There are twenty-seven teams in the USL, I've ranked them all, 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:
The USL Show, as always. We're live on Tuesdays at 9:00 Eastern and in your podcast queues shortly thereafter. The USL Tactics Show is there as well.
Backheeled, a site covering American soccer where I contribute on all things USL. Subscribe to the Weekly Recap, and submit questions for my Wednesday Q&A.
But without further ado...
Title Contenders
1.) SAN ANTONIO: San Antonio added forward Samuel Adeniran on loan this week, and I couldn't be more enamored with the fit for him. Last year with Tacoma, Adeniran tallied 13 goals, but he did so while playing in a hard-pressing back-three system and feasting in transition. Sound familiar? I worry about the minutes he'll get - he's not a #10 or a midfielder, and he won't displace Dhillon or Collier - but I think he's tailor-made for this unit when he gets onto the pitch.
Adeniran got the start this weekend alongside another Sounder in Jordy Delem as San Antonio adopted a surprise 4-4-2. The side was slightly feeble in the wide areas compared to normal, especially against a Monterey back three setup that let Doner get high down the right; a left-sided Monterey chance exploited the channel on the opener in a way that the normal formation never would've allowed. Still, Adeniran looked good on his debut and linked wonderfully with David Loera on the right; Loera was a surprise starter and brought that #10 energy I lamented a lack of last week.
2.) COLORADO SPRINGS: Not sure if it was an injury thing, simple rotation, or an actual statement™, but Colorado Springs went with Christian Herrera in goal over Jeff Caldwell. A finalist for the Goalkeeper of the Year Award in 2021, Caldwell is below-average for GSAA, save percentage, and saves per goal allowed despite a strong baseline goals against per 90 tally. It's a tough task for whoever's in net for the Switchbacks. They don't give up a ton of chances, but a high defensive line means that those looks tend to be do-or-die; the opening tally for Los Angeles was indicative of this issue.
I shouldn't be overly harsh, and this team is still really good. Hadji Barry's role this season is completely fascinating. He plays more passes per 90 than any other forward in the USL, and he's in the 95th percentile for xA. Simultaneously, the reigning Golden Boot winner is in the bottom half of attackers for xG, which is insane. Barry's heatmap against Los Angeles is seen below, illustrating how he often operates as a lower-seated, channel-running decoy. That guile and late-entering motion hasn't hindered a potent Switchbacks team, but it's fascinating to see nonetheless.
3.) TAMPA: Another game, another Guenzatti-less starting set for Tampa. There were moments where Miami pushed their wingbacks up, slide their central midfielders wide to fill, and created havoc, but the recoveries from the front three and stability of the back five were largely fine for Neil Collins' side. I thought Jake Areman's defensive effort, especially in the counterpress, was strong as well, and that's enabled by the use of Fernandes in the front three.
4.) SACRAMENTO: Sacramento's attack was as sharp as it's been in 2022 against Detroit, powered by turnovers and high pressure. I need to shout Keko out. A new addition this year, he sits high in the attacking three - more like a band of two with Rodrigo Lopez out of possession - and just kills you with ceaseless closing and harrying. He's so key to this team's defense, and the offensive pedigree is starting to show to boot.
5.) MEMPHIS: Missing Laurent Kissiedou and Leston Paul against Birmingham was no fun and casts a slight pall over the result, but it doesn't negate the side's inability to break down the Legion in the final third. Yes, that's Kissiedou's bread-and-butter skill - he's top-quarter in xA and key passes per forward pass - but the victorious side in the Southern Harm (a derby name I don't love) matchup out-strategized Memphis and changed tactics during the game to great effect. Ben Pirmann is obviously a leading contender for the Coach of the Year title if Memphis keeps it up, but he needs to be able to move beyond "plan A" is his 901 side wants to make a real run at the Eastern crown.
6.) LOUISVILLE: Off weekend for Louisville! They seem to need it after a recent dry spell, but I'm curious to see if anything changes out of the break. I recently broke down their back three system, and a Harris-Lancaster duo at the tip of that 3-5-2 formation would be a tantalizing prospect. Still, to say that I'm worried about Louisville would be silly. This team is a title contender that can afford to have a few weird weeks. The early-year form could be an apparition, but, I mean, it isn't?
I do have half a worry about the central midfield if I'm picking nits. I adore the Gibson-Bone-DelPiccolo trio, but it lacks athleticism and features no one that can beat you on the dribble. Tampa outmanned Louisville centrally and Monterey skirted the issue with direct play, and this team has to improve and dominate through the middle as in the past to return to full form. The experimentation with Jorge Gonzalez in one of the central spots is tantalizing given his verve and given that his positioning there lets Mushagalusa or a second forward enter the fold. Interesting times either way.
7.) EL PASO: It was a long-awaited welcome back for Sebastian Velasquez against Phoenix, perfectly timed given recent events for the Locomotive. Still, the defense impressed me on the road. The Rising came out in an aggressive pressing scheme that kept the attacking zone and pressured the Locomotive, but John Hutchinson's back line acquitted itself nicely. A second-half switch to Ander Egiluz as a second holder alongside Richie Ryan was wise as an answer to Phoenix's midfield shape as well. One red and penalty later amidst a bit of brilliant Dylan Mares creation, and El Paso got the goal they needed to secure a good result becoming of a good performance.
Playoff Likelies
8.) NEW MEXICO: New Mexico is also off this week, but I fawned over Cristian Nava at Backheeled if you need a hit of joy. I've been praising Justin Portillo incessantly as of late, so let's look at some of his numbers:
97th percentile xA per 90
87th percentile key passes per forward pass
69th percentile defensive actions per foul
What you have here is a genuine all-leaguer in the middle. He's a prodigious deep-lying passer, a heady and technical defender, and he'll come up with a banging goal every now and again just because. Portillo is the engine for this red-hot New Mexico team.
9.) DETROIT: In kit design corner, Detroit is killing it with the subtle rainbow pattern rimming their numbers for Pride Month. More pertinent to their play, Sacramento's 5-2-2-1 look challenged Le Rouge. Wing pressure from that higher-placed two, supporting by aggressive wingback play, really put a burden on Deklan Wynne and Michael Bryant on the flanks. On the opener, such pressure on Sacramento's right forced a turnover, then smart running put the Detroit pivot in a pickle. Laye Diop struggled in particular in that context, playing rather poorly under pressure.
10.) PITTSBURGH: A slow start on the road saw Pittsburgh concede within two minutes at the feet of Augustine Williams, and clever overloading in the middle left the fluid Griffin-Argudo-Forbes triumvirate outmanned centrally. That midfield line was bizarrely static in build and left the defense out to dry going both ways. What is this Pittsburgh team right now? They can outplay Detroit, albeit without earning a win, and then absolutely lay an egg against a feeble Battery. It's just weird.
11.) SAN DIEGO: Jon Kempin came in this week as a surprise loanee, and he was unreal in his last stint with the Loyal. 2020 saw Kempin rank as the USL's best goalkeeper (100th percentile Goals Above Replacement), and Koke Vegas hasn't been up to snuff after what I deemed to be a perfectly decent start. Ahead of the net, the midfield was completely dominant against Hartford. The visitors from Connecticut aren't exactly the steeliest side in the USL there, but Alejandro Guido ran rampant. On the first Loyal goal, Collin Martin pressure turned the ball over to keep the offensive zone, drawing attention to free a banger from Charlie Adams. That central dominance can be huge for San Diego, a team whose shift defensive shape can leave vulnerabilities on the break that effective counterpressure could stem.
12.) INDY: Two matches into the absence-induced experiment with Justin Ingram at right back, it's safe to say that he's a jack of all trades. We've seen this sort of player arise under Mark Lowry before - hell, the prototype is Bryam Rebellon, who played for Lowry in Jacksonville, El Paso, and Indy. Still, Ingram combines his intelligence and infinite work rate with a higher level of technical skill and passing vision, linking with storied creators like Nicky Law and Solomon Asante in a way that shows just how smart the Loyola product is on the pitch.
Elsewhere for Indy, I think it's time I finally declare the Lowry diamond to be dead for the time being. That variation of the 4-4-2, featuring a #10 joining the press as a pseudo-striker and a wildly narrow midfield, has been supplanted by a more traditional banks-of-four-look. Often, the Eleven push their wingers high into a legitimate 4-2-4, a style made all the more terrifying by Asante's presence. #14, by the way, is already in the 100th percentile for xA and fouls drawn per 90, albeit in a miniscule sample size. The Miami game, though poor for Indy on xG terms, felt like a game the Eleven should've won to my eyes, and it's a big deal if they can carry that form forward.
13.) BIRMINGHAM: In the last two weeks against Phoenix and Memphis, Tommy Soehn moved from a bog standard 4-2-3-1 to a hard-nosed 4-2-4 down into a Redknapp-approved 4-4-2 in order to meet the needs of the given game state. At once, you have to be impressed with both Soehn and the adaptability of his players. Marlon deserves a particular shoutout. He's someone I posited could play as a hybrid kind of #9 in the preseason, and he spent the first half of the Rising game last week looking lazy in his tracking. Something changed at halftime in the Valley, because he's turned into a high-effort menace since then. The boon is that he can be the pacey point man on counters if he gets back; it's a dangling carrot that's dually beneficial.
14.) PHOENIX: Irakoze Donasiyano got the full start for Phoenix this week in the midfield, starring next to Aodhan Quinn and Luis Seijas in an ever-changing trio. The Rising press, particularly from Donasiyano and Seijas in support of the attacking three, did a generally good job of stifling a talented El Paso group down the middle; that alignment of a front five was the lifeblood of prior iterations of this club. Elsewhere, how good has Baboucarr Njie been in recent weeks? I was ruthless criticizing his positioning early in the campaign, but the glow-up is for real. Njie is finally leveraging his athleticism to recover and burning foes on the overlap.
Nonetheless, rubber never quite hit the road for Phoenix. Their shot and chance generation continues to sit near the top of the league, but no one outside of Greg Hurst (80th percentile conversion rate) seems to be able to put the ball in the back of the net. You expect Moar, Epps, et al. to come good, but the Rising are quietly in seventh and ostensibly in the thick of playoff race. I'm not worried, but still.
On the Bubble
15.) MIAMI: Anthony Pulis continues to do fun things with his defensive shape. The early 4-2-3-1 morphed into a true back three setup with Mark Segbers and Othello Bah bombing back and forth as wingbacks; against the Eleven, Sean McFarlane slid in as a right back in defense and a true winger in attack. We'd seen Aedan Stanley pull off a similar gambit on the left previously. Fun stuff.
On a dour note, Miami really struggles to progress through the center of the pitch, something that you would never expect with Speedy Williams, Bolu Akinyode, and Florian Valot in the middle. Because of that wide adventurism, the centermen are forced to hold deep as a counterbalance; pair that with a wing-centric front three or four, and you've got a team without a #10 in the hole to find if you're one of the aforementioned middies. I don't know if or how Pulis adjusts, but it's something to watch as Miami quietly gets dragged into the muck of the playoff race.
16.) OAKLAND: Oakland welcomed Lindo Mfeka back into the fold this week, putting him into a front three with the Venezia duo of Ottar Karlsson and Mikael Johnsen. That group looked fluid as always, but the central two in the 3-4-3 were outmanned by a spririted Rio Grande Valley performance. If there's one area where I worry about the Roots and where the lovely Juan Guerra system leaves them vulnerable, it's the center of the pitch. There are decent players there - I fancy Fissore in particular - but they can be isolated by nature of the shape and considering the lack of fullback support in their attack-centric roles. Guerra adjusted to address this weakness midway through the RGV matchup, pushing Johnsen into the center and adopting a 4-4-2 with narrow wingers that could generate a four-on-three edge down the heart of the pitch. That adjustment and another raucous ending gave the Roots a wild draw, but those results need to turn into wins at some point soon.
17.) LAS VEGAS: Restored to the preferred Danny Trejo and Cal Jennings alignment in attack, the Lights returned to their improbable form within that bend-don't-break 4-3-3. For all of the joy this team had in attack early in the season, it's increasingly clear that any and all success down the stretch for this side will come from the defensive core. Mohamed Traore is a rock at left; ditto Morten Bjorshol at right. Dekel Keinan's central leadership can't be understated either. Las Vegas has made a sport of getting outplayed and finding ways to scrape results, and that's only possible because of that group.
18.) MONTEREY: Monterey went with a three-at-the-back shape that bucked their usual trend, leaving Chase Boone on the bench and bumping Sam Gleadle - a fullback in most prior stops - to a full-blown attacking slot. Still, the shape was most effective in its ability to free Morey Doner down the right. On the opening goal, great positioning from Adrian Rebollar on the left and a vintage Robbie Crawford ball beat a new-look San Antonio in the channel; it's exactly why you want someone like a Crawford in your eleven. At back, the defensive three struggled to space and rotate against the visiting side's mobile forward pair, but the fullbacks grew into the game in the counterpress and became supercharged when Boone entered. It's a shame it took Monterey so long to find form, because I'm liking the look of these team in spite of the standings and overall results. They gave a top side a game here.
19.) RIO GRANDE VALLEY: Rocking a high-pressing 4-1-4-1 to start in the Bay, Rio Grande Valley charged to a two-nil lead, and Jonathan Rickettts was hugely impressive at left back. Oakland is a side that kills you with overloads and quick horizontal switches, and Ricketts pulled double duty by coming narrow to mark Golden Boot leader Ottar Karlsson before hustling out to cover the overlaps into the hole. With the lead, Wilmer Cabrera's crew sunk into more of a 4-2-3-1 or even 4-2-2-2 at times, and Roots adjustments -narrow wingers, four-at-the-back, etc. - overwhelmed the RGV center to produce a late draw. Tough stuff, and it's why this team just can't quite stake its claim in the playoff hunt.
20.) LOS ANGELES: The Galaxy have to be one of the more mercurial teams in the USL, and it really does seem to come down to a home-away split a lot of the time. That said, Yoann Damet's side took the right tact against Colorado Springs. Normally possessive and ground-based on the ball, Los Angeles looked long over the Switchbacks' rampant pressing system, particularly targeting their high-rising central defenders. Pair that with the dynamism of guys like Cameron Dunbar (75th percentile xG) and Remi Cabral (top-third conversion), and you've got the formula for a greasy result. The formula breaks when you're facing an offensive juggernaut that can control possession, but I respect the hustle.
Down Bad
21.) TULSA: Tulsa doesn't have a game until they play New York in a midweek bout, but the big thing for them was the hiring of Sam Doerr as club president. He'll manage personnel decisions within the front office and technical staff, but Doerr is best known - beyond the awesome work in hockey - for his marketing choices in the midst of the Arizona United/Phoenix Rising rebrand. I love the hire, and I hope it pays dividends in terms of growing the Tulsa fanbase. It's a well-supported team and well-run squad, but Doerr has the ability to elevate that to a new tier.
22.) HARTFORD: An away match to a strong San Diego side was always going to be a tall task for Hartford, and losing head man Harry Watling to an early red card didn't help anything, but I didn't love the side's tactical setup. The high pressure in a 4-1-4-1-adjacent formation pushed the midfield up to stress the Loyal's back-three build and their new goalkeeper, but that same aggression and positivity lacked on the ball. Bright wing play from Gdula and Johnson is a joy, but Danny Barrera still can't find a sweet spot in 2022. Indeed, the #10 is in the bottom half of midfielders for passing progressivity this year. He needs to be threading balls into Corey Hertzog if this team wants to break out.
23.) ORANGE COUNTY: I struggle to see how this Orange County side climbs out of the ditch and back into the playoff hunt. They can hardly buy a goal right now, and the three-nil loss at Las Vegas feels like rock bottom. The issue is the midfield balance. You need Milan Iloski in the eleven to create any chances at all, but he gives you nothing tracking back. Meanwhile, the revolving door of Rocha, Pedersen, Kuningas, and Partida in the pivot hasn't developed an iota of defensive chemistry. That puts pressure on the centerbacks, who can't be blamed when there's ever-present danger on their doorstep. Pair all that with Patrick Rakovsky's 12th percentile GSAA, and you can see why this team is second-to-last out West and seven points out of a playoff spot.
24.) CHARLESTON: I wrote about the possibility of an Aidan Apodaca sale in my midweek transfer piece, and the performance of forward-wing hybrid Mauro Cichero makes that a tinge more realistic. Alongside him, centerman Romario Piggott was the star as Charleston got an early edge against the Riverhounds, pressing and feeding Augustine Williams, who scores in any and all situations. Piggot was joined by the aggressive closing of Andrew Booth, turning a 4-2-3-1 into a defensive 4-1-4-1 that overwhelmed the 'Hounds in the hole at times. Also, shoutout to some amazing Pride Month kits for the Battery.
25.) ATLANTA: I belatedly learned that Atlanta refers to their Fifth Third Bank-sponsored venue as "The Fraction," and that's some incredibly clever branding. On the pitch, the Loudoun game saw Atlanta put one of their best defensive efforts of the year in. Grant Howard was completely immense, covering the entire extent of the box, and his teammate Efrain Morales was every bit as composed. This team falls apart when their press up the pitch fails to get the job done and lets opponents in towards goal with momentum. When you've got guys like Howard and Morales cleaning up, the system makes more sense and can take more risks.
26.) LOUDOUN: Griffin Yow is a really smart mover, and it's the kind of thing that can open games up for Loudoun. The stretch after Ku-DiPietro disappeared into the black hole of D.C. United's bench and the emergence of Michael Gamble and now Yow in the #10ish spot in the 3-4-1-2 was rough to be certain. Even with the recent uptick, you have to note that the performances came against *tugs collar* Charleston and New York. Nonetheless, the linking play and defense-dragging running shown by Yow has opened things up splendidly. Of course, he might be off to Europe off of 30-odd MLS appearances. Elsewhere, Loudoun's defense has also been better. In-and-out personnel in the midfield and attack did the side no favors, but Ryan Martin has transformed a ragtag group of teens into a much more shapely unit as we've entered the midseason stretch.
I'm endlessly curious what becomes of Martin going forward. He's been done no favors by virtue of the weirdness of Loudoun, and he may well have assurances that bigger things are on the way for him in the nation's capital if he sticks around for the MLS NEXT Pro transition. Still, I selfishly want him coaching a USL side in 2023 and beyond. He can integrate young players, champions a positive, offensive, pressureful system, and comes off as a down-to-earth guy.
27.) NEW YORK: I feel like every other blurb I write about New York decries the sloppiness of their press, but it can't escape notice. This team, once upon a time, was impeccably organized in block and closed down with a real sense of organization and purpose. Blame Jeremy Rafanello's work rate or playing guys like John Murphy out of position or over-assertive defenders, but the system bleeds looks against gentler units like Loudoun. Still, people need to pay attention to O'Vonte Mullings at right back. He rates bizarrely low in xG and xA amongst fullbacks (bottom-third in both areas) but nonetheless is a fiery dribbler and smart mover whenever I see him in action. The Baby Bulls won't be missed as they continue to employ guys like Caden Clark and Wiki Carmona on a whim, but Mullings still deserves a shout.
Comments