FC Cincinnati has struggled the last two seasons and look to finally breaking through. While maybe winning the MLS Cup this season is a bit of a stretch, a playoff appearance doesn't seem like an unattainable goal. With it being year three, something has to give and some positivity must occur. That being said, let's take a look at FC Cincinnati in their 2021 campaign.
New Faces
The team went through an overhaul to say the least as they brought in a lot of new players. Almost every position was a need and this club, on paper, should be a lot better. They brought in Brenner, a young Brazilian, who looks to be the next big thing, Luciano Acosta, who looks to add more to their attack, and Ronald Matarrita, who should make their backline significantly better in quality. Also joining the team are Isaac Atanga, Geoff Cameron, and Gustavo Vallecilla among others. On paper, they supposedly look improved, but only time will tell. The question here was this enough or not to make them a playoff side and were they the right choices.
First Full Season Under Jaap Stam
With a transfer window and training sessions, head coach Jaap Stam gets an opportunity to see what he is made of. He has seen what the players who remain are capable of and has brought in some more to see if his vision is fulfilled. This will be the first chance to see if whether the hiring of Stam was the right choice. That being said, he has this entire season to lay down his blue print and hope it brings success.
Will The Core Produce?
This is the biggest question mark as hopefully the core will perform well. Yuya Kubo, Joe Gyau, Jurgen Locadia, Alvaro Barreal, and Allan Cruz are some notable names of the core and they are all talented players, so it will be interesting to see if they mesh well with the new signings. If they do, look out as this team will be hard to beat and containing their attack. If not, just another long season in the Queen City.
New Stadium
With the West End Stadium, now called TQL Stadium, opening up, this will be a new era for not only the club, but for the sports landscape in Cincinnati. It is a beautiful complex and it should bring in a lot of fans whether casual or die hard. This is just one step closer to making this club a major fixture in the Queen City.
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