2022 Orlando City Player Reviews: Robin Jansson

For the next week, I'll be recapping each Orlando City player's season for all player who played at least 100 MLS minutes per FBRef in 2022, starting from the least used player to the most used.

Up next is superstar Swedish defender Robin Jansson.

Jansson had a fantastic and memorable season for Orlando City before a foot injury ended his season early. The Swede set the club record for appearances this season and proved to be one of the most solid defenders and effective passers in the unit.

The former AIK center back played 1,970 minutes in the league before getting injured, also playing five games in the US Open Cup. Jansson scored a goal and added an assist in his time on the field while also being a consistent well-rounded center back.

Jansson completed the third-most long balls on the team and was able to open up the game with his long switches and balls over the top. The Swede is a fairly low action defender, meaning he didn't do much in terms of stats, but his positioning and physicality allowed him to make strong defensive contributions.

The Swedish defender revealed his value when Antonio Carlos went down with injury, and only further proved how important he is to the way Orlando wants to play when he went down with his own injury. If Orlando had Jansson playing down the stretch, perhaps things go differently.

Jansson's contract runs through 2024, so the Swede should remain a stalwart in Orlando for a while longer, only extending his career appearance record. When Jansson arrived in Orlando from AIK in 2019, he seemed like an interesting signing, but four year later he's proved to be one of the most important players in the club's new era.

Depending on what happens with Mauricio Pereyra, Jansson could be a favorite to be the new club captain if the Uruguayan leaves the club this offseason.