Advertisement

Five burning questions for Nashville SC in 2022 offseason: Aké Loba, roster decisions

drake hills, nashville tennessean
·5 min read

After the club's final game on Oct. 15, Nashville SC first assistant coach Steve Guppy best described how forward Hany Mukhtar put the team on his back in 2022.

"He's been the best player in the last two seasons. No doubt about it," Guppy said after Nashville's playoff loss to the LA Galaxy. "I understand New England had an amazing last year and so I think the vote possibly leant that way, because as talented as their boy (Carles Gil) was that year, Hany was just on another level, but he didn't get it. I really hope he gets it this year. He deserves it … he deserves all the credit he gets and I really hope he wins MVP because of how talented he is."

Mukhtar's 2022 MLS All-Star and Golden Boot honors after scoring 23 goals made a clear statement going into the offseason. But surrounding the 27-year-old MVP candidate are a slew of questions, namely about the future of designated player Aké Loba, 2022 roster decisions and MLS conference realignment in 2023, given the addition of St. Louis City SC.

MLS CUP PLAYOFFS: Nashville SC loses to LA Galaxy in Round One. Here's how it happened.

EXCLUSIVE: MLS' $25 million loan deal with Black banks leveraged more than proof — it led to impact.

Here are five burning questions heading into the Nashville SC offseason:

Fan questions

What happens, if anything, with Loba? - from @chill_us via Twitter

Since Nashville signed the club-record $6.8 million striker in July 2021, Loba has been disbarred from even the regular rotation, let alone the starting lineup. He has played in 44 games with five starts and three goals in all competitions since arriving.

Nashville could send Loba on loan to Liga MX in Mexico or to an MLS side that compliments his playing style. Loba excels when creating scoring chances by running in behind the defense with the ball played ahead of him. He can also be a poacher striker or drop into the midfield for combination play to release defensive pressure and start the attack.

All three skill sets require decent ball possession, which Nashville doesn't prioritize in its style of play.

To piggyback on the Loba question, is he able to be bought down to open a (designated player) slot, if we can't or won't move him in the offseason? - from @johnfmauldin3 via Twitter

Not in 2023, because of Loba's acquisition cost, which is paid off over the course of his guaranteed contract.

An acquisition cost includes the transfer fee, agent fees and bonuses. What we know is Loba's transfer fee alone, averaged over guaranteed years, is just under $2.7 million.

That matters because, according to the 2022 MLS roster rules and regulations, a designated player (DP) must remain so in year 3 of his deal, if the player's annualized average acquisition cost, plus the player's salary, exceeds the DP eligibility threshold ($1,612,500).

Loba's acquisition costs will be paid off next year and his salary is expected to stay below the DP threshold. In 2021, his annualized average guaranteed compensation was $1.32 million, according to the MLS Players' Association Salary Guide. In 2022, Loba's compensation jumped to $1.49 million. These annualized values include option years, too. Therefore, Nashville could, in theory, buy down Loba's contract in 2024, if his option is picked up.

2022 REVIEW: Why Nashville SC is left thinking 'what if' after early playoff exit.

HANY MUKHTAR: Here's why Nashville SC distributed vinyl records before its final home game.

Our questions

What does the future hold for Sapong, Bunbury?

Center forwards CJ Sapong and Teal Bunbury are in the same boat, scoring five goals apiece this season. But within the context of Mukhtar's 23 goals being a team-high, with Sapong and Bunbury tied for second, a goal-production increase is necessary for the pair in 2023.

Sapong will be 34 years old and Bunbury will be 33 by the season opener. Both strikers have club options for next year, so what do their futures hold?

Bunbury and Sapong got to their respective five goals in drastically different ways. Bunbury missed half of the regular season (17 games) due to separate knee and groin injuries. Sapong scored all five goals before June, despite starting 30 of 33 games played.

Head coach Gary Smith started the duo together in three games, producing three Bunbury goals and a Sapong assist. Maybe that's the trick for unlocking a needed five- to seven-goal increase.

What's the plan in central midfield?

After Nashville's third year in MLS, Dax McCarty remains the best passing midfielder. The 35-year-old, sharing duties with 2022 free agent acquisition Sean Davis, Anibal Godoy and Brian Anunga, led the team in key passes (17) and completed long balls (81), doubling his counterparts in both departments. He has the second-most all-time regular-season appearances (439) in league history for a reason.

The midfield depth is taken care of with Davis on board. But playmaking ability now comes under the microscope. McCarty is in an option year and all except Anunga will be 30 or older in 2023. What's the plan, in the short-term, when spelling conductor McCarty in the lineup? In the long-term, who is McCarty's replacement?

Will a probable move back to the East help?

It was an odd year for Nashville, the most eastern Western Conference team in 2022. MLS moved Nashville from the grueling, smash-mouth East to the attacking, possession-based West, balancing the conferences at 14 teams each with the expansion arrival of Charlotte FC. But St. Louis City SC enters in 2023, which is likely to bounce Nashville back to the East.

Nashville will likely shave a significant chunk of its 37,000 air miles traveled in 2022. But its low-block defensive, counter-attacking scheme that conceded 41 goals in 2022, compared to 33 in 2021, surely fits the East more than the offensive firepower West, as history has shown.

Roster decisions to make for 2023

  • Eric Miller, defender - out of contract

  • Joe Willis, goalkeeper, option

  • Bryan Meredith, goalkeeper- option

  • Dax McCarty, midfielder - option

  • Alex Muyl, winger - option

  • Teal Bunbury, forward - option

  • CJ Sapong, forward - option

For stories about Nashville SC or Soccer in Tennessee, contact Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake. Connect with Drake on Instagram at @drakehillssoccer and on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Five questions about Nashville SC 2022 offseason and roster decisions