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.
My article this week breaking down San Antonio's system.
My appearance on The Breakaway, Sacramento's official team show, where I talk Republic and the rest of the league.
The Fan Experience, where I'll be breaking down Phoenix-San Antonio in depth, and any other shows I hit this week.
But without further ado...
Title Contenders
1.) COLORADO SPRINGS: The Switchbacks are undeniable right now, and they're dispatching very decent opponents with ease. Two unsung players to shout out: Beverly Makangila and Malik Johnson. The former sits in the middle of the wacky Burke 4-3-3 and puts in nearly six defensive actions every game; the latter tears up the right side to pair with Michee Ngalina but recovers to track back apace. Every piece in this squad is ticking.
2.) LOUISVILLE: Manny Perez is the truth. In a match where Louisville went down a man and barely survived in Alabama, Perez started really well in exploiting the Legion's highly-placed wingbacks. He can serve as a faux winger if Danny Cruz is running a back three, but he's equally adept as a traditional fullback.
3.) TAMPA: Talk about a meh performance this weekend. I'll hit on a good week for the Roots, and I know that it was a huge trip for a semi-injured side, but just ugh. I didn't love Laurence Wyke in a wingback role here either; Dayonn Harris, by contrast, was massive as a substitute. I want him to get a fuller look.
5.) PITTSBURGH: Bob Lilley is a genius, if you didn't know. Pittsburgh matched Loudoun like-for-like in shape, controlling their half-space attacking with a back three that launched wide centerbacks like Jelani Peters high up to close. Also, how good was Albert Dikwa in that game? I've been hesitant about the fact that Dane Kelly isn't eating every possible second, but Dikwa's been sharp.
6.) SACRAMENTO: Luther Archimede is so, so impactful off the bench. The pace and power he gives you is amplified by that super-substitute deployment against tired legs. Yeah, this side looks like a bunch of penalty merchants, but that's only because they spend so much time pinning you back in your own third. Oh, and I'm into the stadium renderings. Who needs MLS?
7.) TULSA: Gabby Torres is one of the signings of the season. I really rated him in the past and evangelized for his game, but he has a genuine shout to straight-up claim the Tulsa left-back spot over Jorge Luis Corrales. He bombs forward so well, and against New York his gravity did so much to open up the middle. Yeah, and he threaded a nasty assist to boot.
8.) PHOENIX: Defensive substitutions transformed Phoenix this weekend against San Antonio. I hit on it all over on the Twitter page, but I want to praise Kevon Lambert in particular. He was one of the only faultless players to start the season as a holding midfielder, and he was equally great as a centerback here.
Playoff Conversation
10.) SAN ANTONIO: The Bonilla thing struck me bizarrely, but Jordan Farr (76th percentile GAR) and Matt Cardone (92nd) are insanely great options to step up in goal, and Farr was fine in Phoenix. They really missed Justin Dhillon's transition brilliance in that match, and that's before you think about PC and pending debutante Ketuka Manneh.
11.) BIRMINGHAM: When do we worry about this team? I know they're figuring things out, but Jonathan Dean looked great playing off of the front three, and the specter of Juan Agudelo up top looms. On the other hand, they've got two goals in four games, and they're 18th in xG differential. Still, that 5-2-3 with Enzo Martinez and Prosper Kasim narrow had them up 1.06 to 0.41 by xG over a great Louisville team before the red. Flummoxing.
12.) MEMPHIS: Jeremy Kelly completely slays on the left, and he was the man of the match for me in that Detroit game over the weekend. How salty must Phoenix be seeing David Loera and Jeremy Kelly put in all-league campaigns? Separately, I heard an ad on a Memphis Grizzlies-adjacent podcast featuring that "901" area code, and I turned into that Leo-pointing-at-TV meme.
13.) DETROIT: I love this back three. Stephen Carroll, Matt Lewis, and Devin Amoo-Mensah average about three defensive actions a game, and they're around the 66th percentile for value-added on average. Their connection when one leg of the trio bursts up the pitch to close down or join the attack is awesome.
16.) MIAMI: I still think playoffs for this Miami team on a talent basis, but they're entering that Memphis/Detroit/Loudoun gladiatorial arena with each passing blasé performance. Colorado Springs is a matchup juggernaut that can excuse their mediocre attacking, but there are moments of disunion between Speedy Williams, Bolu Akinyode, and Paco Craig that have to be worrying.
18.) EL PASO: El Paso was sort of decent in San Diego, but that doesn't cut if when you're sitting on zero points. Yuma has solidified the back line to an extent, but even he was guilty of causing the game-sealer for San Diego. Nick Hinds is finding form too, and the Diego Luna/Dylan Mares pair is great, but this team badly needs three points and has to change to get there.
19.) OAKLAND: The three-at-the-back, build-through-the-wings approach that the Roots broke out this week has to be the path forward. I miss Memo Diaz, but Edgardo Rito has been super sharp as the right wingback. Charlie Dennis is my early favorite for League One's best graduate this season. Speaking of which...
ASIDE: Assessing the League One graduates
Here's your way-too-early GAR leaderboard for the players who moved up from League One. That bottom group hasn't earned enough minutes to qualify quite yet, and the general low-minute, limited-data state of play naturally limits things. For instance, Evan Conway suffers from the fact that he played in tough minutes while San Diego ran things up in matchups where he was off the pitch; Aaron Molloy and Jonathan Ricketts can expect big bumps when I get full passing data.
At the top end, I'm happy with what I'm seeing. Luis Zamudio has been great for Loudoun, Ruiz and Dennis bright as creators in their sides. This is a super talented crop of players, and I'll be curious to see how things develop throughout 2022.
Down Bad
20.) INDY: I hinted at it last week, but Justin Ingram is the truth in the midfield. At his current production level, he'd be in the top quarter of players for expected assists. Overall, the defense is getting there, and Byram Rebellon in particular is looking nice.
21.) MONTEREY: Chase Boone is really freaking good. In the same vein as Jeremy Kelly, I love seeing teams pick up guys who didn't get much run-out only to have them glow up in bigger roles. Robbie Crawford is a great midfield get. I see him as a ball-moving holder for a Monterey side that can't build cleanly.
22.) LOS ANGELES: Liam Doyle is so freaking good, guys. A steadying presence and great passer from the centerback spot, I can't believe he went unsigned until the last sentence. Los Angeles is sneaky deep out wide too; Cameron Dunbar shone in Indianapolis.
26.) ATLANTA: I hate the roster sandbagging stuff so much. They brought in a bunch of ringers against Charleston, and while the Hartford lineup was better, it still rubs me the wrong way. That said, the central progression was awesome this weekend. I've praised Robbie Mertz a lot, but he just does so much in this side. Where will he end up when Atlanta's out of the league?
27.) CHARLESTON: Andrew Booth is good! The diamond had its moments! Still, this team is playing whack-a-mole in a lot of ways right now. Finally knock out the ground-based buildup problem? Welp, here's a glaring struggle with transition defense. They're 26th in xG differential right now.
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