So, I thought it only fair to unite them both in Miami. Blonde hair dye aside, Behrami and Beckham are very different players.

Signed once again with TAM as a non-DP, Behrami is a great versatile option covering Right Back, Central & Right Midfield. He has the traits which suit what I want from the positions I’ll mainly play him in (central midfield + at full back), and he has a load of Swiss Fibra 🇨🇭👊🏻.

Esteban Andrada ($12m) - This particular signing got people animated over on FM Slack, as it seems Goalkeepers are not rated by those FMers who pour hundreds of hours into the game. The position is seemingly the fault of all goals BUT also so ineffectual that there is no point acquiring a good one. The duality of that previous sentence blows my mind, and I hope somebody can sit down with me and explain it in Jens Lehmann’s terms.

In short, we paid out $12m (just under $8m of it upfront) for the services of 30-year-old Goalkeeper Esteban Andrada, so that he could become our 3rd and final Designated Player for 2022, after Nani’s release. Now, there’s an emotional decision when signing ‘Discovery’ DPs in this league. Your transfer budget is largely dedicated to them, and you need to attract big players over on contracts that, for the most part, sit outside of the salary cap. There is a danger that previous ‘Moneyball’ can go out the window, and I wouldn’t begrudge anybody for doing that.

But despite all this upfront cash, I’ve still been partially led by the data: with Andrada’s previous club (Monterrey) sitting in a loaded league (Mexico’s Liga MX). I therefore can trust the player data a bit more, as it’s under the same processes to generate player and team statistics (in contrast to those leagues not loaded). So, why does Andrada appeal?

1. Ranked 1st for shutouts (11 in 22).

2. Conceded 0.72 per 90.

3. Ranked 5th in expected goals prevented (5.44).

4. Ranked 2nd in save percentages (79%).

   (data from 2021/22 Liga MX Apertura)

Esteban Andrada is a great Goalkeeper in Football Manager 2022. He is a clear upgrade on non-DP Nick Marsman from Season 1, and he’s entering his prime years. The salary is also relatively low for a Designated Player (25% of Higuain’s for example). He’s the best ‘keeper in the league. Period.

Squad Building in MLS - my thoughts…

After taking into account the incomings above, and how they complement the wider squad…this is how we shape up for 2022:

I found putting the above graphic together helpful, even if it’s pretty much replicating the Squad / Team Depth Chart in FM22 (I was always one of those guys at school that had to write something down before I could learn it!). I’ve assembled a core 22, which contains cover in each position. I feel like I have managed to improve the First XI over the last few weeks…although it’s not been an easy task.

If you’re one to shout for a Football Manager Hard Mode, Major League Soccer squad building might just be it. Here are my thoughts as to why:

1. Deciding on whether you want a top First XI, or whether you build a solid 18.

   It’s rarely both. I’ll have to waive solid 2021 squad members (Leerdam and Marsman) in order to fit people into the 2022 squad registration. In past FMs, I’d probably phase people out of squads, whereas MLS feels more ruthless. There is no point wasting International slots or wages on guys who you know you’ve replaced in the long run. They’re cut at the first opportunity.

2. Salary cap mean you miss out on targets.

   Despite being rich, excess transfer budget and internal salary budgets are secondary to the $4.9m league salary cap that you sit within. I know for a fact there are a few players available that would improve my First XI, but you get to the point where not even bringing the salary down with GAM/TAM can save you.

3. Draft orders mean you miss out on targets.

   This is alien to a lot of us non-North Americans, but a certain parity is restored to the poor performing teams of the league by allowing them to pick from the various draft pools first. It’s a nice way of limiting the monopolies of the richer/more reputable clubs. I warm to this way of operating more and more…but still, it still grates on you when you see a target plucked away from you in the draft!

4. Reputational challenges.

   I should be all too familiar to this, having managed in FM South America. Given the choice, players will want to move to Europe or stay in Europe if they can. It’s logical, Major League Soccer isn’t attractive to the majority of those in their prime. Despite this, there is no doubt the league is less of the retirement home that it used to be. Nowadays a lot of top youngsters are willing to use the league as a stepping stone, accept it.

5. Superdraft quality.

   I wish the quality of the Superdraft was a little better. Perhaps Chris and I just had a stinker, but the 2022 Generation Adidas felt a little underwhelming. Hopefully it’s not always as bad, otherwise squad building will be a real challenge for saves longer than our two years!

Season 2

It took us almost three(!) real-life months to complete Season 1 of The MLS Save™, sorry about that. But Chris and I have really enjoyed the chillaxed vibe of our streams, tune in if any of the above has interested you over on 📺 twitch.tv/fm_grasshopper (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays).

As always, thanks for reading/sharing and caring.

Tony / FM Grasshopper