As always, the MLS All-Star roster is stacked with talent from every nook and cranny of the league. And, as is tradition, there are more attacking midfielders in the team than a coach could ever fit on the field at any one time.
That, folks, is what makes an All-Star roster an All-Star roster. We all want to see attacking stars do crazy things on the field in a game that’s designed to be entertaining above anything else. Still, you need a few piano movers to let the piano players really shine, don’t you? Attacking players can’t influence games in the same way without help from some solid defenders and passers deeper downfield.
While this year’s roster is heavily weighted toward the attacking positions, we can put together a pretty killer starting lineup for Wayne Rooney’s time on the sidelines July 19 against Arsenal. We’ll have to leave some of the attackers on the bench, at least to begin, but the return will be worth it. I promise.
Here’s who should start in the 2023 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target at D.C. United’s Audi Field to create an effective, and still plenty fun, lineup.
There are dozens of people who deserve credit for St. Louis’ amazing expansion season, but the person on top of that list is Roman Bürki. The former Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper has been one of the absolute best shot-stoppers in all of MLS. According to FBref, he’s saving 0.29 goals more than expected per 90 minutes, which puts him above fellow All-Stars Djordje Petrovic and Tyler Miller.
Without Bürki, St. Louis wouldn’t be sitting on top of the Western Conference right now. That much is certain.
Now’s the time to mention I’m using a 4-2-3-1 shape for this game against Arsenal – that will allow us to get our absolute best attacking players in their best positions higher up the field.
In that 4-2-3-1 shape, LAFC fullback Ryan Hollingshead will be holding down the right side of our backline. The 32-year-old is a well-rounded presence in the back. He’s strong in the air, useful with the ball at his feet and is a good one-v-one defender. Hollingshead brings plenty of experience and savvy play in every phase to this team.
We’ve seen him perform at the game’s highest levels with the US men’s national team and he’s clearly one of the top center backs in MLS. With good defensive range, elite aerial ability and impressive athleticism, Walker Zimmerman is a no-brainer inclusion in our backline. He’s also not afraid to hang out in the final third from time to time, so keep your eyes out for Zimmerman, The Striker at some point against Arsenal.
Like Zimmerman, Matt Miazga can cover plenty of ground and win key headers. He’s not quite as aggressive as the Nashville defender, but what he lacks in that area, he makes up for with strong passing vision. Miazga will help break lines to our star-studded attacking group, making their lives easier.
Since he returned to MLS last season, Miazga has been a force for FC Cincinnati. He belongs in this team.
Now things are starting to get spicy.
FC Cincinnati’s Álvaro Barreal might just be the very best attacking outside back in MLS. He plays as a left wingback for Pat Noonan’s team, but his vertical, aggressive and creative skillset will lend itself to the left back spot, too. Per FBref, Barreal is in the 85th percentile or higher among outside backs in…
- non-penalty expected goals per 90
- expected assisted goals per 90
- shot-creating actions per 90
- successful take-ons per 90
…and a long list of other categories.
At just 22, Barreal has a long, productive career ahead of him as an attack-minded outside back.
Remember earlier when I said you need a few piano movers to let the piano players really shine? José Martínez might just be the best piano mover in all of MLS.
Playing at the base of Jim Curtin’s midfield with the Union, Martínez is tasked with cleaning up anything and everything. If the Union are pressing, Martínez is pressing with them. If the Union are back in a lower block, Martínez is shifting from side-to-side to make sure Philadelphia aren’t giving up any obvious passing angles into opposing attackers. So far this year, he’s in the 98th percentile among MLS midfielders in ball recovers per 90, according to FBref.
The Venezuelan international will help unlock the game for his attacking All-Star teammates.
Héctor Herrera can play in a host of midfield roles, but this No. 8 position will allow him to pick up the ball from Martinez and pull the strings from deeper down field. He’s been elite on the ball for the Houston Dynamo this year, ranking in the 99th percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 among midfielders, according to FBref.
With incredible passing technique and a great understanding of space, the Mexican international can break games open at a moment’s notice – that includes All-Star games.
Even with some of the players around him changing this season, Hany Mukhtar is still pulling the strings for Nashville’s attack in 2023. He’s currently leading MLS in goals (13) and is putting up elite numbers across the board in an attempt to win back-to-back Landon Donovan MLS MVP awards.
Because Mukhtar plays as a sort of No. 10/forward hybrid, he’s not necessarily going to demand a ton of the ball against Arsenal. He’s only in the 62nd percentile for touches per 90 among attacking midfielders and wingers in MLS, according to FBref. In a lineup with plenty of other ball-dominant players, his willingness to let others get a taste of the action makes Mukhtar even more valuable.
He can be lethal on the dribble. His right foot is one of the very best in MLS. And he’s active in every phase of the game, moving and making dynamic runs to disrupt the opposition.
Cristian Espinoza has been excellent for the Earthquakes, playing on the right side of Luchi Gonzalez’s frontline. He plays on the right wing more often than any other player in this year’s All-Star squad, and his mobility and right foot give him a leg up on the attacking competition. Buckle up for some Espinoza highlight-worthy moments against Arsenal.
With Espinoza speeding down the right, Dénis Bouanga will bring quality and composure on the left wing for this team.
The Gabon international is a true goalscoring threat and has 11 goals this year to go along with his place in the 93rd percentile among attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty xG per 90. With his vision and skill on the ball, Bouanga has added another dimension to LAFC’s attack this season. He can, at times, break down opposing defensive blocks all by himself and create chances out of nothing.
Bouanga is a must-start.
I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again here: Giorgos Giakoumakis has at least a little Erling Haaland in his game.
He’s a ferocious goalscorer who loves slashing behind the opposing backline, running into space with clever diagonal runs and slamming the ball into the back of the net. Giakoumakis currently leads all MLS players who have at least 300 minutes in goals per 90, which illustrates his efficiency in the final third.
Giakoumakis is incredibly fun to watch in Atlanta. Now just imagine how fun he’ll be to watch surrounded by a team full of stars.
