As we enter the second weekend of November, the best-of-three first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs comes to an end, with eight clubs in action looking to advance further.
Minnesota United FC arent one of them, as they are already busy preparing for their Western Conference semi-final clash at Los Angeles Galaxy, which will take place after the international break.
Founded in 2015, this is only the second time Minnesota has made it past the first round of the playoffs in franchise history and the first since 2020, when they reached the Conference Finals during a shortened season at the height of the pandemic.
Since then, Adrian Heath, their inaugural manager after they joined MLS as an expansion team in 2017, left the club at the end of last year, ending a seven-year tenure in the dugout.
Another Englishman, 32-year-old Eric Ramsay, who worked as a youth and assistant coach with Chelsea, Manchester United, and the Wales national team, came in.
Following his appointment at Allianz Field, he became the youngest permanent manager in MLS history.
He was tasked with leading the team back into the playoffs after failing to qualify last term for the first time since 2018.
Its also a feat that seemed unlikely in late July when the Major League Soccer season took a pause for the month-long Leagues Cup break, a point at which Minnesota were on a poor run of just two wins in their last eleven games and barely clinging onto a ninth position in the West, which is the final playoff berth via a wild card tie.
After league play resumed in late August, they finished the regular season strongly, with six wins in their last nine games and a sixth-place finish that secured a direct playoff spot.
They then ousted third-placed Real Salt Lake in two penalty shootouts to set up that upcoming showdown in Southern California.
This tactical football analysis will examine how the club nicknamed The Loons managed to turn their season around in the late stages and the changes they made that have got them into the last four of the West in this years playoffs.
Eric Ramsay Tactics At Minnesota United FC
Under Adrian Heaths tactics, Minnesota predominantly set up a 4-2-3-1 formation for years, rarely tinkering away from it.
Since Eric Ramsays arrival early this year, Minnesota United tactics have moved more towards a shape with a back five in defence, which turns into a back three when the wing-backs push forward to attack in transitional phases of the game.
As the above graphic shows, his most preferred formation is a 5-4-1, with slight variations, including an extra forward in a 5-3-2 and a more attack-minded version in a 3-4-3.
His Minnesota United team likes to offer the possession of the ball to the opposition while sitting in a low or mid-block and looking for moments in the game to trigger a press and hit on the break when they regain the ball, usually higher up the field.
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