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The 2020 MLS season has come to an end and much like we did in 2019 for Sporting Kansas City, it’s time to look back at how each player performed. Keep in mind the stats look diminished for many players, but just 21 regular season games were played in this COVID shortened season (instead of the typical 34). For the full list of players reviewed, head to our dedicated Year in Review page.
The Blue Testament continues our look back at 2020 with the fastest player in MLS — Gerso Fernandes.
2020 Stats
Games Played (Started): 19 (10)
Minutes Played: 820
Goals: 3
Assists: 3
xG (expected goals): 2.71
Positions Played: Mostly LW (some RW)
2019 Salary: $550,008
2020 Salary: Unknown - But likely at or slightly above 2019
Contract Through (Option Years): N/A — Currently out of contract
Best Moment of 2020
2020 started out so optimistically before COVID interrupted everything. Think all the way back to the season opener. Sporting Kansas City are in the lead against the Vancouver Whitecaps and Gerso and Erik Hurtado sub on to close out the game. Then they close it out in style as the Gershow is in full effect with his spin-o-rama to beat a defender and then hit Hurtado on the pass for the games third goal off a beautiful volley. It showed Gerso’s ability to tear apart tired defenses as a super sub and Hurtado’s knack for finding the back of the net.
Worst Moment of 2020
I’m going to pick two. The two games against FC Dallas. Gerso started on the wing in both games and in both games he came off as a halftime sub. There were also his two lowest rated games on Who Scored and he was entirely ineffective (as was much of the team) against Dallas. Peter Vermes is usually reticent to go to the bench at the half but for it to happen in both game against Dallas is a bad mark.
Interesting Stat
22 percent. That is the amount of shots that Gerso actually put on target in 2020. Just five of his 23 attempts actually hit the target (of which three went in). Of the attacking players only Gianluca Busio (!) was less accurate, though he spent a good chunk of his games as a defensive midfielder. It’s wild how many times I saw Gerso do jumping, karate kick shots this year. He’s never been a prolific goal scorer but I immediately justified Johnny Russell not passing to an open Gerso in the playoffs as Johnny fearing Gerso would just send it into the 20th row.
Fan Vote: Keep, Banish or Wait
Re-Sign: 83%
Let Him Walk: 17%
After discussing Russell and Pulido in back-to-back days, someone finally got more than a single percentage point towards the “we don’t want him around” vote. For the record, I was in the camp of “probably bring him back” if the salary number is right. He’s so explosive and is a great option off the bench to stretch a tired defense. I don’t want him to be the everyday starting left winger in 2021 though. And his best position, like Russell and Khiry Shelton, may be on the right.