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Also, if you need a coach, drop a massive but on Wade Webber. But without further ado...
Title Favorites
1.) SAN ANTONIO: New man Jack Lynn got a start for Alen Marcina after a good debut and a solid MLS NEXT Pro campaign, but the real lineup headliner was Mitchell Taintor getting a deserved rest in favor of Jordy Delem. Lynn impressed right away, making smart runs behind the left back in Pittsburgh's somewhat wonky defense with regularity. Still, the night belonged to Carter Manley in the end. His defensive numbers are surprisingly low on the year, but Manley is in the 96th percentile or better in terms of his forward passing and long passing rates; he greases the wheels of Marcina's direct attack. The backheeled goal at the end to get yet another win was brilliant, but the centerback's real value came in controlling Russell Cicerone and the slithery Kenardo Forbes when the Riverhounds had possession. He dealt with interchange brilliantly; it's a testament to San Antonio that Manley isn't even a nailed starter. This team is just dominant, and they've earned the far-and-away points lead for the 2022 season.
2.) LOUISVILLE: Carlos Moguel might just be for real as a #6 in this Louisville squad. Niall McCabe is usually preferred when Tyler Gibson needs a break, but Moguel was such a safe pair of hands in the role. He had a few attacking moments where he dropped near the centerbacks and essentially changed places with Sean Totsch or Wes Charpie, addling the aggressive RGV front four and enabling incisive breaks. I don't know if I'd quite term the shape a back three, but Moguel's depth nearly made that system a reality.
Beside the rising stars at back, Manny Perez was radically effective stretching out an extremely narrow opposing defense. His opposite number, however, did the job on Louisville's opener. Amadou Dia pressed into a legitimate left-wing position, allowing Enoch Mushagulsa to push narrow and essentially become an additional striker. That forced a sloppy pass and a turnover, and Paolo DelPiccolo recognized the edge, quickly crossing into a one-on-one scenario for Wilson Harris created by Mushagalusa's movement. Classic, fluid stuff for the side that's back on top in the East.
3.) SAN DIEGO: Disclaimer: I’m a Jack Blake homer. That said, I thought he was absolutely brilliant out of the gates for the Loyal this weekend. Orange County tends rather compact in their 4-3-3, but Blake tore them asunder with his whip-smart movement. His run into the hole earned the opening assist, but the bigger story was how his every run narrowed out the opposition and let Elijah Martin get in behind. Martin, by the way, was exceptional in a defensive 4-4-2, hugging extremely deep to eliminate Milan Iloski from the face of the planet.
What went wrong at the end? San Diego went into "prevent defense" mode via a deeper 5-3-2 defensive shape, ceding territory from about the 70th minute onwards, and the substitution of both Kyle Vassell and Thomas Amang left the side without much of a foothold in terms of hold-up. This turned the defensive line towards more of a ground-based tendency in their passing, and it led to the 89th minute turnover that earned Orange County their equalizer. Still, I don't think I'm mad at the result here. San Diego is so firmly ensconced in second place that they really don't have a ton to play for. Staying healthy, getting guys like Ebenezer Ackon and Jackson Kasanzu embedded, and finding patterns like that Blake-Martin link are ultimately more important than draws against bottom-feeders.
I Don't Understand the East (or Sacramento)
4.) MEMPHIS: Part of the reason Memphis is so successful is their focus on skillful, cerebral players over raw speed and power. This is particularly true in the midfield, where Aaron Molloy, Laurent Kissiedou, and Luiz Fernando are much more likely to thread incisive passes or open gaps with subtle movement than they are to speed past you on the dribble. Enter Dylan Borczak. While still a smart mover, Borczak is a ball of energy on the wing and provides a shade of variation in the Memphis attacking corps. Ben Pirmann added the rookie from Rio Grande Valley on a multi-year deal this week, a move that bolsters 901 FC in the short term and may portend a longer-term future for Pirmann in Tennessee after the recent drama over his expiring contract. Good stuff for all those involved.
Nighte Pickering, a 17-year-old who came into Saturday with two goals in six appearances, spelled Phillip Goodrum at striker as Borczak got settled. Still, it was Aaron Molloy who stood out for me in a defensive sense. His positioning and the subtle ways in which he tracks back allow Memphis to maintain their defensive shape. Just watch him play for a given five-minute stretch, and you'll immediately notice how much value his intelligent movement adds.
Things got weird late-on as Borczak debuted as a lone striker and, uh, Niall Logue became the #10. I love Logue's passing and technique, and he's mobile and rangy as a physical mover, but he's a natural centerback. He was good in about 25 minutes at the spot, but this feels like a Ben Pirmann galaxy-brain move in ways I can't quite adjudicate on as of now. The late concession was what it was, but this felt like a bit of a mulligan for 901 FC; odd, considering where they're at in the table relative to home-field advantage in the East.
5.) MIAMI: Joshua Perez has four goals and 98th percentile foul drawing this year, illustrative of a strong dribbler with a bit of a shooting boot. Still, his tendency to make looping runs into the half spaces is his strongest attribute, constantly opening space for Florian Valot in the middle and Mark Segbers on the right-sided overlap. Later, Claudio Repetto earned his debut, but the real impact came with Joaquin Rivas' entrance to create a true front five in attack. The shape liberated great interchange amongst Rivas and players like Christian Sorto, earning a chance or two against usually-stout Memphis.
Still, the late changes deserve note. Anthony Pulis signed Repetto as a backup striker, one ostensibly capable of serving as a hold-up player and long target to spell Kyle Murphy. We saw so much more on Saturday, with Repetto regularly sliding beyond the back line to wreak havoc. Pulis also moved Miami into a true back four late-on, lending more bodies up high. Substitute Adonijah Reid, sporting three goals and three assists in less than 900 minutes this year, was a beneficiary of the shifted shape, and his late run behind Repetto near the 90th minute led to the winning goal. Are there still questions about this team's identity? Sure. Still, Miami has increasingly found that ability to make a key change to earn a gritty three points, and they look like a legitimate threat.
6.) DETROIT: Francis Atuahene is an interesting proposition for Detroit. He's got just two goals on the year, but he came into the weekend on 91st percentile expected goals per 90. There's a shell of a pacey, defense-stretching forward here, albeit one who never really scored much in the USL, but Atuahene got the look-in nonetheless in Virginia. While not overly impactful, his movement was useful in raising questions in the Loudoun defense, and he did just that on the opening goal for Le Rouge. Atuahene also got the assist on the second goal, but Laye Diop's hard-charging intervention did the heavy lifting.
Still, Maxi Rodriguez was the key man. He earned the assist on goal #1, but the way in which he showed deep in build opened up the passing lanes that created Detroit's momentum. His movement and end-to-end energy finally were rewarded after a full line change that saw the Hoppenot-Rutz-Pato group enter, rewarding his dominance over Loudoun's misaligned 4-1-4-1 shape. Rodriguez was so effective at finding the smallest gaps in the shape and slicing forth from there. The Virginians have been rather chippy all year, and going into Segra Field for a rainy road game isn't an easy task, but Detroit certainly made it looks easy via #21. Their reward? 5th place, and a real shout at a home playoff match if Birmingham's results break well.
7.) TAMPA BAY: For the first time in entirely too long, Jake LaCava and Leo Fernandes finally shared starring roles in a starting eleven as Tampa Bay took on Monterey in the Sunday nightcap. Fernandes made his 150th appearance for the Rowdies on the night, which is legitimately incredible. The Brazilian burst into my consciousness with the New York Cosmos way back in 2015 in the NASL, and he's been utterly brilliant since then.
In any event, Neill Collins' 3-4-1-2 shape starred Yann Ekra as that solitary "1" in the hole, and he struggled mightily to link play as an ostensible #10. I love Ekra, but he's a box-to-box player at heart. Nicky Law entered at half in an astute change. Meanwhile, Fernandes was bright in transition, but those opportunities were few and far between against low-tempo Monterey. The Law-Fernandes pair linked up for a tying foal shortly after halftime, illustrating why the Scotsman is such a big pickup in an offensive sense. Their presence drew MBFC deep time and again, and the Rowdies took the lead off a late-arriving Laurence Wyke run that met #11's cross with Law distracting defenders in the box all the while. Is the Rowdies' attack solved? Not quite. Still, this was a big, gritty result.
8.) SACRAMENTO: Keko and Rodrigo Lopez probably have sore backs from carrying the Republic attack, so Sacramento yelled "f*ck it" on Wednesday with a Deshorn Brown-Douglas Martinez-Maalique Foster front line. Three strikers with nary an iota of creation in sight seemed like a choice, but Martinez had enough of a wide-running instinct alongside Brown's hold-up to do the job and earn chances. Still, Luis Felipe was the man; surprise, surprise. On the whole in 2022, #96 is in the 71st percentile for Goals Above Replacement alongisde top-third defensive actions and expected goals. Here, he often was forced to operate as the linking ten despite the best efforts of the forwards to create.
When the Republic conceded, it came through a clever bit of Rising interchange that challenged Sacramento's unflappable defensive system. The back three came loose and couldn't quite handle what was effectively a front five. From there, Mark Brigg's side didn't exactly struggle to forge chances, but you never quite felt like anyone was going to grab the game by the scruff of the next to equalize. On the year, Sacramento is 23rd in the USL for conversion rate; they lack a consistent scoring threat but sorely need enhanced production.
Lopez wasn't in the squad once again on Sunday night, though teenager Santiago Suarez got another look in defense. He was at fault on the first goal, pouncing into the midfield to a wide-sliding central midfielder and thus allowing the clinical Preston Judd into the channel for Los Angeles. The Republic honestly looked devoid of ideas before the red, though Duke Lacroix was sharp. After the red, he and Keko interchanged nicely to forge some looks with forward Remi Cabral filling in at a midfield spot, and Zeiko Lewis was killer in a second-half 4-1-4-1. Still, a sloppy own goal at Cabral's hands (or feet?) sealed the deal in yet another instance of Sacramento taking a game hilariously lightly.
In the Mix
9.) RIO GRANDE VALLEY: I was very high on Dylan Borczak early in the season. He gave a narrow Toros team a modicum of width and provided variance within a gratingly slow offense, but he fell out of favor at about midseason for whatever reason. Still, Borczak's sale to Memphis this week caught me by surprise considering the winger's youth. Does this portend a longer deal for Christian Pinzon? The ex-Chivas man was announced as having been signed "to the 2022 USL Championship roster," language that suggests a contract through the end of this year. I've been critical of RGV's roster management before, and I'll be baffled if Pinzon walks and they've sold his closest approximation on the team.
Saturday was fairly chastening for the red-hot Toros. Louisville's vintage 4-1-4-1 press closed wildly hard to Emilio Ycaza and Jonas Fjeldberg when they dropped in, and a rotation heavy side barely gave RGV a look. Frustrated in build, the side often looked long but could never find consistency against a high-line offside trap. Louisville does this against everyone, but the match was just a constant font of frustration for Wilmer Cabrera's squad.
10.) EL PASO: Somehow, it's darkly fitting that this El Paso team gets their playoff hunt waylaid by a freaking hurricane. The imminent landfall of Hurricane Ian saw the Locomotive's trip to Tampa delayed to October 12th, the Wednesday of 2022's final matchweek. Luckily, the side can go all-out, as they're the only club who had a built-in gap on the final Saturday.
I had to bloviate my way through an El Paso bye last week, and I'll repeat the trick here by just rambling about Yuma. Now 36 years old, the Spaniard started his career in the Rayo Vallecano system, and that led him to make the jump to Rayo OKC in 2016 after bouncing around the tiers below La Liga. Yuma quickly established himself as a steady presence, if one known for his no-nonsense tackling and minimal acceptance of bullshit. He joined the NPSL version of the Jacksonville Armada in 2018 and made the leap to El Paso alongside Mark Lowry a year later. Sporting #24, he began as a midfielder with the Locomotive but has anchored the four-man defensive line since 2020.
Going year-by-year in terms of his USL rank for pass completions, Yuma rated in the:
86th percentile in 2019
94th percentile in 2020
96th percentile in 2021
98th percentile in 2022
He's an utter metronome in a high-possession system, and he combines that control with heady defensive positioning and iconic hair. Hate Yuma's hard edges all you want, but I'll keep riding for the Spaniard.
11.) OAKLAND: Even in consuming Roots coverage, I tend to miss out on praise for Mikael Johnsen, and he really isn't a nailed start within the squad, but he takes my breath away with a skillful touch or incisive pass whenever I see him play. Johnsen and Memo Diaz made a world of difference for Oakland down the stretch against Birmingham on Saturday, supercharging the side to get a late winner. All night long, the Legion's narrow defensive approach looked shaky against this team's front five, but Diaz's tendency to jump high from a left-center position put the team over the top. Meanwhile, Johnsen's tight first touch and heady runs made him a viable secondary hold-up option alongside Ottar Karlsson. The amalgamation of smart changes from Noah Delgado earned Juan Azocar's late goal, his eighth in an all-league 2022 and the difference-maker in pushing the Roots up to sixth in the table.
12.) BIRMINGHAM: Oakland is a unique side and a tough away game for an Eastern Conference side, and the Legion felt that on Saturday. Enzo Martinez was particularly bright carving space behind the Roots' two-man pivot, and that helped create the opening goal alongside Bruno Lapa, but Birmingham generally looked a shade hectic. This was a stronger game from Anderson Asiedu on the wing, but he failed to track back effectively on the Oakland opener. Poor closing from Jonny Dean and a worse clearance from an unsupported Mikey Lopez let Ottar Karlsson equalize, and things only worsened later on. Sadik Balarabe wasn't up to the task on the defensive left, and Oakland's subs utterly controlled the run of play down that side. The ultimate winner began down that flank before a switch caught the Legion out.
What's the tactical lesson? The guests needed much more support down the wings against a team that always has two players near the touchline when in possession. Moving Asiedu to the pivot alongside Zach Herivaux let the Legion defend with six men, but they were just too narrow and too offensive with Marlon and Balarabe as the late-game options. You can see how those two could've broken the game open on the break with their speed, but they just didn't, and losing Lapa's patience on the ball left the Legion off the pace. Things get interesting now with tough San Antonio and Indy games on the docket and Detroit hot down Birmingham’s neck for a home playoff match.
13.) COLORADO SPRINGS: I'd be remiss if I didn't discuss the Hadji Barry situation at this point. The reigning MVP hasn't played in either of the Switchbacks' prior two matches, and though the team doesn't seem to publish injury reports anywhere, last weekend's broadcast did not include Barry amongst the unhealthy. The prevailing rumor is that #10 has been sold to an unnamed Egyptian club, which would make a lot of sense in context. What's less clear is whether or not Barry will return to the squad in 2022. If not, how might Colorado Springs adjust?
Against both San Antonio and Oakland, Brendan Burke used a 3-4-3 shape. With Hadji Barry in, the side had recently preferred a 4-2-4, so the Switchbacks become an ostensibly more defensive side in the striker's absence. Still, having that extra centerback has liberated Sebastian Anderson to play with great aggression at wingback; there's some complexity at play. In terms of the forward line, Elvis Amoh and Michee Ngalina continue to start, but Kharlton Belmar and Aaron Wheeler have each been given a chance to complete the trio. I loved what Wheeler brought against the Roots; he's in the 94th percentile for aerial wins in limited time this year, and his physicality and hold-up enabled the other attackers to move with great freedom and verve.
Nevertheless, we can't undersell what losing Barry would mean. He's in the 100th percentile for Goals Above Replacement this year; my numbers think he's literally the best forward in the USL, and 16 goals and nine assists tend to bolster that take. Barry's evolved into a deeper-seated creator and long-range shooter this season, but he still comes up with those poached finishes you'd expect from the reigning Golden Boot holder. I believe in Burke's ability to adjust and reforge this team, but that doesn't mean that a downgrade hasn't occurred.
14.) NEW MEXICO: I've remarked on it before, but New Mexico's pivot from a width-centric, back-three using side to starting Harry Swartz as a winger and defending with four centerbacks is really quite wild. Still, injuries to Neco Brett, Cristian Nava, and Romario Williams naturally left Zach Prince's side thin in attack on Friday. Kevaughn Frater was strong picking up possession in transition thanks to his intelligent movement, but the game was rather negative as the away side clamped down in their 4-2-3-1. New Mexico didn't necessarily need a win given their position in the table, but a four-centerback lineup was excessively defensive for my taste. When Josh Suggs came in, Harry Swartz became more of an end-to-end wingback, and the side adopted something akin to a 3-5-2, New Mexico maybe looked a shade brighter, but incision just lacked against a compact Lights team. Nevertheless, Prince and company are four points above the drop line without having played excess matches, which is an eminently safe place to be.
15.) MONTEREY: Without Christian Volesky in the squad, Chase Boone moved to striker in a rather smart bit of deployment from Frank Yallop against Las Vegas. Boone is a 6'2" hoss with pace and technique to boot, but his midfield skills lent an extra degree of interchange in Monterey's attack. Still, moments of incision were relatively rare against a Lights side that was packing it as deep as you can imagine. That frustration led Grant Robinson and especially Morey Doner to creep ever higher with their teammates in possession, and the issues grew from there.
About half an hour in, Monterey did their best "season opener against Phoenix" impression and committed a hideous turnover in defense. Las Vegas' forward drew both centerbacks narrow, but Doner couldn't recover to prevent Danny Trejo from getting into the channel for the opener. The Lights went up two on a set piece shortly thereafter, and a second-half switch to a true two-striker shape with Seku Conneh swiftly led to a third concession and a later fourth.
Suddenly under the gun in the table, Yallop and company hosted a Tampa Bay team in the midst of a dry spell. Boone remained up top in a nigh unchanged team, and he earned the opening assist. Chances were at a premium, but Monterey was most successful when they could work beyond the opposing 3-4-3 in transition. Simon Dawkins powered the press against Tampa Bay's deeper right, constantly creating trouble and helping to forge that Boone ball to Sam Gleadle on the opener. Walmer Martinez was bright as well, especially in his defensive tracking against Leo Fernandes, but the Rowdies' #11 still got a tying assist and go-ahead second when MBFC couldn't react to an enhanced midfield for second half Tampa Bay.
Ultimately, I want more risk-taking for Monterey. Go all-out for playoff qualification! Conneh came on late against Tampa Bay, but he simply changed up the boilerplate 4-2-3-1 rather than create a two-striker shape. There are subtle but impactful steps to take that just aren't hitting, and these developments are likely costing the expansion side a playoff bid.
Done but Fun (and Pittsburgh?)
16.) HARTFORD: The Tab Ramos 4-3-3 continues to roll in attack, and eye-gougingly bad neon green kits didn't slow the momentum. In the shape, Prince Saydee tends deeper and wide on the right side of the front three while Juan Obregon and Ariel Martinez interchange as more narrow forwards. Time and again, the former would drop low as a passing option and drag Charleston his way, opening up Martinez to cut against the movement of the back line; this pattern created the opening goal. Meanwhile, the 4-1-4-1 press that hasn't changed since the Ray Reid interim area created goal two, with Danny Barrera dropping into the pivot to intercept. Ultimately, another genius Martinez run opened the space for a late-arriving runner to score in.
Still, this team can't help but blow three-goal leads for fun. Barrera and Andre Lewis are partially to blame for their attack-heavy tendencies in the midfield, and Charleston took full advantage. A fourth goal (and a fifth, and a sixth!) and a switch into a 5-4-1 let Ramos' side get over the line, but I'd expect an entirely new defense heading into 2023. My advice? Keep Younes Boudadi and go from there.
17.) ORANGE COUNTY: Alex Villanueva is one of the most baffling players in the USL Championship. I thought he was solid in Tacoma, and I find him bright upon viewing in a casual sense. He's in the 73rd percentile for overall value, but none of his individual statistics rate above the 59th percentile. Basically, Villanueva is a net positive but doesn't excel in any one area. Time and again, he hugs too narrow or too high in defense, and that very pattern bore itself out on Orange County's opening concession against San Diego. A runner burst into the channel, Villanueva followed, and the Loyal suddenly had a free cross to score off of.
Mikko Kuningas, playoff hero and jack-of-all-trades in terms of position, spelled Villanueva late at left back, helping Orange County to gain control against a sheepish, ever-deepening Loyal side. He supported Bryce Jamison down that side, but both of their entrances forced Korede Osundina into the middle of a 4-3-3ish shape, a switch that changed the game. Fresh off of a hot stretch with the US U-20s, Osundina was a huge spark in the press alongside Brian Iloski and Cubo Torres. His rangy running and endlessly progressive impetus in possession changed the game, and he got the assist on the elder Iloski's late tying goal to boot. #18 is a huge talent, and he's part of a side that's adding and rediscovering pieces with each passing week.
18.) PITTSBURGH: It's quite the odd situation where I end up denigrating Pittsburgh every week when they're comfortably in the playoffs, but their performances are endlessly underwhelming. I was shocked to find that the Riverhounds are third(!) in the USL Championship for expected goal differential; they're excellent at controlling chances and generating their own. Still, San Antonio was uniquely capable at laying bare their deficiencies. A back-four shape supercharged a Mertz-Forbes-Dixon-Cicerone attack, but the talent didn't do the job. Attacking moves constantly feel labored, and there's an absolute dearth of motion and controlled creation, even against such low-possession sides as Saturday's opposition. The playoffs are obviously the end-all, be-all, but I might mess around and start the "Lilley Out" bandwagon if this team disappoints early in the postseason yet again.
19.) TULSA: Another week, another Luca Sowinski-Christopher Pearson duo for FC Tulsa. Sowinski led the charge with a smart run and clean finish on the opening goal, but I loved everything Sean McFarlane did in the build. He was an outlet for a dump-off after a long ball over the Indy press, then tore upfield to earn the assist. Noah Powder was just a strong in a more subtle fashion on the left, bearing the brunt of a truly aggressive 4-3-3 scheme from the Eleven. Powder's in the 79th percentile for expected goals and the 75th for defensive actions since leaving Indianapolis, and he looked like he wanted revenge here.
Still, this was the Sowinski show. His tight-angle finishing, defense-shredding movement, and heady defensive rotation blew me away. It's a tall task to look comfortable and confident alongside such technical stars as Rodrigo Da Costa and the sizzling Dario Suarez, but the 18-year-old looked like a natural. I'll have much more this week for the USL Tactics Show on his excellence.
20.) INDY: After Justin Ingram's presence in a deepened midfield pivot helped turn the Loudoun game into a win, the Pike grad (shoutout, Indy folks!) got the start in Atlanta this Wednesday. Teenager Ecris Revolorio from Evansville, an Academy Contract player, also got a nod in a starting role amidst a rotated team. The shape was something like a 4-4-2, but the midfield was insanely fluid. Alexander McQueen and Ingram swapped flanks without a second thought, and Sam Brown was more willing than usual to get upfield. Wilfredo Rivera, the other teenager in the squad, looked bright in the attacking third, possessing well with his back to goal and linking play as Indy took a 1-0 lead off a corner while settling into offensive dominance.
A widening Atlanta attack garnered some looks, but the Eleven mostly maintained control, and Robby Dambrot's inverted involvement was key. The right-footed left-sider, in the 97th percentile for expected goals while in the Hoosier State, is a vital cog for Lowry, and this recent run of form - Atlanta win included - begs for his return in 2023.
On Saturday, things hinged on the function of the press. Indy trotted out more of a 4-3-3, one that aggressively pushed the central midfielders up to wreak havoc. That paid off in the run-up to the opening goal, where Ayoze and Neveal Hackshaw pinched up to deny a break, Juan Tejada dropped in to force a bad backpass, and #7 re-gained to earn a set piece.
Still, that same pressure became overstretched on the Tulsa opener, with Bryan Rebellon closing to the opposing right back, failing to recover off a one-two, and causing a chain reaction that let a man in behind. There was a nascent second-half comeback, but the Jesus Vazquez-led defensive line utterly lacked the pace to keep up at the end of the day, though it was nice to get Ayoze on the score sheet. The rest of the season is ultimately about learning more than an arbitrary eight-through-ten spot in the table, but these sorts of performances still bite.
21.) LAS VEGAS: Morten Bjorshol is a big miss at right back for the Lights, and his injury absence in a vital midweek matchup with Monterey spelled trouble for the narrow, defense-first side. Still, Enrique Duran deserves credit for organizing a stupendously deep-seated 4-5-1 shape that often saw a midfielder or two drop into an impassable back six. These scenarios drew the opponent up and opened long breaks into Danny Trejo's speed and Cal Jennings' gravitational movement, though tactical fouling often cut out such moves. Still, the solidity drew Monterey further and further upfield, and a spirited bit of Jennings pressure created a turnover to create a one-on-two that quickly became an odd-man rush culminating in a Trejo goal. The MBFC fullbacks simply couldn't recover in time as they sat high to pressure the deep Las Vegas shape.
With a lead, the Lights were able to coast to a certain degree. Alex Lara and pre-sub Mohamed Traore rotated really nicely, and you got some classic end-to-end interventions from Frank Daroma and Daniel Crisostomo. Two second-half breaks also got Trejo an extra goal and assist. With the win, the Lights stayed right in the middle of the race for the last two playoff spots and finally showed signs of life. Their deep goal difference, however, is a problem as a tiebreaker.
Still, the Lights had momentum heading into a Friday game against a well-rested New Mexico side. Las Vegas held a solid chunk of possession but rather struggled to break down their foes in block, though the 4-5-1 held at back once again. Frank Daroma was a standout once again, tempo-setting with 93% passing accuracy and five defensive actions; his safety frees the energy of Daniel Crisostomo. Nonetheless, Las Vegas didn't get a single shot on goal in a game where they badly needed a win.
22.) PHOENIX: Luis Seijas isn't a defensive holder, but his deep-lying creation in the pivot is spectacular. He lacks a bit of physicality and hard-tackling instinct in that spot, but no one else in the USL is as clean and technical in possession. Time and again, he'd show tight to the back three and dare Sacramento to close high to him on Wednesday; in turn, guys like Santi Moar and Arturo Rodriguez suddenly became viable passing outlets. You saw that logic play out on Phoenix's opener. Seijas and Aodhan Quinn both camped deep, drawing the Republic up. Meanwhile, Santi Moar and Baboucarr Njie swapped roles with #7 popping to the flank. Sacramento got lost, Arturo Rodriguez sliced underneath a left-moving Greg Hurst, and it was 1-0 via #10. Solid enough organization in a 4-5-1/5-4-1 offensive-defense blend turned that lead into a rare clean sheet win, a bright outcome for a team with little to play for.
The New York game was a breeze by comparison, but a lot of the same patterns prevailed. Torres and King were strong on the unbalanced right relative to the staider Hayden Sargis at left, and Sargis showed a real predilection for carrying the ball wide beyond New York's front-two press. That allowed Njie (79th percentile Goals Above Replacement, 88th percentile expected goals) to feast in space on the same left flank, and he earned his first goal of the year for the effort. The Baby Bulls were truly feckless, but Rodriguez and Moar also ate up in the forward line. Even if the playoffs aren't happening - Phoenix is behind too many teams and has too many games already in the books - this is the exact sort of progress and chemistry-building you want down the stretch. We're seeing the rebuild happen live.
Down Bad
23.) LOS ANGELES: Adam Saldana and Adrian Gonzalez excelled in the center of the pitch as Galaxy II hosted Sacramento on Sunday evening, with the former sitting ahead of the centerbacks and the latter roaming about the right half space. Saldana's distribution forced the Republic narrow, while Gonzalez opened downfield passing lanes with his runs; a feint to #43 paired with #45 drawing a defender created the assist on Preston Judd's opener.
Remi Cabral was as strong as ever carrying in transition, leading the way in all of Los Angeles' counters. His gravity in those scenarios is underrated in how it opens balls into Judd's feet. Still, the offensive joy that Cabral wrought was undermined by Michael Salazar's red, and Sacramento really controlled play throughout the second half. Still, it only takes a moment in this sport, and Los Angeles' 4-4-1 got a counter around the 60th minute where Cabral sprung from the wing to shadow a centerback and force an own goal. Judd did the heavy lifting in streaking behind the high left back for Sacramento, but the move was a testament to this team's star-level creators.
And yeah, I'm just leaving Los Angeles as "Down Bad" after the stadium thing. Fight me.
24.) LOUDOUN: It's been a tough assignment for Luis Zamudio all year long in front of an oft-leaky defense, but the Loudoun 'keeper is still in the 76th percentile for his total value and the 85th for Goals Saved Above Average. Still, that squeaker he allowed against Detroit was brutal to see. Bad moment or not, Loudoun's misaligned midfield play was the issue that led to the goal. The 4-2-3-1 was fine, but when Nicky Downs or Houssou Landry burst up to track a runner, things fell apart. Whoever stepped up left space for Detroit's three-man front line to find space, and that's where the trouble began. The patterns persisted even after a halftime triple change, notably isolating Landry in the leadup to the corner that yielded a third Le Rouge tally. Generally, it was an extremely poor way to kiss goodbye to Segra Field for the year.
25.) CHARLESTON: It brings me no joy to note that AJ Paterson is miscast as a centerback. I firmly believe that he's a bona fide star as a physical left back, but the instinct is just a step off in a truer defensive deployment. Paterson was glacial recovering to a ball over the top on the first Battery concession, hugged too tight for the primary runner to cede the second, and generally sees himself hamstrung in a creative sense thanks to his deep role. There's a way this setup works; take Aedan Stanley in Miami, who overlaps as a left-centerback in a wonky shape with aplomb. You got hints of that sort of role in the second half, as centerback carriage from Paterson and two-assist Leland Archer got Charleston back into it. The side became more direct against the press and nearly pulled off the comeback. "Nearly," of course, is the operative word for the Battery in 2022.
26.) ATLANTA: In their last USL match in Kennesaw, Two-nited relied on Darwin Matheus and Nicolas Firmino to use their technique and ingenuity to wreak havoc amidst a shapeless midfield four from Indy Eleven. Toni Tiente sat just in front of the defense, and the aforementioned duo were liberated to operate in varying vertical lanes to challenge that opposing defensive system. Naturally, however, Atlanta was first to concede despite having the better idea. On two consecutive defensive corner kicks, they packed the six-yard area while Indy used just three runners. The Eleven were able to continually regain possession with the hosts so compact, eventually earning a shot on net to score.
I've said it before, but Atlanta's year doesn't hinge on such concessions. It's the player development and the moments of offensive beauty that matter. As soon as Matheus and Firmino started drawing Indy narrow then spraying balls wide, play opened up for the side. Finally, Jackson Conway's movement and late-arriving run from my favorite midfield pair opened up looks and half-chances for Tristan Trager. Indy kept control, but Atlanta showed a modicum of progress.
Still, I'm left wondering about the squad construction here relative to the senior roster. Atlanta United is on the fringe of the MLS playoffs, and you could go either way as to whether that should motivate them to rely on veterans or promote young stars. If the latter case held true, then Tristan Trager should've been in MLS yesterday. Someone like a Tiente is getting spot starts at age 24, lacking that Trager upside as well as the undeniable talent to give purpose to his role. I'm rambling, but Two-nited just feels misbegotten in 2022. Maybe MLS NEXT Pro leads to some clarity in terms of operations.
27.) NEW YORK: If you've seen a Juan Guerra team play in 2022, you know that he trusts a three-centerback set to patiently build with the ball out of the back. If you're Ibrahim Sekagya, maybe that means you press with aggressive wingers in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 to addle those players. Maybe you adopt a back three of your own - not uncommon early in the year for New York - and match Phoenix on level terms. The answer isn't to sit back in a light-closing 4-4-2 that allows the three defenders all the time in the world to pick out passes. You start out with an ill-advised setup, throw in six or seven players by my count that haven't figured in regularly, and that's how a 5-1 loss happens. Michael Knapp's second red card in the last month or two obviously didn't help, and the Baby Bulls never were going into Phoenix and earning three points, but it's all a bit dispiriting. Hey, three goals in seven games for Jordan Adebayo-Smith! That's a lot for a team with just six strikes in that entire stretch.
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