Everyone knows that Cyle Larin is one of the best young goalscorers in Major League Soccer. In his first two years, Larin scored a combined total of 31 goals in 59 games. So far, he’s scored three goals in the first two matches of the 2017 season.
But Larin has done so much more than that.
Larin spoke in the offseason about his goal of developing his defensive skill-- not something one usually hears from a striker. But Larin knows that in order to be successful, he needs to do more than simply score goals. On Saturday night, he did just that.
“I think a lot of it has to do with the movement. I think if I was to look at [Larin] as an opposing coach or as a scout, I would say that he’s a box forward. He’s somebody that wants to be around the penalty box and maybe doesn’t do quite enough other than that,” Kreis said. “Tonight, he showed an ability to make runs into the corners, he showed an ability to turn the ball and go at defenders 1-v-1, and also he played some very nice passes in combination with other players around him. That’s what we want. We want him to become a more versatile striker. Not to just be a box striker.”
Even when he scores goals, Larin noted that it isn’t just about him.
"It's all because of my teammates,” Larin said. “They help me and get me the ball when I make the run. It's not all me. I just make sure I finish the ball."
But Larin is proud of his accomplishments in the first two games. He recognizes that getting on top of the ball and helping his team maintain possession improves not only his game, but the quality of the team as a whole.
"Each game I am getting better and better,” Larin said. “I think my fitness level helps me to do that. It helps me get to the ball. In the game, I am able to help my team out defensively, and that's what they need."
