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:
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Cue The Smoke, an Indy Eleven podcast, where I talked about roster topics, stadium struggles, and the Platinum Jubilee.
But without further ado...
Title Contenders
1.) COLORADO SPRINGS: It's been an odd two-year stretch for Tobi Adewole, but he looks solid at the center off the off-kilter back three for the Switchbacks. There are times where his wide counterparts are roaming deep into the opposing half, and Adewole sits in as a tempo-setting backstop; it's a perfect match to his skillset. With Pittsburgh in 2019 and St. Louis in 2020, he produced 80th percentile or better aerial wins and win percentages alongside equal long pass completion rates. Pair that solidity and progressivity with a dynamite attack, and you've got something special.
And truly, that performance against Las Vegas was something special indeed. Operating in something like a 3-3-4 at times, the Switchbacks put in a statement defensive performance. I loved the Elvis Amoh opening goal, powered by fluid midfield interchange. Malik Johnson was immense in an end-to-end right-sided shift, and I’ve got a whole USL Tactics Show coming on their defense. A great comeback after some meh weeks.
I'm fascinated by the Jairo Henriquez signing here. He seems to profile as a deep-lying progressor with a bit of defensive solidity to boot, but that's hearsay based on a handful of international appearances. I've liked Beverly Makangila this year, but Henriquez could add an extra degree of gumption that further activates the attacking front.
2.) MEMPHIS: Memphis might be one of the best sides of the USL in terms of closing passing lanes and wreaking havoc. The underlying tackling stats that I'm forced to use thanks to minimal public data belies the intensity of the structure Ben Pirmann's side employs. This team is endlessly organized pushing up to close, weird allowances to Atlanta be damned. In attack, Memphis knows exactly how and when to break shape; Laurent Kissiedou is the key. He roams and roves and constantly puts defenses under pressure. Consider:
2021: four goals, five assists in 27.9 matches
2022: five goals, four assists in 10.6 matches
His movement off Phillip Goodrum's incisive in-box presence has powered the 901 FC attack, but he's just a cog in a larger puzzle. More coming at Backheeled this week.
3.) SAN ANTONIO: Phoenix bested San Antonio this year by possessing and pushing the point of attack high up the pitch. They were willing to bear the Texan side's counter, trusting their ability to outgun their opponent in a battle of stylistic opposites. In handing Alen Marcina's side a rare loss, Sacramento took a disparate approach. The Republic sat in deep and relied on a back three - shades of San Antonio themselves, eh?
If there's one thing that the Sacramento game showed, it's that San Antonio is one creator away from surefire, indisputable title-favorite status. This team can break with the best of 'em, and they did well to limit a talented opposing midfield, but Deshane Beckford didn't cut it ahead of a typically industrious central pairing. Maybe David Loera can be that guy when he gets consistent minutes again, but I think breaking down this sort of set defensive look in block is the one point where I have issues with an otherwise exceptional San Antonio side.
4.) TAMPA: I've been avoiding the point for a minute, but the industrious, Guenzatti-less front three might be the way forward for Tampa. His xG and xG per shot are down precipitously, signaling a poor utilization of space, and his foul-drawing and defensive actions are lagging as well. Meanwhile, the setup with a tank-like holder in the form of Grieg or Dos Santos alongside the guile of the LaCava-Fernandes tandem, both of whom willingly drop into the midfield, has borne real fruit. Interesting times for Neil Collins.
The hype for Sunday’s titanic matchup against Louisville dissipated a tad when the Rowdies got stranded in Dallas, which, by the way, is the most USL and lower-division thing to ever happen. That tired side somehow looked the better club. The aforementioned front line within Tampa's 3-4-3 moved well again on and off the ball, and wide switches to Jake Areman were a release valve against Louisville's aggression. Areman put in a great two-way shift that was best seen in his interception leading to Leo Fernandes' penalty-earn in the first half. If he keeps fulfilling the all-league potential he showed with the Charlotte Independence, then look out.
5.) PITTSBURGH: Pittsburgh's rotation in net, constantly swapping between goalkeepers, is a constant source of confusion for me, but the rest of the squad impresses in different ways every week. If you're taking the time to read thousands of words about the USL, you know how good Kenardo Forbes is, but he really does it all at both ends for the Riverhounds. There might be bigger names in this squad at the tip of the attack, but Forbes' positioning in defense and pass-before-the-pass creation are a thing of beauty.
I mentioned it recently, but when are Forbes and the 'Hounds going to get that statement win? The Detroit game was another example of a dominant performance that never quite reached over the line into a shellacking. That Dixon/Cicerone/Dikwa line did well to interchange and combine, and the wide centerbacks were exceptionally strong shutting down a foe that loves to move their attackers around and go direct. It never turned into a rout despite the chances and general control, and that's my issue.
6.) LOUISVILLE: Really hoping that Kyle Morton is okay after what seemed like an ugly moment in Tampa this weekend. His side looked out of it in the wake of the injury, and an odd delay surely didn't help. Still, this was the worst Louisville has looked in recent memory, and they have one win in five if you include the Open Cup. Their fullbacks sat noticeably deep in Central Florida, which was a bizarre tactical choice; Tampa's front three split wide to address their presence, and the Rowdies' central midfielders stepped up to re-impose solidity in the spine. There were some moments when Corben Bone and Paolo DelPiccolo were invisible, and I can't recall the last time I even imagined that. Louisville was just generally out of ideas, and I'm not quite sure about the root of the funk.
Playoff Likelies
7.) SACRAMENTO: Home to league-best San Antonio, the Republic executed a gameplan similar to the defensive masterclass from the Open Cup against San Jose. Mark
Briggs' crew sat deep, broke against pressure down the middle, then sat even deeper with the edge. Against the USL's most fearsome countering side, Sacramento was admirable limiting transition. Off of attacking zone turnovers, the Republic kept their wingbacks up counterpressed hard to limit breaks. San Antonio is at their best when they play quick and direct after regaining the ball, and the Keko-led pressure stifled the accuracy of the outlet passes that fuel such an approach. Outside of these scenarios, Sacramento swiftly dropped into a 5-4-1 block. Add a dash of cynical fouling to that defensive organization, and you've got a solid result.
The offense is a bit rough around the edges, but there's a baseline here that's reminiscent of late-2021 Orange County, if that's not too bold. Is there a Ronaldo Damus here to carry the goalscoring load? They've got the shuttling Calvillo and then some in Rodrigo Lopez, but the striker role is my recurring question.
8.) DETROIT: Antoine Hoppenot missed out of the Pittsburgh game thanks to the birth of a child, but his Detroit teammates maintained their usual caliber of solidity at back to make up the difference. Karl Ouimette has been a fantastic addition in defense for this team. I'd argue that he's as technically able as any defender in the side, and he holds down the right-centerback position while combining that skill with a heady sense of space.
Against the Riverhounds, Ouimette's teammates were often guilty of getting sucked in by Kenardo Forbes and the patient Pittsburgh build, but the match proved more than anything that a depleted Detroit can still compete with the East's elite. Still, defensive positioning in balance with creation is something to watch. Nonetheless, combination play through the midfield, often lacking this year, bore fruit for Le Rouge in a real way, and that could be big when the all-important #29 is back in action.
9.) NEW MEXICO: The right flank for New Mexico was pure dynamite against the defending champions this Saturday. Sergio Rivas played as something like a wingback in an atypical bit of positioning for the ex-Reno man, but he combined splendidly with Preston to swap, shimmy, and open space for Neco Brett; the penalty earn was indicative of the great rotation for a sizzling side.
Raw shooting numbers and xG haven't been the friendliest to New Mexico despite the results, and I think that's misleading. Zach Prince's back three is wonderfully effective at limiting shot quality and forcing looks that, while numerically harmful, don't particularly challenge Alex Tambakis in goal. That said, I'm curious to see this team take on an in-form unit of adults.
10.) EL PASO: The Diego Luna exit is at once a massive loss and a bigger sign of how the USL has grown and improved. El Paso lost a full three points off of their projected final total after the sale according to my model, but so much hangs on Sebastian Velazquez's return or the ability of someone else to fill the void.
Amidst that sale and a spate of injuries, salmon-shirted John Hutchinson heavily rotated his side against Hartford. Venancio Calderon, a high schooler in the midfield, shone brightly, but El Paso's decent showing hinged on Dylan Mares and Eder Borelli. Those two linked with another teen in Diego Abarca to break open the game. What the hell are they putting in the water in Southern Texas?
11.) SAN DIEGO: Frankly, San Diego got jobbed in New York. They faced a 2:00 Pacific time start against a side featuring multiple MLS players. Hell, the game was played at Red Bull Arena; why are we pretending like this was a normal Baby Bulls game? That said, Thomas Amang was a difference maker. His defense-stretching runs opened up the heart of the pitch and further activated the exceptional skill of Alejandro Guido and Kyle Vassell.
12.) PHOENIX: Facing a Birmingham team that finds its creative strength in the middle, Phoenix started…Sivert Haugli and Joey Calistri? Calistri did well to get box-to-box, split wide against lazy tracking, and generally wreak havoc. The veteran is quietly in the 80th percentile for xA and top-half in defensive actions, but his work rate is immeasurable.
The early stages of the match went well for Phoenix, but disciplined play from an assertive Legion turned the game on its head in the second half. Haugli was overmatched against Enzo Martinez, and his roving movement drew the holder out and forced Rising to overreact and cede the middle. It's a concerning trend for this team; someone is always underperforming and undermining the defense.
On the Bubble
13.) INDY: Solomon Asante got a start for the Eleven as the side inaugurated a brutal road stretch, and the side also looked to more of a front three with the ex-Rising man cheating into the forward line. His presence alongside Stefano Pinho and Manuel Arteaga looked sharp, but Raul Aguilera's presence as something between a #8 and #10 was the all-important linkage between attack and defense. Still, you have to look for Asante for the space in which Aguilera operated. He got so, so high down the right flank, enabled by an interesting and industrious right-back shift from Justin Ingram. It's dually a testament to the talent in this side and the ingenuity of Mark Lowry. The late collapse was weird, but I can brook it based on that opening salvo; Mechack Jerome might be a concern in 2022.
14.) MIAMI: Joshua Perez is a player who doesn't get nearly enough love. He's top-third in xG amongst attackers, and he draws more fouls per 90 than anyone in the USL. He also ranks in the 89th percentile for key passes per forward pass. What does that all mean? Alongside target forwards like Kyle Murphy and Romeo Parks, Perez sits a shade deeper and connects play, but he also knows when to slink forward into attack. He's slick on the dribble and able to drift wide, proving particularly successful in linking with Mark Segbers. Perez has been key in 2022.
Quietly, Miami has one win in five games against mediocre competition, but I still buy what they're selling to a certain degree. If Birmingham and Indy keep it up, things get worrisome in South Beach. That upcoming game against the Eleven is just huge.
15.) OAKLAND: Ottar Karlsson has been really, really good at striker, obviously. He's atop the golden boot race and top twenty by non-penalty goals per 90, but I've also been impressed with his lane-clogging defensive presence and heady hold-up play. Still, the return of Paul Blanchette is great to see, and I've loved Darek Formella as of late. He's found real form cutting in from the wing an working off of Juan Carlos Azocar on the left. Mikael Johnsen took over the left-sided attacking role against Monterey and was equally good; maybe Azocar (87th percentile xG) is the common denominator?
16.) BIRMINGHAM: Birmingham, like most teams, started their away game in the Valley bleeding chances against Phoenix's beastly offense, and I was disappointed in the wide effort from the Legion in that context. Second-half adjustments changed the game; Birmingham moved into a flat front four in the press, limiting angles to build through. With more regular possession as a result, Enzo Martinez emerged as a talismanic presence. Whether through progressive carriage on the break or final-third patience, he helped to overwhelm the center of the park and earn a great victory.
I know that certain corners of the Legion fandom are low on Juan Agudelo, but I thought his movement was sublime in Phoenix, and he contributed to the press with heart. Would it be nice if he, uh, scored? Obviously. But no one in the Legion forward group is scoring, and #99 is killing it in every other way.
17.) LOS ANGELES: I've been vocal about my love for Owen Lambe in the midfield, but his teenage teammate Adrian Gonzalez might be even brighter in this squad. Against Rio Grande Valley's nonstop pressure down the middle, Gonzalez constantly took up smart positions to drag defenders out and facilitate breaks. He also linked well with the wonderful Cameron Dunbar in attack. The West is really open right now, and Los Angeles just might be the best hope for getting an affiliate team into the playoffs.
18.) MONTEREY: On a red-hot run of momentum, Monterey saw the heart of their attacking unit - wingers Chase Boone and Sam Gleadle - displaced with injury in their matchup against Oakland. Enter Robbie Crawford and Walmer Martinez. The former is more of a central player and struggled at times with closing and spacing, but there were real moments of sharp combination play with Morey Doner. Still, you felt the absences; watch the wide disconnection that leads to poor defensive rotation on the Roots' opener.
19.) RIO GRANDE VALLEY: The Toros were shaky in a road trip to Atlanta, but they still got three points while rotating their forward line. Go back and watch the winner, by the way; Frank Lopez's near-post run is unreal. It's increasingly clear that this side lives and dies through their ability to advance down the middle. Emilio Ycaza lit the way a few weeks back, but Atlanta's narrow 5-4-1 caused problems at times.
Central sloppiness going the other way was the issue against Los Angeles. Moving to a back three, a midfield twosome provided overly pressureful and left gaps. Even a second-half return to the back four didn't quite rectify things, leading to an immediate concession amidst smart Galaxy running and ample time for a midfielder to pick out a pass.
20.) HARTFORD: Guys like Prince Saydee and Joel Johnson should rightly draw attention for how strong they've been using their pace off of Corey Hertzog, but I've loved the defensive core for Hartford as of late. I wasn't high on Modou Jadama in Tulsa, but he's in the top ten percent or so for GAR, defensive actions, and forward passing. Ditto Tom Brewitt if you lower the bar to top quarter. El Paso put them under fire consistently, but that pair performed admirably.
Down Bad
21.) LAS VEGAS: As usual, USL HQ's Nicholas Murray won Twitter for the week with an Elvis (Amoh) pun in reference to Las Vegas' midweek game against Colorado Springs. On that note, the Baz Luhrmann movie looks terrible, right? I'd sign up for two hours of Tom Hanks doing a mildly offensive accent in a mildly offensive fat suit, but the excess of Luhrmann doesn't meld with the modern music biopic. In any event...
I think the magic might be gone for Danny Trejo and the Las Vegas attack. Cal Jennings is still a ball of constant motion, but he's easier to shut down without the same level of fiery countering and Trejo gravity. My playoff odds are down on the Lights, and their play shows why. The Switchbacks are a defensive juggernaut, but this week was a really poor performance for Enrique Duran's side in terms of chance creation beyond a press. That exact kind of matchup - breaking against excess aggression - is where this Las Vegas team is built to shine, but it's not quite up to snuff.
22.) ORANGE COUNTY: How disheartening was that late-game collapse against Oakland on Wednesday? While I've been fine with Orange County's central midfield play overall, overcommitment and disorganization from that unit doomed the side to dual concessions in extra time; they dropped to 10th in the West as a result, and that turned to 12th after the weekend. While I'm on a negative note, what was up with that ESPN Deportes delay? Oh, and stop it with that awful sunlight for these evening games!
New Mexico outplayed the champions at the weekend for large swathes of the match, showing the SoCal side to be disheveled yet again in defense. I'm waiting for full Rob Kiernan integration to damn the back line, but this team is miles away from the title squad. Still, the attack showed promise with Milan Iloski behind the Okoli-Cubo pair, and the playoff race is tight.
23.) TULSA: Tulsa kept it up with the back three against Tampa, but it did little to help their struggling build-up or stave off the Rowdies. I know injuries and midweek fixtures make things difficult, but a Bird-Kibato pivot is never going to provide the creativity required by an under-fire coach against Tampa. Full credit to Michael Nsien for the 4-4-2 switch late-on; the narrowness of the wingers and the extra body in attack helped earn the tying goal. Rodrigo Da Costa is good, y'all.
A return to the back three with Lebo Moloto on the bench was a choice against Miami at first look, but it made sense upon further consideration. I'll never blame a coach for matching his foe shape-for shape, and Eric Bird is subtly in the 71st percentile for forward passing among central midfielders. There were moments where the dynamism of Torres and Bourgeois outdueled Miami and paired with smart attacking movement to cause fits, but the hole might be too big for a team that consistently loses its stars to international duty.
24.) NEW YORK: Loan in Caden Clark, switch to a 4-2-3-1 from the normal back three, and you've suddenly got a soft powerhouse in New York. The whole MLS loan situation was, frankly, a load of shit, but it doesn't lessen the fact that Sam Williams rocks as a barely-driving-age midfielder or that O'vonte Mullings is a killer out wide. All that said, New York entered the weekend without a win since matchweek two.
25.) ATLANTA: Atlanta looked incredibly sharp midweek against Rio Grande Valley, putting up six shots on target against a side that allows three a game. Of course, they still fell 4-3 in a wild matchup. Robbie Mertz shone at the core of their new-ish 5-4-1, a shape that pinches its winger in to overload and then breaks through Raimar's pace out wide. The shape looked more back-four-ish in Memphis, but Mertz was still good but outmatched by that Aaron Molloy-led pivot.
26.) LOUDOUN: Loudoun, thank heavens, had an off week, though I may have fancied them following a good performance last week. I'll take this moment to shout out Jacob Greene. This year, he's played 98% of his side's minutes while putting up 80th percentile or better xG and xA at the wingback spot. Even when Loudoun is flagging, Greene is a constant source of effort and fun. He's one to watch going forward.
27.) CHARLESTON: I'm not quite sure where to apportion blame for the Battery after the Indy shellacking. Tristian Weber struggled mightily to contain Solomon Asante, and that dragged the centerbacks wide to an excess degree, but where was the coverage from the right back and defensive midfield? Indeed, why wasn’t there concerted support from Holcomb and that flank's midfielder? You can blame the players all you want, but Conor Casey has consistently erred in how he's set up this Battery team and the tactical decisions he's chosen to make.
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