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But without further ado...
Title Contenders
1.) SAN ANTONIO: Alen Marcina's side is one of the most foul-happy in the USL, rating second in the league for fouls conceded after Tuesday's game against Colorado Springs. You could easily look at that number and assume that San Antonio is dirty, but the fouling is much too intentional for that distinction. Mohammed Abu, Shannon Gomez, and the rest of the defensive core are eminently discerning in cutting down wingbacks on the break or centerbacks with a clear angle for a line-breaking entry pass. Few fouls yield dangerous set pieces, perpetuating San Antonio's control over territory in the run of play.
Meanwhile, Connor Maloney and Shannon Gomez have emerged as first-choice stars at the fullback spots, and their edge in the wide areas carried San Antonio whenever the pace picked up against the Switchbacks. Both players are above the 80th percentile for Goals Above Replacement and the 90th for forward passing, and their verve in transition is always key.
On Saturday, San Antonio took the game to Sacramento and pounded their closest back-three simulacrum in the USL. Carter Manley was hufely influential with his bursts into the midfield to close. He's been a spot player this year, but he still rates in the 95th percentile for forward passing and presents utility as a deep right back or central defender. Manley helped to cut out a Sacramento move midway from the first half, loosing a Samuel Adeniran hold-up passage and give-and-go that gave the hosts their opening goal. Defense leading to offense as ever for Marcina and company; it's stunning how they turn centerback pressure into breakneck attacking.
2.) MEMPHIS: Laurent Kissiedou moved into the pivot alongside Aaron Molloy in order to bear the brunt of Louisville City's league-best press and ease build into the attacking half on Friday, but the opener came from high pressure. Memphis generally did well to establish control around halfway, and Patrick Seagrist used his movement to loose Jeremy Kelly, a latter-day Arjen Robben, all night long. Seagrist was excellent playing beyond Louisville's right winger, and he's in the 99th percentile for Goals Above Replacement this year. His overlapping freed Kelly throughout the match, and their partnership is a huge catalyst behind Memphis' season-long success.
Throughout the second half, Ben Pirmann's side overcame the press to find chances and own the final third. Louisville came out with a quick opening goal that leveraged the attacking-centric Molloy-Kisssiedou pivot, but Memphis recovered with aplomb. Late-game shape changes predicated on centerback substitutions bore fruit, and increasingly aggressive counterpressure continued to buy looks. Molloy did the job on the opener, regaining the ball and crossing into the box to create the scrum that freed Derek Dodson's equalizer. Late-on, Graham Smith stayed high off a corner to get the winner in a sustained spell of press-driven glory. The beauty of Memphis is that they can kill you in a million ways. Lesser foes fold because of Kelly, but 901 FC can beat anybody because of an immaculately organized defensive system, and a lot of that credit belongs to Pirmann.
I think it's safe to say that Memphis is co-favorites with Louisville for the conference crown at this point. The win at Lynn Family Stadium says a lot, and that came with a makeshift backline with Dodson at fullback and Rece Buckmaster in the middle. Niall Logue got back into the mix as a substitute, and that can only help what's already a stout unit. In any event, the side's road win stands out in a week where Tampa Bay and Birmingham cancelled each other out one rung below the heavy hitters in the table.
3.) SAN DIEGO: Jackson Kasanzu's early exit against Las Vegas was a real slap in the face; the defender had been excellent filling the leftmost centerback role, and he'd shut down Cal Jennings in semi-transition multiple times in that game alone. Kasanzu's excellence allowed Elijah Martin to start on the right flank in a 3-5-2. Consider that for a moment. This is Elijah Martin, my leader in the clubhouse for the all-league left back nod. Of course, he made a timely burst into the box for San Diego's second goal, raising the question of what Martin can't do.
The Loyal dominated in a lot of ways, and the three-man center was utterly dominant against Las Vegas' diamond. Scoring after a matter of second, San Diego stayed engaged and took it to the host side. The back three handled a two-striker shape cleanly, those centerman matched three attacking-minded foes man-for-man, and danger never really developed. Sure, the Lights are in miserable form, but this was as clean a win on the road as you could ever hope for, second-half allowance notwithstanding.
4.) LOUISVILLE: Danny Cruz goes a bit underrecognized because he inherited the success machine that is Louisville City, but he always knows how to teak the gameplan for a specific opponent. Against Memphis, that meant extra aggression from the central midfielders and back-pressure from Wilson Harris against 901 FC's all-important pivot. Still, the wings proved problematic. Generally, Jorge Gonzalez pushed a bit too high on the right, allowing all-leaguer Jeremy Kelly to work behind and isolate Manny Perez. Kelly is the USL's best attacker when it comes to slicing inside as an inverted winger, and that exact scenario overloaded Tyler Gibson in the middle and led to a first-half disallowed goal amidst regular danger.
Excessive midfield pressure led to trouble throughout the second half, and Louisville lost the shot battle six-to-two in the last 35 minutes. A turnover against harsh counterpressure led to Memphis' equalizing goal after the hosts gained the lead, and similar position-maintaining counterpressure gave 901 FC the ultimate win after the 90th minute. Am I particularly worried about Louisville after this game? No. They're elite, their system is proven, and Brian Ownby didn't play. Still, Memphis is maybe the one team that Cruz has to take seriously in the East.
On the sly, it's a bit of a dry spell for Louisville at the moment. Their recent run includes:
Losses to Indy, Miami, and Memphis
Draws with Pittsburgh and Tulsa
Wins over a Sacramento team resting everyone for the Open Cup and, uh, Loudoun
I'm not saying this team is in trouble, but gaining a bit of form and consistency before the playoffs begin would be big.
5.) SACRAMENTO: Matt LaGrassa, Nick Ross, and Luis Felipe have four goals between them this year, and I'm increasingly convinced that's Sacramento's problem in attack. Keko and Rodrigo Lopez give you the numbers as primary runners working off of whoever's the #9 for the day, but the Republic sorely lack for secondary scoring. Jack Gurr and Damia Viader are brilliant on the overlap from deep, but you don't see them carve inside; Mark Briggs knows they're too vital to this side's wide solidity. Still, if you're running with three centerbacks, let the #6 types get high with late runs and trust the process. Especially given Duke Lacroix's presence in the back line with Lee Desmond out for the year, this team has the flexibility and mobility at back to be effective without two-man shielding. Maybe I'm overreacting to impotence against San Antonio's league-best defense, but Sacramento is capable of more.
Playoff Likelies
6.) RIO GRANDE VALLEY: The Toros came into the weekend as hot as any side in the USL, and their opponent was a Charleston team fresh off a three-red-card drubbing. You almost hate to face a team coming off of such an embarrassment, and Charleston looked spirited closing on RGV's build in a front four of their own. Still, sweet release came early in the second half when Wilmer Cabrera's side overloaded the central midfield via Jonas Fjedlberg and Emilio Ycaza dropping in. The ensuing four-on-two led to a regain of possession, and Ycaza blasted a switch to red-hot Christian Pinzon for a bar-down banger. It's those same players every time for RGV; this starting eleven is for real. Pinzon, by the way, has ten goals and assists combined in about nine matches worth of minutes since signing. This team has a knack for timely signings, and Pinzon is chief among them.
7.) TAMPA BAY: No better example of the difference between 2021 and 2022 than the first goal the Rowdies allowed against Birmingham on Friday. The side had controlled territory, and that meant the fullbacks were upfield. Aaron Guillen stepped high into the midfield after a near-rebound, Birmingham worked long beyond him to isolate Laurence Wyke after a Conner Antley whiff, and it was 1-0 like that. Still, this team continues to contend in the East on the strength of their attack. The off-balanced 3-5-2 with Leo Fernandes higher at left than Sebastian Dalgaard at right paid dividends in pinning Jonny Dean low, and Tampa Bay controlled the run of play from the get-go. A shape changed from the opposition changed the tide, but the Rowdies were probably the better team, and they're *this* close to clicking into gear.
8.) MIAMI: Claudio Repetto, who put up about a goal every other game in Charleston but struggled to earn time in Phoenix this year, joined Miami at midweek, and he'll be a good backup for Kyle Murphy. They share a physical frame and good instinct as a true #9, but Murphy is a better finisher. He's red hot as well, with five goals in five games heading into Saturday's Monterey matchup. Miami's in a comfort zone right now in terms of personnel and system Defensive back five turns into an attacking back four with wonky fullbacks; Mark Segbers eats you alive; etc. There was a slight variation into a true 4-4-2 in the press, and the choice really limited Monterey down the middle. In the other direction, Florian Valot shone despite the limited offensive output. He's on four goals and eight assists this year alongside 92nd percentile Goals Above Replacement, and his movement in attack is staggeringly good at pulling defenders out of shape. Valot's importance will be crucial if Miami gets enough offense to make a playoff run.
9.) BIRMINGHAM: Birmingham is more flexible than most USL sides in terms of their defensive shape, so weeks of a 4-4-2 gave way to a 4-2-3-1 in Tampa this Friday. Enzo Martinez slotted into the left wing spot, and Anderson Asiedu finally started in the defensive midfield. Still, Martinez swapped to the right after about ten minutes, and his creative movement out of a deep-block defense allowed the Legion to break long past Tampa Bay through Juan Agudelo to create a quick goal. Birmingham is quietly one of the most fearsome transition sides in the league. They average the fifth-least touches between shots in the USL, and speedsters like Jonny Dean and Marlon are brilliant when they can engage off of Agudelo's hold-up, as on the opener. Nonetheless, the Legion struggled to break beyond the wonky 3-5-2 for the most part. The second-half 4-4-2 was stronger defensively, and I liked what Sadik Balarabe brought to the table on the wing. He might be the x-factor that boosts this team in the playoffs, but driving a draw in late September ain't bad.
10.) DETROIT: I finally put Detroit in the top five, and they draw against New York? You can blame karma, but a semi-rotated Le Rouge side struggled to build with control against a spirited Red Bulls press. Some long balls over the wingbacks paid off, but progression was generally labored. I did find that Richard Foster offered a unique profile as a passer, but he's no Deklan Wynne on the overlap. This wasn't a bad performance per se, but Detroit has to dominate sides like New York if they're for real.
Le Rouge thus went into the weekend five points off a home playoff game but with no matchups left against Pittsburgh, Birmingham, or Tampa Bay. Still, Trevor James kept up his recent experimentation by slotting Cy Goddard into the starting eleven. He was in the attacking midfield line in the now-preferred 3-4-2-1 system, one that utterly denied a very teenaged Tulsa middle. Still, Yazeed Matthews showed a bit more of a tendency to play as a real striker, and he filled the center of the box with aplomb on occasion. In a late first-half chance, Antoine Hoppenot burst into the channel to dually draw the opposing centerbacks and free a Foster cross, and it would've been 1-0 from Matthews' header if not for a disallowance. He made it 1-0 for real early in the second half by hammering home in a scrum, but Detroit collapsed from there.
Around the 60th minute, the press turned into more of a front-two style, and the central midfielders crept forward. Meanwhile, Foster and Rhys Williams sunk lower in block. These dual factors let Tulsa build over the midfield while also leaving room for crosses, leading to two sloppy allowances. Yeah, Le Rouge had the better looks overall, but they have to seal the deal in these matchups rather than misalign their press and go sloppy.
Since I've gone on too long about Detroit already, it's high time I throw some love to Matt Lewis, one of the most consistent players in the USL. He was never at fault for Detroit's foibles; indeed, Lewis really stood out time and again in the defensive third. The centerback's career arc is fascinating, ranging from experience with Sporting Kansas City's system to the lesser days of the New York Cosmos. After getting his USL shot this year, Lewis is around the 80th percentile for Goals Above replacement with solid rates in terms of tackling efficiency, aerial wins, and forward passing. He's technical in possession and smart positionally, and he'll be key down the stretch for Trevor James.
11.) EL PASO: Stop me if you've heard this one before, but Dylan Mares is completely awesome at soccer. El Paso has gone under the radar this season outside of the Luna sale and the weird Richie Ryan controversy, and that makes sense given a somewhat underwhelming points total, but this team still can be an offensive juggernaut with Mares at its heart. The midfielder has nine goals and five assists as we near the end of the campaign, but his performance in a four- or five-man high press last week against Los Angeles was a reminder of his complete game. I've loved Mares' game since he debuted for Indy Eleven way back in 2014, and to see him remain an absolute star this many years later is lovely.
In the Mix
12.) MONTEREY: Tripling your opponent for shots on target at home should lead to a win, but Monterey was just a shade too mistake-prone to earn a decisive victory against Phoenix this week. Conceding two penalties and missing one of your own is a brutal outcome, but Frank Yallop's side was still rather dominant. They leveraged the space in the channels innate to the Rising 3-4-3 effectively, dropping Simon Dawkins deep and pushing Sam Gleadle and Christian Volesky on diagonal runs wide of the defense. Kai Greene was impressive as a distributor from the back as well, variously playing diagonals into those aforementioned gaps or threading incisive balls through the midfield. Should this have been a win? Absolutely. Monterey was the brighter side. Still, the margin for error is razor thin, and this team has to be a shade cleaner to do the job and make the playoffs.
The journey to do just that continued on Saturday with Adrian Rebollar, Hunter Gorskie, and two other midweek substitutes promoted to starting roles. Frank Yallop's 4-4-2 was very good at denying the middle of the pitch, and I was as impressed as ever with Morey Doner. The right back, imported from the Canadian Premier League over the offseason, is in the 82nd percentile for Goals Above Replacement and the 84th for cross volume, but his discerning overlaps and breakneck work rate are definitional to the Monterey system. He's a budding star, and he shone in what was an otherwise negative match.
13.) COLORADO SPRINGS: Sebastian Anderson made his return for the Switchbacks on Tuesday but his side was woedully undermanned in the heart of the pitch while deep in the heart of Texas. I've railed about the lacking progressivity of a Makangila-Echevarria before, but their risk-aversion stood out against San Antonio even with Anderson and Tristan Hodge tucking inside from the wingback spots in build. The Switchbacks ended up with just two shots on goal, and their substitutions didn't help; why put Macca King on if you're forcing him to play as a deep centerback? There wasn't even a shape change when Aaron Wheeler and Cam Lindley entered the frame, though the latter was as impactful as ever. Another game, another tight loss.
Anderson moved to the left side on Saturday, and the Switchbacks' front three. I've frankly not seen what Aaron Wheeler adds in this team, but he was as physically dominant as any forward I've seen this year against the Roots. He, by the way, is in the 99th percentile for foul drawing and the 93rd for expected goals on the year; shows you what I know. Wheeler's hold-up assisted the opening Elvis Amoh goal, linked Lindley for a chance minutes later, and generally gave Brendan Burke's side a foothold to overload Oakland's vulnerable half spaces. Still, the initial dominance went wanting, and the side lost the plot after Elvis Amoh's second-half red card. It's a bit of a trend, isn't it? Colorado Springs just lacks the verve and killer instinct they rode early in the season.
14.) NEW MEXICO: No team in the USL averages a higher home attendance than New Mexico United, and I love pretty much everything their marketing department does, but that raucous atmosphere hasn't turned into on-field joy. No team in the Western Conference has earned less points at home than the Meow Wolf warriors; by contrast, the side is the second-best in the West while away. Bumpy Isotope Park may play a role for an increasingly possessive side, but it's not as if the rest of the league is full of pristine pitches. Maybe pitch size matters for an increasingly narrow tactical system? No matter what, this team has just one win in essentially two months, and they need to turn things around ahead of the playoffs. Hey, at least the poor form means that New Mexico will start on the road!
15.) PITTSBURGH: Bob Lilley couldn't have wished for a better start against Orange County, and he can think the shape of his midfield for it. Pittsburgh lined up in possession in a 3-5-2 of sorts with Robbie Mertz and Danny Griffin low and Kenardo Forbes high. Whenever a transition opportunity arose, Mertz shuffled up the pitch to create overloads. His depth drew OCSC up and opened long balls over the high-marking midfield, but those forward runs were equally vital working off of Albert Dikwa's hold-up. Dikwa himself got the opener from a through ball beyond a teenager's defensive mistake just minutes into the match, and the 'Hounds dominated the run of play.
Is Dikwa this team's best striker? He's in the 80th percentile for expected goals, the 91st for expected goals per shot, and excels with his physicality and holding. Dane Kelly's record precedes him, and he outpaces Dikwa for expected goals per 90, but he ranks well below par for foul drawing and passing volume. Kelly's the better finisher, but Dikwa can nab a goal in his own right and just does everything else with a bit more precision and energy.
That discussion is moot when you can't consistently get over the line with one of the most talented squads in the USL. For all of Pittsburgh's defensive greatness - shoutout to Shane Wiedt and the side-to-side rotation of Arturo Ordonez in particular - they simply lack offensively. The patterns in build are unoriginal and too quickly turn into feckless long balls, and that limits what genuine superstars like Forbes and Mertz can do. It's simply frustrating, and it left the door open for Orange County's late equalizer.
16.) OAKLAND: The Roots went down in just 23 seconds away to Colorado Springs, and the sequence was wholly indicative of what went wrong in a crucial game for Oakland. A three-man press forced a long ball, and the visiting side's two-man pivot simply wasn't ample enough to contest the second ball. Elvis Amoh burst behind that midfield line, and it was instant pain. Still, Oakland weathered that initial storm, and Ottar Karlsson emerged as an absolute menace bullying the Switchbacks' defense. Early in the second half, the Roots' increasingly strong press regained and powered a chance into Karlsson's feet, earning a series of set pieces that let the loanee get a penalty. They looked strong when up a man as well, with the Jose Hernandez-Charlie Dennis central pair absolutely running things. With RGV on a tear and a few other teams in the mix, Oakland really needed a win, but a draw away to the Switchbacks is a good result no matter the context.
Done but Fun
17.) ORANGE COUNTY: We're into late-year experimentation season, so Richard Chaplow gave a start to 17-year-old Ashton Miles in the back line on the road to Highmark Stadium. It was a baptism by fire for the Fullerton-raised high schooler, as his over-eager foray to close in the midfield freed Pittsburgh's opening goal from an easy through ball. Miles was vinidcated for that high charge over the course of the match. Time and again, OCSC's midfield pushed entirely too high and was played over with precise switches and hoofs to the Pittsburgh striker. A shift into something like a 4-4-2 steeled things to an extent, and the side stayed firm. I though Kevin Partida was especially impactful, guiding the side to an edge in shots and near equity in possession. He helped draw Pittsburgh up as extra time approached, allowing Orange County to go long as Cubo Torres and Milan Iloski made crossing runs. The 'Hounds lost the plot, Torres crossed in, and Chaplow and company escaped with the draw. Oh, and star youngster Bryce Jamison got into the mix. Good night, eh? This is what a rebuilding team needs at the end of a campaign.
18.) INDY: Facing a semi-hot Loudoun, Indy started off on the back foot against a spirited, pressureful foe. What went right? In build, Sam Brown would often slip between the dual centerbacks to create something like a 3-4-3 or 3-2-5. With Brown pulling the strings, Ayoze or Bryan Rebellon would sit in the half spaces, drawn Loudoun in, and open balls down the flanks to Solomon Asante or an advanced fullback like Jared Timmer. Still, the Rebellon-Ayoze tandem often pressed too high in an effective 4-1-2-3 off the ball, and that left acres of space that the Virginian opponents took full advantage of.
Indy improved when they narrowed their forward line and dropped Juan Tejada a tick deeper to create more of a diamond. Asante and Stefano Pinho cut off the passing angles that had become problematic, and Tejada provided more of an anchoring presence as Indy sought to progress. Justin Ingram entered as well, sitting alongside Brown to draw Loudoun up and add a sharper progressive presence from deep; Ayoze's penalty followed soon after.
By the way, Matt Schumacker is great, and I mean no disrespect, but it ain't an Eleven match without Greg Rakestraw.
19.) HARTFORD: The recent success for Tab Ramos has relied upon a balanced system that presses high in the 4-3-3 but retains a holding midfielder to shield the defense; Ramos' side utterly failed at that task on Wednesday. Tom Brewitt, who I praised as the holder last week, too often was sucked high in the press, allowing Loudoun to carve down the middle and earn a dominant 3-0 win. Going the other way, Loudoun relied on speedy wide players to shut down the Hartford threat on the flanks that proved so effective as of late. Tough stuff, and it underlines why this team needs an overhaul over the winter.
20.) LOS ANGELES: With one win in their last 10 games, Galaxy II had played themselves to a 10% chance of playoff qualification coming into the weekend's matches. This team is truly talented; Preston Judd is as pure a scorer as you'll find in the USL, Liam Doyle is in the mix for my mental Team of the Year, and Cameron Dunbar is a terror out wide. The collapse has largely been defensive, but the problems start in the midfield. Carlos Harvey is in the 97th percentile for defensive actions when he's not busy stomping on people, but no other central midfielder on this roster ranks in the top half for such interventions. When the system pushed Owen Lambe into the midfield, the extra defensive intellect solidified Los Angeles. A switch towards more conventional arrangements left the center somewhat unguarded while ostensibly improving passing angles in build. Clearly, the risk wasn't worth taking.
21.) TULSA: The future is now for FC Tulsa, meaning that Jamaican youth international Christopher Pearson and Barca Residency Academy Luca Sowinski were in the squad this Saturday against Detroit. Both are hugely bright talents, and they were joined by a further handful of young'uns on the bench. Tulsa's 4-4-2 defense looked more like a 4-2-3-1 in build, and Pearson operated as a true holding player; he's got the frame of a full-blown pro already. Sowinski is slight but bright, creative on the dribble and progressive in his thinking; he impressed me the most in the center-left of something like a 4-3-3 in the press.
Still, that Pearson-Sowinski left was at fault on a few Detroit chances, though Kembo Kibato was of little help. The guests often earned unmolested crosses, and Tulsa suffered for it. Those sorts of errors in denying buildup are only natural for such youthful players, and this team is more worried about giving time to bright stars than earning meaningless points at the end of 2022. And, hey, two more teens came on in helping Tulsa to get a quick pair of goals in the second half! Aimar Membrila, a winger, and Angel Bernal, a fullback, took the two touches prior to Rodrigo Da Costa's go-ahead assist. Dario Suarez and Da Costa did the heavy lifting, but the teenage involvement was as positive a sign as any.
Honestly, this is exactly what an eliminated team should be doing at this stage of the season. Let's just take a step back and admire the youth movement at play here:
Pearson's intelligence sliding between Detroit's threats in the defensive midfield was great, and he was solid if a bit sloppy in possession. The 19-year-old is already here in terms of his build.
Sowinski was utterly astute diving between the forward and midfield lines in a shape that could look like a 4-3-3 pending the Barca Residency Academy product's choices. He was effective limiting a wingback-centric opposing style.
Membrila, a native Tulsan, was sharp on the right wing, and paired nicely with the fullback Bernal, the youngest of the bunch at age 17. Both right-siders have experience in the vaunted FC Dallas setup.
Do any of these players contribute in 2023? It feels like a yes for Pearson at a minimum, and I wouldn't bet against Sowinski either. Great stuff for the Gavin/Doerr rebuild.
22.) CHARLESTON: Augustine Williams missed out on Charleston's match this week while off on Sierra Leone international duty, leading to an interesting front line with Aidan Apodaca and Geobel Perez in the starting mix. Further, Preston Kilwien finally got a start with Leland Archer suspended. Kilwien has fallen by the wayside in the back three; he's physically built for a two-man pair, not a wide centerback role. Even with the recent absences, he rates in the 65th percentile for Goals Above Replacement, and he ought to be a target for a smart USL team this winter.
In any event, the Battery struggled to build past Rio Grande Valley's front-four press in the match at hand, but their central midfield bore fruit when they could work behind the first line. Andrew Booth often dropped into the hole to create a three-on-two against the Toros' pivot, and that earned a break or two for the hosts. Ironically, then, RGV's opening tally came from a midfield overload and a quick counter thereafter. The front three had become a front five thanks to advanced wingbacks, limiting passing options and creating the fatal loss of possession. Meanwhile, a team that was addicted to wasteful long balls in the early season tempted fate time and again with ground-based build. This was naturally an improvement over that Memphis game, but the Battery are running out the clock on 2022 at this point.
23.) LOUDOUN: In a crushing victory in Ryan Martin's 100th match in charge, Teddy Ku-Dipietro and Tyler Freeman made the difference. The opposing Hartford side pushed high in their 4-3-3 and left ample space in the hole, so Loudoun's offensive 4-2-3-1 built with deeper fullbacks to open angles and liberate Ku-Dipietro in the hole. He was all over the scoresheet, and Martin doubled down on his creative verve by bringing Tyler Freeman on in the second half. The ex-SKC man was bright on the press and active driving toward the box, and he earned a brace for it. Essentially, Martin recognized the space for an attacking midfielder to dominate, doubled down in that area, and reaped the benefits. Lovely coaching, and a lovely team win.
On Saturday, Abdellatif Aboukoura returned to the mix in attack alongside 15-year-old Gavin Turner, and the Egyptian shone in build. Indy's defense, a 4-3-3 with two central midfielders pushing high into more of a 4-1-2-3, was willing to track Nicky Downs when he showed deep towards the centerbacks, opening tight windows for Aboukoura in behind. He displayed great nous navigating the defense to find the ball, and his first touch was utterly perfect in controlling driven passes through the Eleven. The other key route to buildout for Loudoun saw Skage Simonsen burst to the right wing, hold up play, and involve Ku-Dipeitro as he burst into the half space. Still, Loudoun lacked that final ball, and they failed to address Indy's second-half adjustments, halting that momentum from the Hartford game.
Down Bad
24.) PHOENIX: At times during Wednesday's away trip to Monterey, Phoenix had flashes where they looked utterly comfortable in the 3-4-3. Greg Hurst's late equalizer was indicative of that phenomenon. The substitute striker came deep, Arturo Rodriguez linked play, and the pair had room to run because Darnell King was leading the charge as the foremost runner challenging the defensive line. For much of the second half, both King and left-sided Baboucarr Njie helped to steel a solid back five, and that Sargis-Lambert-Musa triad was comfortable in possession.
Still, King was so often caught high up in the midfield, allowing Monterey to break; Phoenix gave up three goals for a reason. The veteran fullback is below water in terms of his tackle win rate this season as compared to average, but the issue is that he's out of position more often than not. I'm adamant that he has a future in this league, but Edgardo Rito he isn't within the Juan Guerra system.
25.) LAS VEGAS: Seconds into a home game against San Diego, the Lights went down thanks to woeful responses to a simple, predictable 3-5-2 press. Las Vegas' midfield aligned with two high-sitting central midfielders and a single #6, but the high press cut off the dual progressive options. One sloppy back-pass into 18-year-old Tony Leone later, and the Nevadan side trailed. Minutes later, Las Vegas faced five San Diego players marauding into the box but didn't push any of those high centermen back in support, and sloppy defending made it 2-0.
During the early months of the season, Enrique Duran had instituted a genuinely solid defense with a real sense of position. Missing Dekel Keinan (94th percentile defensive actions, 99th percentile aerial win rate) can't be undersold, but the Lights looked like an MLS NEXT Pro team and had the television production value to prove it. Daniel Crisostomo drove the side's goal, and he's in the 92nd percentile for Goals Above Replacement as a do-it-all box-to-box type, but this wasn't much to write home about in any sense.
26.) NEW YORK: Most of the Ibrahim Sekagya era has seen New York run with a back four, but the gaffer matched Detroit City in a back three on Wednesday to great aplomb. The 3-4-3 in which the centermost striker pushed up against the opposing goalkeeper limited ground-based build, and I was impressed by Adrian Recinos and O'Vonte Mullings as ever in the wide areas. Wiki Carmona, a 19-year-old with more senior Red Bull games than Montclair matches, dropped low in defense to form something like a 3-4-1-2, and his rotation into the central midfield was delightfully influential. He's a composed passer and sensible defender, and he helped to get a rare draw for a beleaguered New York side.
27.) ATLANTA: I feel bad moving Atlanta to the bottom. They're simply better than New York, no holds barred, but the Baby Bulls got an impressive draw against Detroit and I feel bad keeping them in the basement for months on end. That said, there's a fair argument to be made here, and it starts at back. Atlanta hovers around -6.00 Goals Saved Above Average, nearly the lowest mark in the USL amongst goalkeeping groups. They've conceded about 590 shots; no one else was above 450 entering the weekend! I think guys like Noah Cobb are due for huge futures, but the defensive chemistry at centerback is calamitous week in and week out. It's a shame that players like Jackson Conway and Tristan Trager suffer from the ineptitude behind them; granted, I know Conway drew USL offers midseason, and I suspect Trager will be a target. Still, that's no salve for Atlanta as they near the end of their time in the second tier of American soccer.
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