What decisions must Inter Miami make to reset its MLS Cup defense?

Herons' battered defense must improve

DEFENSE -- The Herons expected defense to be a strength this year after the additions of reigning goalkeeper of the year Dayne St. Clair from Minnesota, center back Micael Dos Santos, defensive midfielder David Ayala, and wingbacks Facundo Mura and Sergio Reguilón. Injuries, inconsistency -- and plain ol' poor form -- have kept any of the newcomers from standing out. Inter Miami has scored 22 goals and conceded 19 in 11 league matches this year, compared to 23 and 14 a year ago.

I'm not worried, though; maybe mildly concerned. After all, two of the best defensive players of their generation -- maybe any generation --resigned after helping the Herons win MLS Cup in December. Replacing Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets would be difficult for any team, and perhaps impossible for a team with Major League Soccer's financial restrictions.

BERTERAME-- Germán Berterame, the Herons' $15-million-dollar designated player signing, is a hard worker on defense and, seemingly, a great teammate, but Miami signed him to score goals. Berte has just three goals and three assists in 781 minutes in league play, and no goal contributions while playing 180 minutes in Los Garzas' disappointing two-match elimination from the CONCACAF Champions Cup by Nashville SC. Is it enough? Will he start converting his chances (just five of 21 shots on target in MLS play)? Transfermarkt.com has the Argentine-born Mexican ranked as the third-best player on the squad and ninth-best in MLS -- not striker, player.

It's hard not to notice Messi's body language when Berterame misses yet another sitter in front of goal, but the athleticism is there. The quality has been there in the past. Some Heron watchers are calling for Miami to find a way to move Berterame, but he won't be 28 until November and his DP contract runs through the 2028-29 season. Let's hope the Pink's new coach give him the rest of the year to find the form he showed for Monterrey, where he scored 60 goals in all competitions between 2022 and 2025.

SUÁREZ -- Berterame was supposed to replace 39-year-old legend Luis Suárez in Miami's attack, but with the Mexican's struggles, Mateo Silvetti's hamstring injury and Tadeo Allende's reversion to last year's regular-season form, Hoyos has leaned more on the notorious Uruguayan. Suárez has responded with two goals and two assists in just 303 league minutes; he's started three of the seven MLS games in which he's appeared and his passion and constant chatter inspire his teammates. Perhaps most importantly, he and best bud Messi share an almost supernatural understanding of one another's strengths and weaknesses, preferences and tendencies on the field.

Should Suárez continue to start? No. He is, after all, almost 40 and playing on brittle legs. He absolutely has a place on the roster, but not as a regular starter. I think the icon can best contribute best by starting every half dozen or so matches to rest other attackers and playing an instant-offense, super-sub role off the bench.

ST. CLAIR -- The Canadian -- who, along with Orlando City keeper Maxime Crépeau is vying to start for their nation at next month's World Cup -- has been unspectacular, occasionally awful, leading some fans to clamber for Rocco Rios Novo's return between the posts. But, like Berterame, I'm not ready to give up on DSC.

"Rocco Blocco" -- thanks, Kris at Battered Herons, for the moniker -- became a Herons cult hero during last year's spectacular playoffs run, and he's a very good keeper. He has one advantage over St. Clair -- he's played in Miami's high-pressing style that exposes Los Garzas' keepers to multiple counter attacks each match and requires greater dribbling and passing skills than the Canadian needed at Minnesota. The Loons play a low block, providing greater support for the keeper and depending on the fast break, often started by deep kicks from St. Clair, to score.

St. Clair has one obvious advantage over Rios Novo -- height. At 6-foot-3, the newcomer is five inches taller than Rocco Blocco. But the difference to me is the improvement I've seen from St. Clair since the start of the season. He's more comfortable with the ball at his feet, he's making quicker decisions and he's beginning to seem more comfortable. I want to see more of the 28-year-old before I give up on him.

Outlook: Unclear

The next few weeks are critical to the Herons, but there's no need to overreact. Hoyos, as sporting director, helped the front office assemble an extremely talented roster. Realistic fans knew losing Alba and Busquets would be difficult to overcome, and that incorporating so many new players into the squad would take time and tinkering. Injuries have slowed the process, and the resignation of Mascherano and his staff was a surprise adding uncertainty to the equation.

Don't tear down an unfinished project. Let's give the players time to get healthy -- physically and mentally -- and time for a new coach to get the best from this roster. There's still trophies to be had, and no reason we shouldn't compete for them.

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