South African Njabulo Blom recently made the switch to St. Louis City Soccer Club from Kaizer Chiefs. He is a full international and was a regular for the Chiefs for many years in the top flight of South Africa. His new club are playing their first season in Major League Soccer and he could be one of the key faces of the new expansion team.
Blom has started well in St Louis
Blom’s first few performances for St. Louis City were hugely impressive as he was a vital ball-winner in the midfield. He has operated as the deepest-lying midfielder in the St. Louis set-up and has been an adequate creative outlet from deep. His greatest ability is off the ball as he has tenacity and energy which allows him to regain possession regularly. Blom’s ball-winning strengths were vital in St. Louis’ perfect start to the MLS season that saw them top after the first four fixtures. As a result of this, St Louis are priced at 25/1 to win the MLS playoffs in the sports betting at Bwin. This is just one of a number of markets for the MLS covering match, in-play and outright betting, such as top goalscorer, which can be used in conjunction with bonuses and promotions.
Blom looks to be a strong acquisition for the new MLS club but they will need more top incomings in the future before they become realistic title contenders.
#AllForCITY are just the second expansion team in MLS history to start 3-0-0. pic.twitter.com/pV9vPcBIgH
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 12, 2023
Aside from his technical ability, Blom is an extremely versatile player. The South African began his career as a right-back before moving into the midfield area where he excels. Whichever position he is deployed in he plays an identical role – covering a huge area of ground and constantly seeking to win back possession of the ball. Blom should help the fresh MLS outfit to become a more possession-heavy side which should certainly help them to become stronger defensively. His pace and physicality mean he can intercept passages of play before they enter dangerous areas. Blom’s engine allows him to press relentlessly so that the defence has much less work to do.
The trend of players coming to the MLS to develop
In recent years, many stars have begun to join the MLS early in their careers as the league is quickly transitioning into a strong development league. Blom is a prime example of this; he has performed excellently in his native country and has opted to come to the United States to develop his game further. He can gradually polish his game in a league where he will be under minimal pressure. Players going directly to top European clubs can often face huge pressure which makes it incredibly difficult for them to succeed.
Welcome to CITY, Njabulo Blom! 🇿🇦
We have acquired the versatile 23-year old South African national team midfielder from @KaizerChiefs.
🔗https://t.co/VeHdCxfkdy pic.twitter.com/3FnoWumdn2
— St Louis CITY SC (@stlCITYsc) December 23, 2022
There are clear hopes for Blom to become a top player at the CityPark Stadium and it is an ideal environment for him to reach his peak potential. There is little expected of a team playing its first season in the MLS and so Blom can develop at his own pace without external pressure from a demanding fanbase. The South African has impressive raw ability and has the potential to be one of the MLS’ leading players by the time he reaches his prime years.