MLS expert Matt Doyle has shared which two teams he thinks are currently playing better than Supporters’ Shield leaders Inter Miami.
The Herons have been in flying form in recent weeks as Inter Miami made it three wins from three on Saturday with a 2-1 victory away to Nashville SC, with Jordi Alba scoring a contender for MLS Goal of the Season.
With no Lionel Messi or Luis Suarez due to the Copa America, Inter Miami have really shown their quality in these last three wins, with the Florida franchise now sitting comfortably at the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings past the midway point.
Yet expert Doyle still believes two sides in MLS are performing better than Inter Miami.
Columbus Crew and LAFC viewed as performing better than Inter Miami
Writing for MLS’s official website, Doyle made the interesting point that the Columbus Crew and Los Angeles FC are the two sides who are currently playing better than Inter Miami, even with the Herons beating the former recently at Chase Stadium without Messi and Suarez.
Doyle wrote on Inter Miami’s most recent win this weekend against Nashville: “I picked Miami to win the Shield for two reasons: 1. They have Lionel Messi.2. When they don’t have Lionel Messi, they still have enough talent to do this.
“I’ve repeatedly called them the deepest team I’ve ever seen in MLS, and their performance over the past few weeks without Messi, Luis Suarez and Mati Rojas, and while getting guys like Federico Redondo and Diego Gomez back to full fitness, and while missing Toto Aviles due to injury, has more thoroughly validated that view than I could possibly have hoped for.
“I still don’t think they’re playing as well as either Columbus or LAFC – even with Sergio Busquets running the show from the backline they didn’t boss this game with the ball the way I think they need to. But that just makes it scarier because they haven’t hit peak form.”
Inter Miami can hit new levels when Messi and Suarez return
As Doyle notes, the scary thing about Inter Miami right now is that they can get better once the likes of Messi and Suarez return from the Copa America, with the duo two of the best players MLS has ever seen.
And if Martino can fit the pair back into the starting XI whilst keeping the current defensive shape, there’s a real chance that Inter Miami could hit new levels this year with Messi and Suarez back.
Indeed, the South American duo have been exceptional this season, and with the play-offs not that far away getting Messi and Suarez back and fully fit could be huge for Inter Miami in their bid to win the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup.