Pitch Pit: Sporting KC’s Daniel Salloi v Nashville SC’s Eric Miller

Sporting Kansas City hosts Nashville SC tonight at Children’s Mercy Park. Kickoff is at 7:38 pm CST. The matches’ biggest battle will pit Sporting’s Daniel Salloi v Nashville’s Eric Miller. DS20, The Hungarian Assassin v … EM?? E???

Wheres and What they Gots

Salloi, a guest on the Shades of Blue Soccer Show this week, is a left winger in a 4-3-3 formation, while Miller slots in at right back in a 3-4-2-1 setup. Salloi tends to tuck in on the wing, allowing his companion left back to provide much of the width. On the attack, Miller gets wide, perhaps leaving gaps for Salloi to exploit.

Latelies

Salloi is 2^nd on Sporting with five shots on target this season, yet, uncharacteristically, the Hungarian has finished only one of those. At Vancouver last Saturday, Salloi had only a 0.22 xG, his lowest of the season. The 16-goal-scorer of a season ago is due!

In the last three matches, Miller has become more involved in ball movement up the right side with midfielders Alex Muyl and Randall Leal. However, his impact both on the attack and on keeping things tight in the back for stingy Nashville SC seems to be one of simply being solid and dependable.

Ink Links

How Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi lost it all ... and then got it back (msn.com)

Nashville SC Defender Eric Miller Agrees to Contract Extension | Nashville SC

Tactics

All the passing networks from previous matches reveal that opponents prefer to stay away from Miller’s side. Whether that is due to Miller’s defensive prowess alone or in tandem with stalwart center back Walker Zimmerman or neither is unclear. In no matches has Miller been a feeder for the Yotes’ danger DP, German #10 Hany Mukhtar. Kansas City’s attack has been left leaning for a few seasons. Look for Sporting to test Miller time and time again with isolations for Salloi. The strategy may be a way to also limit Mukhtar’s impact on the match.