Colorado Springs continued their hot start to 2022 with a no-nonsense win against FC Tulsa this weekend, powered by a subtle formational shift leading to a well-taken two-goal margin. Hadji Barry's return to the scoresheet and Tulsa's worrisome performance stole the headlines, but the Switchbacks' midfield completely blew me away. Tulsa is a side that uses a 4-4-2, splitting one central midfielder high as the other comes level with the central defenders in build. This latter player is usually Petar Cuic, who started the season excellently but was overwhelmed by the visitors.
Brendan Burke's side brought Beverly Makangila back into the mix as a holding player, creating a triangle in the center with Zach Zandi and Cam Lindley one line ahead. Liberated by that defensive presence, Lindley was especially impressive. #6 tallied two tackles, two interceptions, three key passes, and a shot in a textbook box-to-box masterclass. Whether supported by a defensive peer or not, Lindley has been unbelievable all season long. He ranks third in the entire USL by Goals Above Replacement and sits in the top tier in every passing metric. The forwards for the Switchbacks catch one's eye with their pace and pop, but Lindley might be the most important player in the league right now.
What makes Lindley so special, and how does he contribute to the Colorado Springs tactical system? As always, the tape helps to paint a picture of his role and impact.
In the match against Las Vegas, the hosts pressed high with three attackers supported by a matching trio in the midfield. Colorado Springs responded by keeping their fullbacks deep to stretch that press to the flanks. When Lindley and Zandi came low, they created passing triangles to unlock the center of the pitch. Lindley was delightful in that context, driving play past the press with the ball at his feet. Here, he receives a pass from a central defender on the turn and is off to the races. #6's skillful dribbling lets him carve through the heart of the Lights with momentum, and he seals the deal with a well-weighted through ball to Elvis Amoh.
A large part of the Switchbacks' offensive production comes from Michee Ngalina and Hadji Barry, and opponents like Miami FC react by closing hard to the duo. Pair that gravity with the dribbling and spatial awareness we've already seen from Lindley, and you've created a real source of danger. Here, the home team's 4-4-1-1 pinches hard to the aforementioned forwards, allowing for a knock back to Lindley. While he's best as a creator (98th percentile xA), he's also been splendid at finding looks for himself (84th percentile xG) as the run and shot here showcase. Movement into the holes created by his teammates define Lindley's utility in the Colorado Springs system.
As mentioned at the top, Brendan Burke employed a triangular midfield three to beat FC Tulsa, and you can see how in the defensive sequence above. Lebo Moloto is deep to help break out, but he's met by the pressure of Zandi and Lindley. The two move in concert to close down on the veteran creator; Makangila supports deep and stays tight to the other central Tulsa player. The heat applied by Lindley forces a poor pass that his teammate intercepts, and Colorado Springs is on the move.
Still, strict formations don't define the Colorado Springs approach. Indeed, they're one of the USL's most free-flowing fluid teams within their baseline system. Here, you see that phenomenon in action via Lindley. His side loses possession to Tulsa, but #6 spots a perfect scenario to apply counterpressure and regain the ball in an advantageous spot. When he makes the interception, he's the Switchback's second-highest player up the pitch. From there, Barry is free to make a run in behind against a shellshocked foe, and Lindley's smart running prevents a defender from closing to the reigning Golden Boot winner. #10 gets the headline-stealing goal, but Lindley makes the play.
Returning to that Las Vegas match, we also see how Lindley himself can get in on the scoring action. The Lights were pinned deep as the game drew to a close, and the Switchbacks moved into a 4-2-4 shape with an aggressive forward line putting the screws to the hosts. In this game state, Enrique Duran's side began to cede space in zone fourteen as they bunkered within their box. Zach Zandi got a goal off a late run into that open gap, and an overreaction to that Barry-Ngalina combo lets Lindley do the same here. #6's shot is inch-perfect, earning the full three points for his side.
By both expected goals and total points, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks are the class of the USL. They're one of five teams with 100% playoff odds by my modeling, and they have more players in the top thirty for Goals Above Replacement than any other team in the league by way of Lindley, Barry, Ngalina, and Zandi. Still, the manner in which Brendan Burke has maximized the talent on this roster is the most impressive aspect of this Switchbacks club. In the offseason, I said that they "could be a favorite in the West" and ended up putting them third in my conference predictions outside of the title race. Clearly, I should've been more bullish. Burke turned a great offseason into a great team, one that's tactically flexible and potent in both attack and defense. No one represents these themes - versatility, work rate, technique - more than Cam Lindley, and he's deserving of the glowing reviews that the numbers are giving him right now.
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