The 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs are underway and there are eight teams vying for the title. And even though the eight teams that managed to qualify are pretty good in their own right, there are a few players that will be missed during the postseason. Players that dazzled during the regular season, but that could not reach the postseason due to their teams’ inability to go deeper in the playoffs.
Without further ado, here are three players that soccer fans all over the country will miss the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Josef Martinez
One of the biggest revelations of the MLS regular season was the team of Atlanta United. In their first MLS season, Atlanta finished in the upper part of the Eastern Conference standings, but could not reach the Semifinals after losing to the Columbus Crew in a penalty shootout during the first knockout stage of the playoffs. This means players like Hector Villalba, Brad Guzan and Miguel Almiron won’t play during the postseason. But most notably, this means the absence of Josef Martinez from the biggest stage of American soccer.
The Venezuela international has been one of the best forwards in the MLS in his debut campaign. After signing with Atlanta from Torino, Martinez quickly became one of the deadliest strikers in the league. He finished with 19 goals in 20 matches, but he suffered several injuries during the campaign. He could have ended as the top scorer in the league with a few more games under his belt.
Nemanja Nikolic
If we talk about top scorers in their first season in the MLS, then the name of Nemanja Nikolic should ring almost immediately. The Hungary international was quite a force leading the attack of the Chicago Fire, and he quickly assembled one of the deadliest attacking lines in the entire league playing alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger, Luis Solignac, and David Accam. Nikolic reaped the benefits of playing around all of these talented playmakers. He led the regular season in scoring with 24 goals in 34 matches.
Nikolic might not be the most technical, agile, faster, or talented player. But he has an uncanny ability to score goals. And he can find the back of the net in several ways. Having him as Chicago’s attacking leader should transform the Fire into a perennial contender in the East. And there is no question a goalscorer like him is definitively miss when the stakes are as high as they are in the postseason.
Bill Hamid
Bill Hamid is one player that the entire MLS is going to miss. The DC United goalkeeper signed a deal to join FC Midtjylland in the Danish Super League. He is not coming back to America any time soon. And while there are lots of quality goalkeepers in the postseason, Hamid represents the change of guard between the posts the USMNT needs. Especially if the likes of Brad Guzan and Tim Howard will retire in the coming months.
Hamid does not shine as the goalscorers previously mentioned or maybe as talented playmakers such as Kaka or Schweinsteiger. But it would’ve been quite interesting to see him play regularly during the postseason. Fans certainly would’ve liked to watch him during the playoffs. It’s the best stage to determine whether he is ready to become the goalkeeper the USMNT desperately needs.