How savvy FC Cincinnati stormed to first in the MLS standings

Pat Noonan was never a flashy player. In his five seasons leading the front line for the New England Revolution in the mid-2000s, he did the little things in support of superstars such as Taylor Twellman and Clint Dempsey. Make everyone look good is his mantra.

That pragmatism has served Noonan well as coach of FC Cincinnati, which holds first by a point over New England in the Eastern Conference of the MLS.

FC Cincinnati, which joined the MLS in 2019, is playing in true Noonan style, without drama or flash. Its rise is so sneaky that even regular MLS viewers may be shocked to see FC Cincinnati in first.

How did this happen, and what can the rest of MLS learn from FC Cincinnati?

Don't knock a three-man defense until you try it:  Noonan is a longtime advocate for three at the back, a popular style in Europe but not in the MLS. While it looks less solid than a four-man model on paper, it's actually almost impenetrable if played correctly.

All three of Noonan's defenders are focused on protecting their goal — in the bigger system, the two outside wingbacks are bombing down the flanks to feed attackers. 

Noonan's back three, led by MLS veteran Matt Miazga, has allowed four goals in seven matches this season. Only Nashville has allowed fewer in the Eastern Conference.

Excellent wingbacks: Supplementing the defense are Santiago Arias and, crucially, Alvaro Barreal, who technically trains as a midfielder but has learned to slot into the wingback role under Noonan's tutelage. 

"Because of player ability, we wanted to see how players adjusted to doing different things," Noonan said after Cincinnati's preseason. "We got some good answers there." 

Freed from traditional defensive responsibilities when Cincinnati is in possession, players such as Barreal can exploit the wide areas of the field and provide more service into their attacking teammates. But when the going gets tough, those same players drop back to help cover and are often instrumental in regaining possession in their own half.

Never underestimate Luciano Acosta: Slotted in behind the attackers, Cincinnati's No. 10 does a little bit of everything. Need a midfield maestro to set the game's pace? He's on it. How about a clever assist in the box? No problem. 

Acosta's a unique player and another prime example of Noonan's cross-training efforts. He's nearly impossible to stop because he's impossible to predict.

Work that xG: The truly impressive thing about Cincinnati's run is actually not scoring many goals. Their per-game xG is a mere 1.41, roughly in the middle of the MLS table. 

But by locking down its defense, Cincinnati has limited opponents to just .9 goals per game. That xG difference is best in the Eastern Conference and makes up for the team's scoring woes. Just think how good that figure will look when forwards Brandon Vazquez really light it up later in the season.