With the start of the regular season less than a week away and all the preseason in the rear view, some are worried about a “sophomore slump” from star Forward Cyle Larin. Larin didn’t find the back of the net for City during the preseason, but Head Coach Adrian Heath isn’t worried. “I have no qualms about Cyle Larin.”
“If you look back he started a bit slowly last year,” Coach Heath said at a press conference after Saturday night’s 6-1 win against Esporte Clube Bahia. When given his chance about a quarter of the way through the season, Larin made it count in a big way. In a week six he got his first start of the season against Portland and scored the game winner in a 2-0 victory. Then, in May, he tallied three goals over the course of three games. On July 26th against NYCFC, the then rookie began to turn it on, recording a hat trick at Yankee Stadium. Larin’s goal count progressed during the season, peaking in September and October. With a year under his belt, it’s scary to think what a fast start from the young striker could mean.
“I don’t go along with this sophomore slump or whatever they call it,” Coach Heath said after the game. “From my point of view, I am sitting here fully confident that he will have the same sort of season he had last season. I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t-- he’s bigger, he’s stronger, he’s quicker, he understands the game better than he did this time last year.”
Cyle Larin finished last season with 17 goals, earning him the title of MLS Rookie of the Year. But Coach Heath doesn’t just expect that his star player will maintain his success-- he expects him to get better. “I told him he needs to be getting 20 goals this season,” Coach Heath said with a smile. It appears that the infamous “sophomore slump” hasn’t crossed his mind.
