As head coach Bradley Carnell stated on Monday, attacker Joo Klauss and midfielder Eduard Löwen are the two Designated Players for St. Louis CITY SC and are expected to miss a significant amount of time.
Klauss will probably be out for a further four weeks, according to Carnell, who was speaking before their Wednesday home game against Real Salt Lake (8:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass), and Löwen will likely be out for between four and six weeks. Both Bundesliga veterans are now recovering from quad problems.
According to such schedules, Klauss and Löwen might miss six league contests before perhaps making a comeback when CITY SC’s Leagues Cup schedule begins on July 23 against the Columbus Crew. With half of their first regular season finished, St. Louis has already surpassed expectations for an expansion team by leading the Western Conference standings before Matchday 20 with 29 points (9W-6L-2D).
What Klauss & Löwen did
Since late April, St. Louis has been without Klauss, who is their third-leading scorer (5g/4a in nine outings). Nicholas Gioacchini has stepped up in the centre of the field in place of the Brazilian No. 9 and currently has a team-high 7 goals and 1 assist in 17 games.
The 3-1 defeat against Nashville SC last weekend sans Löwen provided a glimpse into life without STL’s second-leading scorer (5g/6a in 16 games). Even if the German box-to-box midfielder is crucial, Carnell sees solutions in Njabulo Blom’s return from South Africa’s international duty and in what Jared Stroud and Indiana Vassilev can accomplish in expanded roles.
We need to be more adaptable, and it started with the way we played the middle versus Nashville, according to Carnell. “We believed that by placing people in positions and getting people like Indy to perform two jobs at once—a six, an eight, and a ten—we were pretty productive. The same thing happened to Jared Stroud: a 6, an 8, and a 10. So, that was enjoyable. We were impressed with what we saw, and Indy can always be used as a double six.
“[Blom] is returning on a fast aircraft so that he can be a choice and available. So watch to see how he resumes activity. He has essentially just touched down now. Therefore, one arrives as one goes.
Replacements on the way?
What about more reinforcements? In order to “give guys rewards and keep guys growing” within the company, Carnell stated they will look into alternatives from their MLS NEXT Pro squad.
A focus is also on bringing in outside players during the MLS Secondary Transfer Window, which runs from July 5 through August 2. They’re cautious about drastically changing the roster, though.\
We are aware that the window is closing, and we are aware of the players who are available, said Carnell. “We’ll evaluate that and come to a thoughtful conclusion. Simply put, we won’t rush into anything. With this group, we have accomplished so much already after 17 matchdays, and when you consider the season and the roster as a whole, you’ll have to pinch yourself.
likely missing games
If Klauss and Löwen do actually return in late July as Carnell predicted, St. Louis will have about a dozen games remaining to play in order to secure a position in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
The club has established a cushion so far, but it won’t be simple to be without their DPs for this period:
With Real Salt Lake on June 21
San Jose Earthquakes on June 24
vs. Colorado Rapids on July 1
at Toronto FC on July 8
12th July at LAFC 15th July against Inter Miami
St. Louis are currently 6W-2L-1D at CITYPARK and 3W-4L-1D away from home.
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