There are twenty-seven teams in the USL, they're all ranked here, and I have no creativity: thus, a column name was born. These are my mostly-weekly power rankings featuring write-ups and snide remarks on whichever clubs capture my sprit. If you want more, make sure to check out:
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But without further ado...
Title Contenders
1.) SAN ANTONIO: I wrote a piece for Backheeled this week recommending a few USL managers for an MLS look-in, and my biggest regret was leaving Alen Marcina out for word-count reasons. He's been a leading light in the lower leagues for years, and 2022 shows Marcina at his finest. San Antonio is dominant and tactically unique even amidst injuries and weird retirements. That exceptional performance persisted against Atlanta United 2, and Connor Maloney looked utterly dominant in the press. His interventions created both of the first two goals; classic from someone who should be a lock for an all-league team. Saad Abdul-Salaam, an MLS and USL veteran, also put in a good shift in the back three, speaking to the seamless way that Marcina can plug new pieces into this well-oiled machine.
2.) TAMPA BAY: I don't have any real commentary to add on the Raiko Arozarena-Phil Breno swap other than sadness about the breakup of the Arozarena brothers. Breno rated in the top half for Goals Saved Above Average in 2020 in limited appearances for Charleston, and he was a top-ten (68th percentile Goals Above Replacement) goalkeeper in League One last year. At the end of the day, this is a backup goalie transaction, so...meh?
I was excited to see Sebastian Guenzatti get his first start since May 1st as the Rowdies took on Loudoun. He slotted into a restored 3-4-3 shape, one designed to match three forwards against three opposing centerbacks in the press. If there's anything that's impressive about Tampa Bay, it's their versatility at every level. Tactically, they can run a precise back three or back four. In the lineup, guys like Leo Fernandes, Jake Areman, Laurence Wyke, Conner Antley, and Sebastian Dalgaard are comfortable in a number of positional deployments. The flexibility is so key, and it lets Neill Collins adapt to every scenario with comfort and ease. Also, shout out to a hugely impactful Dayonn Harris off the bench. He's such a spark, and he added a lot in combatting a similarly speedy Jacob Green on that side on top of the assists.
3.) LOUISVILLE: If there's any issue that the lack of a true forward creates for Louisville, it's in terms of hold-up play and progression. Both Cameron Lancaster and Wilson Harris are adept at that physical sort of anchoring that lets the side establish an attacking foothold; Brian Ownby tends to be more cerebral and mobile. Pair that change with Memphis' immaculately organized defensive structure, and you can see why Danny Cruz's side ended up relying on sweeping diagonals rather than their typically controlled moves. Even so, this team is a defensive juggernaut that's endlessly composed in their press. That excellence created a real chess match against a lovely Memphis side, try as the referees might to open things up with dueling reds.
4.) BIRMINGHAM: The Legion came out firing in Sacramento, scoring in the first minute through an increasingly lively Juan Agudelo. The crisscrossing movement he employed alongside Enzo Martinez was pure brilliance, fooling one of the best defenses in the league. Meanwhile, Tommy Soehn's 4-4-2 defense did well to clog central passing lanes, and Marlon and Prosper Kasim did splendidly to vary their positions in that context. They could come narrow to deny midfield outlets, hedge against wingback cleverness, or double-team Sacramento's wide centerbacks, and it stifled build. I love everything about the Legion defense right now, and Agudelo's actualization makes this side a dual threat.
5.) SAN DIEGO: It's an off weekend for the Loyal, so I wanted to muse on the discourse about Landon Donovan and Nate Miller. I've seen the disregard for Donovan as a manager and tactician recently, and that take ballooned in popularity as news recently broke about the San Jose Earthquakes considering the USMNT legend for their coaching job. I'm sure Miller is a huge presence behind the scenes, but I'm uncomfortable with the idea that Donovan is a buffoon without him. You typically don't get to the highest levels of the global game without some level of strategic awareness, and even if Donovan pulled that off, he deserves credit for delegation. It's a boon that he's willing to rely on other people and synthesize their advise; the best leaders know how to listen. Does San Jose hire Donovan on his own merits without his legacy at the club and his national team heroics? I doubt it. Are there numerous USL managers who are better prepared for a step up to MLS? Certainly. Still, let's cool the jets on the dismissal of Landon Donovan.
6.) MEMPHIS: Chris Allan is endlessly impressive as the number ten for 901 FC at the moment, and the numbers (75th percentile xG, 78th defensive actions) back that up. Louisville builds by dropping one midfielder near their centerbacks, and Allan was tasked with marking that player out of existence in defense. When Memphis had the ball, the ex-Atlanta man regularly made delightful runs off of Jeremy Kelly's gravity. It goes to show that injuries - to Laurent Kissiedou, in this case - aren't a nightmare and can even reveal hidden gems, so long as you have the depth to bear them. Still, Memphis really struggled in build against Louisville, and things only worsened after the red. If Allan lacks one thing compared with Kissiedou, it's the moments of pure, game-changing brilliance that come out of nowhere. More of that spark in general is the only thing keeping Memphis down for me, because their defense is the truth.
7.) COLORADO SPRINGS: With one win in five games, the Switchbacks opted for more of a 4-3-3 look with Beverly Makangila as a true holding midfielder at the base of a midfield three. The trio in the center of the park goaded Los Angeles up and bought the attack more space at times, liberating those amazing late Cam Lindley runs into the final third. The Swithbacks got an opener when the front three created a turnover, and that leat led to a quick follow-up through Elvis Amoh and Hadji Barry. My takeaway? This side doesn't need an abundance of attackers. Levergae Barry's mobility and brilliance in a trio and shore up the middle.
Playoff Locks
8.) PITTSBURGH: Shane Wiedt is in the upper 50% of all defenders in every single metric I track for players at his position, and that matches the eye test for my taste. Wiedt can push up in attack and serve as a clean recycler, and he's very effective in the counterpress in a similar context. Indeed, the Riverhounds were most successful on the road in New Mexico when Wiedt was sparking such moments of aggression. Bob Lilley's side lacks that quality and decisiveness all too often. From Wiedt at back to the insanely talented front line, this team is at their best when they're trying to get out on the front foot. The late-game switch to a 4-2-3-1 accomplished as much, providing an extra presence in the middle and liberating the Russell Cicerone-Dane Kelly link-up for the tying goal. Fun, isn't it, to be able to throw Kelly or Albert Dikwa on as a sub and get a guaranteed goal?
9.) SACRAMENTO: I'm still high on Sacramento, but they haven't won a match in the league in a month at this point. In attack, the striker issue is coming to a head. I like what Maalique Foster gives you - his xG and shot generation per 90 were tops amongst forwards coming into the weekend - but he and Douglas Martinez aren't in-the-box presences that dominate the final third. Both are better leveraging their athleticism in transition as other teammates do the dirty work, and that's an issue. At back, the defense saw the preferred Donovan-Desmond-Casey trio restored, but I'm low on Damia Viader as a wingback in this system. On the right, Jack Gurr is exemplary in how he gets from end to end and defends with spirit. Viader doesn't match that tracking, rating in the 11th percentile for defensive actions on the season. If he's not back, that amazing centerback set can lose shape. Interesting times for another team that's on the brink of being special.
10.) DETROIT: The news this week that Devon Amoo-Mensah would miss the rest of the season was legitimately heartbreaking. He's nailed into my Team of the Year to date, combining poise and guile on the ball with a side-to-side ability to perfectly intervene as a defender. He's crucial to Detroit's back three in every aspect, and his absence further accentuates the depth issues that limited Trevor James to the use of just one substitute in California.
In their weekend expansion duel with Monterey, Le Rouge were lacking in attack. Despite the absence of Amoo-Mensah and various defensive absences throughout the season, Detroit's defense has consistently been elite. I like the forward movement up front, and I think the Pato-Hoppenot-Rutz trio is so creative and intelligent, but none of the three is a natural goalscorer. None stretch the back shoulder of a centerback or poach in the six-yard box; Hoppenot only got two touches in the box! A real nine is what this team needs right now, in addition to sheer bodies.
11.) NEW MEXICO: Heading to Oklahoma against a revived Tulsa team on Wednesday, New Mexico opted for a midfield with two converted centerbacks and a pure holder. Predictably, they couldn't generate a thing in a back-three battle. The ineptitude in build was expected given the lack of a creator in the hole, but the first half was still one of the most feckless attacking performances of the season. Zach Prince adjusted very well, dropping a forward low and inserting Justin Portillo as a deep-lying metronome; the effective diamond got two goals and a hard-earned three points.
That back three remained for the Pittsburgh game on Saturday, and Jerome Kiesewetter got the start alongside Neco Brett after that bright performance at the tip of the midweek diamond. Kiesewetter linked with Brett for a goal within a minute of the opening whistle, but Will Seymore made the move happen with his hard closing. #16 forced the turnover, and the forwards took full advantage. Moments of hard-nosed aggression like that have been rarer for New Mexico in 2022, but Seymore (95th percentile defensive actions, 94th defensive actions per foul) is an efficient source of that steeliness.
12.) EL PASO: After everyone under the sun called for it, El Paso finally signed a right back in Artem Kholod, a Ukrainian youth international and Shakhtar Donetsk product. Rachel Phillips broke the story and hinted that he won't be available for a while, but I like the move a lot. This team hadn't lost in nearly two months at the time the news broke, and Kholod is the exact kind of piece that could shine around playoff time.
Boy, could the Locomotive have used any sort of defensive backup against Oakland on Saturday. The Roots ran wild, taking full advantage of one of the worst centerback performances I've ever seen courtesy of Matt Bahner and Andrew Fox. Neither had a sense of when to step forward, and both were overwhelmed by Oakland's focus on the channels with their wingback over- and underlapping. Obviously, the fullbacks deserve blame as well - Ricardo Zacarias was shambolic at right once again - but this was just bad. The unbeaten run had to end eventually, I suppose.
In the Mix
13.) OAKLAND: The most mercurial side in the USL Championship kept at it by absolutely smacking El Paso, taking a 3-0 lead within half an hour. Juan Guerra's side - one of the more possessive units in the league - hammered long balls over the top to challenge a messy Locomotive defense, and the results were great. I've heard from a few people around the league that think Guerra isn't up to it tactically, and I couldn't disagree more. The issues are about consistency and personnel, because the system is money when it's rolling.
Two scenarios tended to play out on Saturday. In the first, Ottar Karlsson or another attacker would win the lofted pass outright and launch the side into a full-throttle move. Failing that, El Paso could loosely claim possession. In those cases, Oakland absolutely hounded the Locomotive for second balls by way of a dynamic press. Jose Hernandez was a star in that context and put in five successful defense actions. Still, #8 was most important in how he helped spark the odd-man breaks that liberated Edgardo Rito to tear down the right flank. There are games where Oakland plays a similar system and can't hold it together in the midfield, but this was a standout match,
14.) LOS ANGELES: Cameron Dunbar was on the shortlist for the official USL midseason Young Player of the Year award, and he's utterly deserving of the acknowledgement. Dunbar is in the 98th percentile for Goals Above Replacement, and he's got six goals and three assists. He sizzles down the left side with his pace and technique, constantly stretching opposing defenses and toying with defenders on the ball. Against Colorado Springs, he was a menace leveraging high fullback play to find holes in the channel. His teammates struggled to contain the hosts off of press-driven turnovers, but Dunbar still rocks.
15.) MIAMI: Wednesday saw Miami take on a Charleston side using a surprise back three, and the Florian Valot-Romeo Parkes combo feasted in a semi-rotated lineup. The Battery's defensive organization seems to regress every week, meaning that Valot's ability to find space in transition was lethal. Add Parkes' pace, and you see how Miami leapt out to an instant lead. Still, Anthony Pulis' snap decision to press in a 4-2-4 of sorts paid dividends, shutting out central progression as Charleston steadfastly refused their wingbacks into build. There's no such thing as a statement win against this Battery team, but Miami looked dominant.
On Saturday, Richie Ballard got a rare start as the side traveled to California reprising the second-half back three from the midweek fixture. He had a good spell there against sloppy wing defending and a narrow midfield, but his pressure in the front line of a 3-4-3 was vital denying Orange County's central midfield. Miami struggled a bit without Valot in my estimation; there are times where the Speedy Williams-Bolu Akinyode pair isn't incisive enough in its passing or daring enough in its movement.
16.) LAS VEGAS: The Lights were in the spotlight on ESPN Deportes as they faced off against Rio Grande Valley, and Danny Trejo deigned to make an appearance. He got a handful of his classic looks in transition, but I was mostly struck by Las Vegas’ splendid organization in the 4-2-3-1. Rio Grande Valley can struggle in attack, but Enrique Duran’s side denied most every foray into the final third, and I really liked the Tony Leone-Alex Lara pair at centerback. Mohamed Traore and Morten Bjorshol, two fullbacks I’ve covered pretty extensively, were good, but this is just a clean defensive core across the board. Bjorshol, of course, got the banging opening goal, encapsulating how this team is more than just its offensive stars.
17.) RIO GRANDE VALLEY: In terms of their build style, the Toros rely on their fullbacks as outlets to come low and support initial breakout before they launch forward as ball-into-the-box setup men on the overlap. Jonathan Ricketts encapsulates the approach. On the season, he rates in the top quarter for forward passing and total passes amongst fullbacks, combining that offensive talent with similar percentiles in tackle win percentages and total defensive actions. When the wide areas are clicking, the side is able to work back into the middle, and that’s when Emilio Ycaza and Isidro Martinez can really eat.
How did that style play out against Las Vegas? Ricketts and new signee Akeem Ward got the starts at fullback to support that offensive style, and both started well. The ferocity of the Toros’ press was noticeably off by step, and the Lights were able to earn a few breaks amidst that disorganization. All the while, the guests stopped Wilmer Cabrera’s crew from breaking through and creating with any regularity. Compactness stifled those cutbacks to the center, and the multiplicative shot margin for Rio Grande Valley. Sweeping Las Vegas breaks beat this team’s narrow defense on just enough occasions, and one thunderous strike put the Toros down.
18.) TULSA: At midweek, Noah Powder got his debut at left wingback, and we saw Bradley Bourgeois slot in at centerback once again. I had groused about the addition of Sean McFarlane given Bourgeois' undroppability, so that deployment makes a lot of sense, especially given Tulsa's defensive frailty before the coaching change. You get moments in the Donovan Ricketts era where the difference in effort is astounding; Bourgeois and Eric Bird stand out as players who look positively energized under the new regime. Tactically, Tulsa matched New Mexico in a back three, and the Lebo Moloto-Rodrigo Moloto attacking midfield was splendid working off of Brian Brown's holding, albeit to minimal effect. Still, this team is night-and-day better than they were a month ago.
Down Bad
19.) MONTEREY: New signing Hunter Gorskie slotted right into a revived back three for Frank Yallop, and the results were solid. Detroit controlled more of the match, and the defensive 5-4-1 struggled to generate ideas in attack, but the combination of Gorskie with Kai Greene and Hugh Roberts was wildly hard to break down or goad out. As hinted, the midfield struggled in the new shape. Usually, two deeper centermen and Adrian Rebollar give this team a decent core centrally, but Monterey truly lacked a presence there. It stifled build and let Maxi Rodriguez look rampant on the other side, albeit to minimal effect at the end of the day.
20.) ATLANTA: With the way Atlanta's playing as of late - someone has put up at least three goals in six of their last nine matches - a game against San Antonio's counterattack projected as a track meet. It was, but not in the way Two-nited would've hoped. Even with a restored front three of Tristan Trager, Jackson Conway, and Darwin Matheus, the side struggled mightily in build. The lack of Robbie Mertz was the difference as Atlanta turned the ball over again and again; the attacking line could hardly get a touch. Mertz is in the 99th percentile for Goals Above Replacement for a reason. He's irreplaceable.
21.) HARTFORD: After starting in a strike pair last week, Rashawn Dally got the solo nod as Hartford took on Charleston. Even with Conor McGlynn dropping low between the centerbacks to overload the Battery press, Ray Reid's side struggled to build out, and that issue led directly to the side's first concession. Shape was lost after a turnover, and Augustine Williams was completely unmarked. Still, Hartford can be tremendous in transition. Prince Saydee and Andre Lewis both targeted a slow and oft-misaligned back three with their sharp movement, and it led to a number of dangerousbreaks.
22.) PHOENIX: When I was on The Fan Experience with Devon Kerr last week, he brought up the point that Irakoze Donasiyano would be more motivated than other players so as to prove himself as a loanee. The argument was that Donasiyano, a Nashville SC player, would want to impress his parent club and make sure that a Phoenix team with no inherent motivation to start him would keep the Tanzanian in the squad. Between Donasiyano and Sivert Haugli this year, David Egbo and Andre Rawls in 2021, and a slew of other players further back in time, Phoenix seems to buy into this philosophy when constructing a roster. I'm not sold on whether I agree with the take or not, but it's interesting to consider when you weigh the cost of a full-time player and their motivation by comparison.
I've listed the 2022 slate of MLS-to-USL players here alongside their Goals Above Replacement percentile relative to the average for that player's workload. Evan Newton still is deeply underrated because of the poor defending around him, but there's wide variation here. In a Phoenix context, Donasyiano stands out as perfectly average. Haugli, meanwhile, is a bit below par, and he hasn't started a match since June 19th. I'd argue that the Nashville midfielder has been a pretty big bright spot from the eye test, but these sorts of players aren't a panacea.
23.) ORANGE COUNTY: Dillon Powers made his return for Orange County after half a season away, and I was interested to see Sean Okoli get the nod at striker ahead of Cubo Torres. Better still, the 5:00 Pacific start eliminated the usual glare issues that wreck the club's home broadcasts. On the pitch, I think I'm over it with Alex Villanueva at left back. I know he's young, but bottom 30% rankings in defensive actions and tackle win rate as well as middling attacking numbers and just one assist tell a lot of the story. Too often, he leaves holes in the channel doing too much on the overlap. Villanueva is a talent, and he isn't the reason this team is so poor, but I think he needs a deployment change or some time on the sidelines.
24.) LOUDOUN: There's nothing as sad as a Loudoun lineup without Sami Guediri or Abdellatif Aboukoura, and that was the state of play as Tampa Bay paid a visit to Virginia. Jalen Robinson filled in quite nicely on the right, linking well with Zoumana Diarra as the winger ahead of him, though Loudoun predictably struggled to generate clean chances. Robinson's been a nice addition to this team, eating most minutes since he signed on and providing 100th percentile passing progressivity in the process. No matter what becomes of his club in 2023, Robinson will have a comfortable landing in the USL Championship.
25.) CHARLESTON: I was fascinated to see Enock Kwakwa get the captain's armband for the Battery on Wednesday, given that he came in to the Miami match with less than five 90s to his name in a Charleston kit. His side adopted a brand-new back three, and Matt Sheldon was a real danger down the right with a bit less defensive responsibility. Still, Charleston conceded instantly. We saw it against Atlanta, but this side is entirely too slow in defense to maintain Conor Casey's high-ish line, and opposing forwards are taking advantage.
The back three remained for the Hartford match on Saturday, and it looked a bit better at times, especially when the front line was engaged in the press. Still, the defensive errors at back were glaring again. I hate to say it, but Leland Archer looks straight-up slow. Still, the compacted pitch that Archer's high positioning creates led to the opener goal off the press for the Battery, and a second goal from Kwakwa was a lovely touch as well. This was the sort of spirited effort that had me digging Charleston a few weeks back when Andrew Booth was healthy.
26.) NEW YORK: Another week, another out-of-the-blue Caden Clark start for New York. He served as something like a second striker as Ibrahim Sekagya stuck with his streamlined 4-4-2. The shape wasn't that basic, and it even proved rather fluid in the press. On the other side, Indy tended to drop their left back lower than his right-sided peer, and New York pressed their wingers hard against the effective back three to take advantage.
Still, the Red Bulls struggled mightily to generate much of anything in attack, and Curtis Ofori had a noticeably bad game at left back against Indy's aggressive right and without much wing help in front of the teenage defender. The other flank proved fruitful, especially in the second half as O'Vonte Mullings and Jordan Adebayo-Smith united to beat the tilt and put New York ahead. This team gained in spirit and effort when Sekagya came aboard, and maybe that makes the change worth it, despite my initial skepticism.
27.) INDY: Justin Ingram got the start at right back for Indy for their Friday matchup with the Baby Bulls. He's been good at the spot as an emergency choice, but the Loyola product is probably the Eleven's best central creator. Further, why are you dumping Noah Powder if you need to relocate a natural centerman to fill his spot? Meanwhile, Alexander McQueen - preferred at fullback this year - got the nod in the middle. McQueen has prior experience at that spot with Grenada and previous clubs, and Ingram was as technical as ever at the touchline, but it's change for change's sake at a certain point.
Generally, Indy went with an unbalanced shape where Ingram served as a pseudo-wingback. At times, the right was so much further up relative to Neveal Hackshaw at left back that Indy may as well have been in a 3-4-3. That imbalance, dependent on Ayoze to get up and down the left, ceded a goal in the second half as New York recognized and attacked the chink in the Eleven's armor. In attack, the shiftiness yielded nothing, and Stefano Pinho's average touch basically came at the halfway line as the forward line grew isolated. Bad, bad stuff for this side. The season is probably done at this point with Tulsa looking resurgent and Miami holding firm enough.
I hate to say it, but at what point does Solomon Asante become an albatross around this team's neck? Indy has a tendency to lump the ball in his direction and hope that something good happens, but Asante just isn't that player in a slow-tempo system. He's in the bottom third of all attackers for xG and xA, and his Goals Above Replacement were in the 32nd percentile coming into the match. Indy has to let the central creators like Ingram and Nicky Law cook before Asante can become a threat at this stage in his career
28.) New Orleans: Welcome in, newbies. No free lunches in these rankings.
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