Since he took over at the beginning of the 2026 season, Minnesota United Head Coach Cameron Knowles has been hard at work implementing the tactical evolution of his side. What was once known as the league’s least possessive, most defensive team is slowly turning into something new, and that’s exactly the way these evolutions happen: slowly, but surely. 

After six weeks of soccer, we’re starting to see the fruits of that labor. Ahead of this weekend’s huge matchup with San Diego, I thought it was worth taking a step back, looking at the progress the Loons have made this season, and highlighting some of the key features that are really starting to click in this setup. From formation to approach, there’s plenty to break down. 

Stepping Forward

We’ve seen some slight variations at various times: 4-2-3-1, 3-4-3, even a 5-2-3. No matter how you slice it, your Loons have put more numbers forward this year than they did in 2025. Where the defensive setup last year resembled a mid-to-low block and focused on protecting space, this year’s setup has shifted forward. Without the ball, the Loons are now establishing their lines higher up the field, pressing the opposition when a trigger allows, and sitting on the fence between a high press and a mid-block, ready to spring into action. 

Formations are just organizational tools, at the end of the day, interchangeable by nature in pursuit of the desired style of play. As long as your players are in positions they can use their natural talents in, you can find a way to get your desired style of play. You want to win the ball higher? Put three hard workers up top to increase your ability to pressure. You want to keep the ball more? Put pass-first players in the starting lineup to bring that pattern out naturally. This year, we’ve seen both of those instructions come to the fore with the Black and Blue. 

For MNUFC, the major creative energy comes from their pair of Argentine attacking midfielders, Tomás Chancalay and Joaquín Pereyra. Since the beginning of the season, the two of them have been given license to float behind Kelvin Yeboah, filling space as they see fit and threading passes to create chances. They’ve essentially been tasked with pulling the strings when the Loons are in possession, making this progression in the Loons’ tactics very clear: not a return to wingers, but an impetus on creative number 10s. 

Just one look at the stats sheet tells you all you need to know. Chancalay and Pereyra lead the team with two assists apiece. Pereyra tops the list for passes attempted (282), total touches (388), and successful crosses (9). Of the two, he’s taken the role of quarterback more often than not, dropping deeper to get on the ball and dictate the game from a central position. Chancalay steps forward to give his midfield partner more options, with the majority of his creative contributions coming in the final third. He’s fourth on the team in touches (285), second in crosses (6), second in shots and shots on target (12, 4), and second in expected goals (0.9). 

In short, these two are the engines driving the Loons forward at the moment. They connect the field, with counterattacks running through them one moment and expert hold-up play giving the wingbacks time to move forward the next. More often than not, the ball finds their feet at some point, giving the defenders outlets to look for when they win the ball in the back and giving their striker the peace of mind to stay in the middle and look to put the ball in the back of the net. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly what midfielders are for. 

Many features of this season’s approach are familiar to MNUFC fans: wingbacks who look to run the channels, a double-pivot protecting the center backs, and a target striker leading the line. A lot of these pieces have simply adapted to new instructions this year, moving to a slightly more aggressive point on the defending spectrum. The more threat the Loons can pose in possession, the more aggressive they can afford to be without the ball. The combo of Pereyra and Chancalay is doing some heavy lifting, serving as the key hinge in this shift. As they continue to get more comfortable with what’s being asked of them, they’ll be the key to the continued evolution of this side.