Last season St. Louis City featured midfielder Edu Löwen in their advertisements for a line of barbecue themed merchandise leading into their rivalry week match with Sporting Kansas City. While that match has been in the rearview mirror for a while; Löwen never stopped cooking and he could be poised to have his best season in St. Louis.
Looking Back to See the Future
While the 2024 season will be looked upon as a massive let down for the club, a few players had standout seasons. Löwen was one of those players. Despite missing several games due to his wife’s diagnosis with cancer, the German maestro found himself ranking among some of the MLS’ elite offensive midfielders. Statistically, Löwen ranked in the top 10% of midfielders in the league in many offensive categories; as you can see in the FB chart to the right.
He was the most progressive player on the City roster and the engine that drove the team forward on the attack; linking play between the defensive and final thirds. He was the strongest player in terms of progressive carries; not only leading the team but ranking in the top 3% of midfielders in the league in that facet of play and in the 91st percentile in terms of total progressive carrying distance.
He also moved the ball just as effectively as he possessed it. Löwen was in the top 16% of midfielders in live ball pass attempts. That number was magnified in the attacking third as he was in the 92nd percentile when it comes to passes in the final third.
It wasn’t only about progression though; as Löwen wasn’t afraid to go for goal when the chance presented itself. He ranked in the top 5% of non-penalty expected goals + assists; which combines the number of expected goals from non penalty kick situations and the number of expected assists from chances he helped create. Lowen’s aggression in the final third put him in the top 20% of midfielders in terms of npxG as well.
From the details above, it probably sounds like City’s #10 was everywhere. That’s because he was. His season heat map from Sofascore reflects just how much ground he covered linking up play during the 2024 campaign. The slight favoritism of the left side is reflective of the late season partnership with Marcel Hartel; who was brought in during the summer transfer window along with Cedric Teuchert and Simon Becher to bolster the attack.
Now that I’ve convinced you how good his 2024 was; let’s explore how Löwen could thrive under new manager Olof Mellberg.
New Formation Means More Freedom
The biggest take away from the preseason matches has been the shift in formation. As I mentioned in my season preview, City has shown a commitment to a new tactical approach that is built around a three center back structure. During Mellberg’s first competitive matches the team ranged from a defensive 5-4-1 to a 3-4-1-2 and a few formations in between based on various game situations. This formational shift should mean we see even more production from Löwen as I expect him to have more freedom with the additional central defender behind him.
It’s also significant to note that in this new formation, Mellberg prefers to utilize multiple center backs who are good with the ball at their feet. Henry Kessler, Jannes Horn and Timo Baumgartl will likely see the most time in the right and left center back spots this season which should free Löwen up to move further up the pitch as we move into the offensive third. As he pushes forward, so will our wing backs which will create plenty of overloads; translating to what should be plenty of opportunities for João Klauss, Hartel and Teuchert in front of goal. All of this has Löwen excited for the new campaign. “I feel like I’m a bit more ambitious than I have been before,” he told fans at City Live on Sunday. “We have a new coach who is challenging us every day. We had really good and really productive preseason and we want to achieve something.”
Löwen will be one of several players to watch this season as I expect him to thrive in this new system. He won’t have to bear the full responsibility of carrying progressive play for St. Louis but he’ll still play a significant role. With a more solid defensive structure behind him and a full season to link up with the likes of Hartel, Teuchert, Klauss and Becher; 2025 could be a breakout season for City’s midfield maestro.
Löwen and City kick off the season against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, February 22nd at Energizer Park.
Taking his passion for soccer and St. Louis to the next level, Jeremy aims to provide analytical coverage of all this St. Louis City SC.
