Categorie: More

Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

Sweeping changes were needed throughout the Nashville SC locker room following last year’s disastrous unfolding. The club ended the 2024 campaign with a whimper, mustering a 2W-11L-1D record to conclude a season that landed them in 13^th place in the East, six points from the cellar and 38 points from the top.

In B.J. Callaghan’s first offseason in Nashville, he revamped his coaching staff and bid adieu to several players whose skillsets favored “Gary Ball” over Callaghan’s envisioned style of play.

Callaghan has not been shy in expressing a desire to control the ball and play freely — who wouldn’t? Of course, if it was easy, every club in Major League Soccer would do so while tallying four goals every outing.

To give his squad the best chance at succeeding in his system, a flurry of roster moves was made, most of which addressed its inability to generate offense. In 2024, Nashville posted a 45.19 xG (eighth lowest in MLS) per American Soccer Analysis and mustered just 37 goals (fifth fewest).

In total, Nashville managed a meager 76 goals in 68 MLS outing over the past two seasons, a number nowhere near good enough to compete come late October.

The changes were plenty, and as a result, here are three things we are most intrigued to watch for in Nashville SC’s 2025 season opener vs. the New England Revolution.

1. The New Guys’ Immediate Impact

Nashville uprooted its central midfield, allowing Aníbal Godoy to sign with San Diego FC via free agency and sending Sean Davis to LA Galaxy in exchange for Gastón Brugman, a superior on-ball talent and deep-lying playmaker.

Brugman accumulated a 1.72 goals added (gA) total for last year’s MLS champions, noticeably excelling as a defensive interrupter and passer.

Unfortunately for Nashville, Brugman was ruled out due to injury by Callaghan on Thursday.

https://twitter.com/benwright/status/1892593116449812878

Filling in for the injured Brugman on Saturday will likely be Bryan Acosta, a veteran central midfielder who was no stranger to finding the back of the net earlier in his career. Acosta spent 2024 in Honduras but has five years of previous MLS experience under his belt.

Outside midfielder Edvard Tagseth was signed from Norway’s Rosenborg BK, a top-flight club that has only finished lower than fifth place once in the last 11 seasons and secured four titles in that span. Tagseth’s speed and ability to deliver accurate balls from the flank has resulted in 14 goals and 23 assists in 172 career appearances across all competitions.

Likely starting alongside Tagseth on the right side is the veteran Andy Najár, an attack-minded full-back with 27 goals and 33 assists in his 15-year career spanning MLS and top-flight clubs in Belgium and Honduras.

Winger Ahmed Qasem is only 22 years old and shows tremendous attacking prowess at such a young age. He has decent size at 6’0”, great pace and 16 goal contributions over the last two years in top-flight Sweden.

It remains to be seen how much playing time Qasem will be allotted, as he is likely Callaghan’s fourth choice at the position behind Tagseth, Alex Muyl and Jacob Shaffelburg. Once Tyler Boyd returns from injury, he probably descends to fifth.

2. How Does the Central Midfield Look?

A glaring issue for the Boys in Gold over the past two seasons has been the inability of its central midfield to connect the backline and its front four. Godoy and Davis aided Nashville’s defense relatively well but lacked the creativity to effectively advance the ball.

Patrick Yazbek offered some different looks and dished the ball around nicely in nine appearances for Nashville at the end of the season, but he was hampered by the inability of those around him to do the same.

As a result, the offense relied heavily on long balls to the wings instead of playing through Hany Mukhtar — perhaps the biggest cardinal sin Nashville’s offense can commit.

Brugman’s style of play should pair well with Yazbek’s skillset upon his return, resulting in more possession and improved build-up play. Mukhtar should not have to drop back as far to receive the ball, allowing him to remain in dangerous positions and punish defenders like he did in his 2022 MVP season.

Even with Acosta in for Brugman, look for fewer passes from the central midfielders to the backline, more urgency and more creativity from the middle of the pitch tomorrow night than we have seen from Nashville in the past.

3. Can Hany Mukhtar Return to his MVP Form?

Nashville’s offense last season was beyond predictable, and nobody suffered more from that than its best player, Hany Mukhtar. Opposing clubs routinely shaded players his way, forming a box or triangle around Mukhtar, limiting his passing options and often forcing him to retreat with the ball.

The less time Mukhtar spends with his back facing the opponent’s goal, the better.

If the central midfielders play their part effectively, it means more time for Mukhtar with the ball at his feet — the ultimate recipe for Nashville’s success in 2025.

That being said, Mukhtar himself must be more clinical as well. His goal contribution total has dwindled every year since 2022, he missed two of his five penalty attempts in 2024 and managed only eight goals despite his 12.15 xG.

Projected Starting XI

Surridge, Mukhtar
Muyl, Yazbek, Acosta, Tagseth
Lovitz, Maher, Zimmerman, Najar
Willis

Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

Nashville SC arrived to Geodis Park with a lot to prove on Thursday night. Its offense had looked sluggish to start the season, and with the most talented roster in MLS coming to town, Nashville put together an impressive performance that was vastly improved on the offensive end and, overall, showcased a solid defensive outing to boot.

The match ended in a draw that may have felt like a loss due to Miami’s Luis Suárez finding the back of the net to equalize in the 90+5’ minute, but plenty of grit and determination was shown by Gary Smith’s side that should give Nashville SC fans something to be optimistic about, highlighted by Jacob Shaffelburg’s two-goal performance.

The Performances

Jacob Shaffelburg — Shaffelburg was simply brilliant. The work that the Canadian winger put in alongside Tyler Boyd was second to none, and he was not cheated on either of his two goals. He brilliantly drifted wide into space for his first score and opted for a powerful finish that, while maybe not perfectly placed, was hit with enough force to whiz by the Miami keeper. His second was hit with force and picked out perfectly, going upper-90 just two minutes into the second half.

Shaffelburg was also picked on throughout the match by Miami, likely as a result of his early goal and flashy celebration in front of The Backline. He was brought down by Federico Redondo in a challenge that netted the visiting Argentine a yellow card (which realistically should have been a red as Redondo’s elbow went flying into the Nashville man’s face) and was later brought down aggressively off-the-ball, right in front of the fourth official who stood raising his board indicating the amount of stoppage time but swallowed his whistle.

Hany Mukhtar — Hany Mukhtar was named in Nashville’s Starting XI for the first time since February 22. Although his performance was relatively quiet by his standards, his presence, creativity, and ability to command space led to quick breaks for Nashville and an overall boost to its offense. Before the match, Mukhtar was also joined by Nashville SC GM Mike Jacobs to announce his contact extension, one that will keep the former MVP in Nashville through 2026 with an option in 2027. Mukhtar’s impact will certainly rev up to its normal levels once he regains his fitness.

Shaq Moore and Walker Zimmerman— We have a two-for-one here with Shaq Moore and Walker Zimmerman. Moore was too much to handle for Inter Miami on the evening, relentlessly sending balls forward, making eight recoveries, creating one chance, and scoring once until he was questionably ruled offsides in a very, very close decision. That being said, he may have been the man at fault for failing to mark Luis Suárez on Miami’s late equalizer. Zimmerman was stout in the middle, winning all three of his duels, and logging five clearances with four recoveries to boot.

The Counter Attack

Nashville SC did not stray from its identity one bit in this match. From the first minute on, the gameplan was to rely on Aníbal Godoy, Sean Davis, and the backline to stifle an elite squad that Nashville was ready to let possess the ball. Inter Miami controlled 70% of the possession and steered six shots on frame of which Joe Willis saved four.

The defense played well all things considered, barring an inevitable moment of individual brilliance from Lionel Messi and a damning lapse in concentration in which Luis Suárez was left unmarked at the back post on a 90+5’ minute cross to level things at the death. Had Nashville been matched up with any other MLS club in that circumstance, the Boys in Gold likely walk away with the win after holding a 2-0 advantage.

On offense, Nashville was quick to break and took advantage of an opponent who perhaps was a bit lackadaisical to start each half. Shaffelburg scored his first in the 4’ minute and again in the 47’ minute, and his second-half goal was just one several quality attempts by Nashville right out of halftime.

Several counter opportunities initiated from the inside out, starting from some impressive footwork or ball shielding by Mukhtar or Boyd. Those two picked out runs made by Shaffelburg on the left and Muyl on the right on several occasions, but with Boyd acting as the false 9 on Thursday and Mukhtar as the 10, there weren’t many options in the middle to receive the service from the wingers.

The match marked the first time Nashville SC scored multiple goals against an MLS opponent since October 14, 2023 in its 3-2 win over the New England Revolution.

Up Next

Nashville hosts LA Galaxy at home on Saturday in MLS play before traveling to Fort Lauderdale for the second leg of its CONCACAF Champions Cup bout with Inter Miami FC.

Goals

4′ NSH – Jacob Shaffelburg
47′ NSH – Jacob Shaffelburg
52′ MIA – Lionel Messi
90+5′ MIA – Luis Suárez