Analysis: How will Minnesota United use new designated player Joaquín Pereyra?

MINNESOTA UNITED | ANALYSIS

Minnesota United’s newest designated player is a left-footed attacking midfielder who hails from Argentina.

Sound familiar?

It’s just as well that somebody seems to have talked Joaquín Pereyra out of wearing number 10 with the Loons, because — besides nationality and foot preference — he and the now-departed Emanuel Reynoso aren’t really comparable, at least in the way they play.

“He’s not a number 10 in the traditional sense — I mean, he wore number 10 there, but he’s somewhere between a wide player and a number 10; he’s pretty versatile,” said Loons manager Eric Ramsay.

The phrase “Argentinian attacking midfielder” conjures up an image of a certain type of player, one that’s become a standby for MLS teams: a gifted passer, usually diminutive, a chance creator that also scores goals and generally is described using the words “maestro” or “wizard.” Lionel Messi is the world’s greatest example, at least since Diego Maradona, but MLS has had plenty of others, like Reynoso, Lucho Acosta in Cincinnati, or the now-departed Thiago Almada in Atlanta.

Whatever Pereyra might end up being in MLS, it’s unlikely to be that. The 25-year-old Argentinian got his first minutes for Minnesota, such as they were, in an intrasquad scrimmage on Thursday morning, and displayed a game that had almost nothing in common with the Loons’ previous Argentinian designated player.

Pereyra is listed at 5 feet, 11 inches, which doesn’t make him towering, but certainly gives him more of a physical presence than other attackers. He’s technically sound and calm on the ball, quick without it being the main feature of his game, and seemingly unhurried even in transition situations.

Pereyra picked up an assist for his team in the scrimmage. He played as the left-sided midfielder in a 4-4-2 formation that was dictated less by any tactical plan or desire to showcase his talents, and more by which players were actually available.

Seven first-team players are away from the team, playing for their countries — though the Loons’ new depth meant that they could still field two full teams, with only one MNUFC2 player rounding out the group.

“He’s less of a dribbler than classic number 10s, and he’s more of a passer and a creative from deep,” said Ramsay, after seeing Pereyra in a couple of training sessions — and going through the video from Pereyra’s games at Atlético Tucumán this season, in Argentina. “He will definitely give us reliability on the ball, he’ll give us composure, and he’ll give us someone who’s got a real eye for putting our forwards in good positions.”

The formation his team played in the scrimmage meant that Pereyra played a specific position that he’s unlikely to play much in a regular game. The Loons have mostly lined up this season with two wingbacks instead of a four-man defense. When Minnesota is back on the field for real next week, you can expect to see the newest Loon in any number of potential spots, depending on which formation the Loons roll out.

If they keep their two-forward formation from the last two weeks, Pereyra’s most natural role would be as a left-sided attacking midfielder, in the role that’s usually occupied by Hassani Dotson or Robin Lod. Should Minnesota go back to playing two midfielders and three forwards, Ramsay says Pereyra is capable of playing as either wide forward on the left — yes, that’s the role for which the manager uses the term “number 10″ — or as one of the two defensive midfielders.

“We want players that are coming in that are young, athletic, hungry and versatile. We think if we get that type of player, we can do a lot with a little, if that makes sense,” Ramsay said.

It all goes back to what Ramsay has been saying since he arrived in Minnesota: He wants to fit the tactics to the players, rather than the other way around. In Pereyra, the Loons are betting they’ve got a player who fits the team in multiple ways. And at least based on one scrimmage, the Argentinian looks like he’ll fit in just fine.