Matt Baker

Happy Pick-Your-Opponent Day to all who celebrate, as today we find out who @stlcity2.bsky.social selects to face in the 1st round of the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs and who our home opponent will be on 10/19. #AllForCITY

I’m sure there are rules around players on SEI, so worth saying that Alm was warming up w/the team before moving to solo stuff to the side.

Player Updates from @stlcitysc.com training on Wednesday, 1st training of the week:

Only missing Sangbin/Joyner (nat’l team duty) & Teuchert (shut down).

Everyone else is here incl Löwen, the guys who’d been w/CITY2 & a pleasant surprise: Rasmus Alm (SEI) is training. #AllFrCITY

St. Louis - the only one that capitalizes it all lol.

Marcel Hartel's 2g performance is good to earn him a Team of the Matchday nod.

This gives him 9g/4a in MLS play and 4g/1a in his last 4 matches. Too late but the playoffs but Hartel's been outspoken about fighting to keep David Critchley. He's doing his part there. #AllForCITY

CITY now have 3 players with national teams on this international break.

Sangbin Jeong is with South Korea's national team.
Mykhi Joyner is with the USYNT U20s.
Tyson Pearce has just been announced as joining the USYNT U19s.

All players will return for their next games on Oct 18 & 19 #AllForCITY

and THAT'S why the smaller but recent sample size is important to take into context.

And from a PPG metric, there is obvious growth and evolution to his results. #AllForCITY

Olof had publicly called out the player's quality, changed the mindset to "don't lose" and had them essentially afraid to be aggressive and take chances. By measuring ALL of his tenure, you take into account the work it took to re-wire this team & change formation back to a 4231... #AllForCITY

As the sample sizes shrink towards the present, he's gotten progressively better but it's still a small sample size so obviously room for debate on validity.

However I will say, Critchley took over a broken team. #AllForCITY

- In last 9 games: 13 points (1.44 PPG).
- In last 5 games: 10 points (2 PPG).
- This year, a 1.33 PPG would put you in 7th place & securely in the playoffs. #AllForCITY

A follow up to last week's look at David Critchley's tenure as interim @stlcitysc.com head coach after his latest win w/an important note at the end:

- Through his 18 games as head coach, David Critchley has taken 20 points (1.11 PPG).
- In last 12 games: 16 points (1.33 PPG). #AllForCITY

Phill and Santi had the call this week to recap our 3-1 win. A good win and 3 in a row on the road for the first time since our 5 game winning streak to start 2023. Add a brace by Marcel Hartel and that's more than enough reason to tune in! #AllForCITY

Totland is indeed back, 1st start since July 19.

Other noteworthy areas: No Edu Löwen (personal reasons), Wallem over Padelford at LB (both on loan w/us), Morales w/Durkin at CM and Célio at LM. Everything else still cemented in. #AllForCITY

Matchday! Likely to see the final appearance of the Confluence Kit tonight.

Hasn’t been the most successful kit in our short history, but it’s undoubtedly the most unique as no two kits have the same lined pattern. #AllForCITY

Player Availability Reports for @stlcitysc.com & Austin FC.

Good news on the #AllForCITY front. Both Kessler & Fall traveled and will be available with no designations.

No updates on Edu Löwen given the sensitive nature of his status, but absolutely all of our thoughts are with the Löwen family.

There will be 5 @stlcitysc.com players eligible for Free Agency this offseason w/the club holding options on 4 of them.

Free Agency in MLS requires you to be 24 yrs old w/5 MLS service yrs accrued. #AllForCITY

Plenty of Austin talk and a look at who’s available for @stlcitysc.com to get ready for the match, but I think the @stlcity2.bsky.social talk and Critch/player convos are the best parts of this one. #AllForCITY

Latest @flyoverfooty.bsky.social is in the books! Thanks to all who joined the livestream w/@phillgrooms & I. Good look at CITY2 + this weekend's #AllForCITY match that may help make or break Critchley's resume for the HC job & see the return of Tomas Totland to the XI.

Pod out in the AM!

- Critch said he's had discussions w/FO that even if he doesn't get the head coach job, that he will be back next season. Said that's allowed him to feel "comfortable and confident and I feel good in that situation, yeah." #AllForCITY

- On FO convos on his status and what they need to see from him on his status: "Yes, they've been open and transparent. Showing we can have competitive performances, pick up points... constant conversations. Priority is still to find a sporting director first #AllForCITY

On FO conversations re:players: "We have constant conversations w/front office... conversations on players, depth chart... trying to be prepared as a club."
#AllForCITY

- On options/contracts: Critch gives times to guys who've earned it but "I'm not blind to guys on options who we need to see, whether with CITY2 or the first team." You try to find the balance. #AllForCITY

- If Löwen can't go, Critch was happy w/the other 6s this week. Durkin, Morales, Ostrák, Antwi all trained well and are prepared to get reps
- On Totland: "Tomas will have a big feature this weekend, I’ll say that." #AllForCITY

David Critchley spoke ahead of @stlCITYsc facing Austin FC:

- Kessler and Fall both training and barring any setbacks will both be available this weekend.
- Löwen was not at training for personal reasons. He has the day away, deciding this evening or early tomorrow on his status
#AllForCITY

- Some players w/CITY2 including Watts, Reid, Orozco, Wentzel
- Teuchert was training indoors, but he's shut down for the yr
Everyone else present & training. #AllForCITY

Player Updates from @stlcitysc.com Training on Thursday:

- Henry Kessler was back w/the team training
- Edu Löwen did not appear to be w/the team outside at the opening of training. Should get info from Critchley during presser #AllForCITY

And comparing a bit to 2024 w/Hackworth: In his 9 games after Leagues Cup, Hack took 14 points in 9 games (1.55 PPG).

And context: A 1.35 PPG would typically be a safe playoff team hovering around the 7 or 8 spot. 1.55 starts to get you into Top 4 contention. #AllForCITY

As the sample sizes shrink towards the present, he's gotten progressively better... but that's an awful small sample size for a good PPG to be confident about Critchley being made the full time head coach. #AllForCITY

In his most recent 11 games, Critchely's taken 13 points (1.18 PPG). In his most recent 8 games he's taken 10 points (1.25 PPG) and in his most recent 4 games he's taken 7 points (1.75 PPG). #AllForCITY

Let's talk David Critchley.

Through 17 games as head coach, David Critchley has amassed 17 points - good for a 1 PPG rate.

As you look more recently and might think it took a bit for him to get the club 'back on track' after Olof & to be comfortable w/the players. #AllForCITY