17 down, 17 to go. We’ve officially reached the halfway point of the 2025 MLS season, and your Loons are sittin’ pretty so far. Third place in the Western Conference, 30 points, and a legitimate spot in the Supporters’ Shield race: Looks like you forgot someone, Doyle. All in all, not a bad first half. Not bad at all.

In years past, I’ve used this time of year to look back at my preseason league predictions to show what a genius I am, but not this time. I’ll be waiting to emphasize my prescient abilities just a bit longer this season, instead opting to take a deep dive into Minnesota United’s season so far. We’ve got plenty of time to talk about preseason predictions another day. Am I stalling for time so my predictions can recover? I can’t confirm or deny that, and I’m honestly quite offended that you’d ask such a thing. No, I will not link to the article here; you’re going to have to wait patiently.

I’ve broken today’s Midseason Review down into two halves, as was prudent. First, we’ll take a good hard look at what we’ve already seen. Then, we’ll turn our gaze to the path ahead, perhaps predicting a thing or two that might crop up along the way. Without further ado, let’s get to it, shall we?

What We’ve Seen

Defensive Excellence

The secret’s out: the Loons can defend. Quite well, in fact. As things stand, they’ve allowed the third-fewest goals in the league this season (16), only behind Vancouver (12) and New England (14). The lowest goals-against tally across a whole season in club history is currently 2019’s 43, excluding the truncated 2020 season. If they keep playing at this rate, they’re on track to allow just 32 goals in 2025, giving them 11 goals worth of wiggle room to set a new club record.

How have they done it, though? Since he joined the club last season, Coach Ramsay has talked about getting his team to play with purpose. In possession, they’re often quite direct, taking advantage of available space to run into and the athleticism of players like Kelvin Yeboah and Tani Oluwaseyi. Out of possession, they’re compact and disciplined, forcing teams to play out wide and serve crosses to the capable heads of Michael Boxall, Nicolás Romero, and Jefferson Díaz. Cap that off with the fantastic performances of Dayne St. Clair, who leads the league with eight clean sheets this season.

By utilizing what has become a true five-man backline, the Loons have created one of the league’s most stubborn formations. Defending in mid and low blocks has proven to be effective, with the arched shape of MNUFC’s 5-3-2 or 5-4-1 naturally pushing opponents into open spaces on the outside. Whereas most teams opt for wingbacks with more attacking onus, the Black and Blue put defensive duties first, protecting dangerous areas effectively. That doesn’t mean the likes of Joseph Rosales, Anthony Markanich, or Bongokuhle Hlongwane don’t get involved in the attack at all; it just means that they wait for the right moments to do so. And that’s what we call a segue, folks.

More Than One Way to Score a Goal

If the devil is in the details, he must love MNUFC’s approach to set pieces. Whether it’s a throw-in or a free kick, the Loons are sending that thing into the box if it’s in their opponents’ half of the field. Quality service is the key when you’re taking this kind of approach, and thus far, I’d say the quality has been more than sufficient. Of the 26 goals scored by the Loons in 2025, nine of them have come directly from some kind of set piece, and several more have come from the chaos that ensues after a set piece.

But the Loons don’t just rely on dead balls to score. As I mentioned before, the athleticism of the club’s forwards enables them to stretch the field and move forward rapidly, wreaking havoc on opposing defenses. If you look at the first few games of the season, MNUFC’s counterattack was absolutely devastating, taking the league by storm and seeing both Yeboah and Oluwaseyi jump into the Golden Boot race. The rest of the league identified that threat pretty early, though, forcing the Loons to start flexing their set-piece muscles more and more.

Now, with several clear ways of scoring, Minnesota United presents a unique blend of ways to threaten their opposition. The addition of Julian Gressel gave them one of the league’s best passers, raising the quality of their dead-ball service and enabling them to alternate between the technical skill of Gressel and the athleticism of Hlongwane on the right side of the field. Key personnel changes unlock different aspects of this MNUFC team, and the ability to shift between these different skills allows them to find a second wind in any game via key substitutions.

What’s To Come

Depth Dependence

During Coach Ramsay’s first year in charge, the Loons experienced one heck of a dip in form in the middle of the season. Fixture congestion, international player absences, and injuries plagued the team, cooling their hot start to life in the Eric Era. When the squad was intact once again, the boys recovered nicely, making a run to secure a playoff spot and even advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals.

This summer, the Gold Cup will claim at least four Loons for various amounts of time, as Dayne St. Clair, Tani Oluwaseyi, Carlos Harvey, and Joseph Rosales could be away for the better part of a month. Then, add Leagues Cup to the mix. Throw in the business end of the U.S. Open Cup while you’re at it. The Loons have done a great job putting themselves in a position to compete for multiple trophies this year, but a midseason slump could destroy all of the hard work they’ve done up to this point. Luckily, I don’t see that happening.

With a year of experience under his belt and a roster more closely aligned to the way he wants to play, Coach Ramsay has been preparing his team for all of the potential hurdles I listed above. We’ve seen squad rotation practically all year long, with fresh faces presenting options on both wings and across the backline. Throw in Owen Gene’s return to health and the opportunities that many fringe first-teamers have been getting with MNUFC2, and the depth pieces of this team appear far more prepared to cope with the limelight this season than last. Their ability to keep the positive momentum rolling could be the key to making this a season to remember.

Crunch Time

Find the nearest natural wood that you can and start knocking. Your Loons have a realistic chance to compete for four trophies in the latter half of 2025. Leagues Cup, the U.S. Open Cup, the Supporters’ Shield, and MLS Cup. Each of those titles comes with unique challenges, and any one of them would secure the Loons a spot in continental competition in 2026. When I say that this could be a big season for Minnesota United, I don’t say it lightly.

Beyond depth and consistency, taking the next step as a club comes down to belief and execution. This squad has already proven time and time again that they believe in what they’re doing and they’re capable of executing it extremely effectively. As the lights get brighter and the margins grow tighter, though, the experience of veteran players like Boxall and Wil Trapp will become increasingly important for this fairly youthful side. We aren’t playing horseshoes out here; close doesn’t count, nor does it fill trophy cabinets. Must-win matches are on the way, and your Loons have all the tools necessary to get the results they need.

No official predictions today, sorry. I’m an optimist, though, so I’ll at least say that no matter how the second half of this season shakes out, it’s been quite the start to watch. A clear style, positive vibes, and more than one signature win have gotten us this far: Let’s lock in for whatever’s next!