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. We're live on Tuesdays at 9:00 Eastern and in your podcast queues shortly thereafter. The USL Tactics show is there as well.
But without further ado...
Title Contenders
1.) SAN ANTONIO: Another week, another no-nonsense league win. The Austin performance at midweek was spirited too. Something I love about this team is the intention behind their centerback play. A lot of interventions into the midfield by defenders are reckless chares; not so with San Antonio. There was a sequence where Abu tracked a runner deep, and Khmiri stepped up into the midfield to mark a late-emerging midfielder like it was second nature. That's why this team is nigh impenetrable and how they outperform underwhelming xG numbers that undersell the dire shot quality they concede.
2.) COLORADO SPRINGS: Colorado Springs took every inch they were provided against Tulsa and looked wildly sharp. The team took on a 4-3-3 looks this time around, varying their wing height or pressing up central midfielders into a 4-1-4-1 to completely addle a foe that tries to work through a lone holder and high fullbacks. Brendan Burke is the man.
3.) LOUISVILLE: When Louisville put out a lineup with Jan-Erik Leinhos, Carlos Moguel, and Ray Serrano, I legitimately chortled at how subtly disrespectful it was to the opposing Charleston Battery. And then they went down 1-0. The second half was much stronger as the familiar faces came on to the pitch, but Louisville still has a bit of a long-ball issue at the back.
4.) PITTSBURGH: How good was Dani Rovira yet again this week? I know he's been a stalwart in the Riverhounds' rotation for a bit, but his central-ish midfield role was massive in preventing a spirited Atlanta press from creating any true danger. He's so darn good on the ball and knows where to be to cover for teammates at all times.
5.) PHOENIX: Phoenix grew into the match against Miami after a slow-ish start, reyling on a renewed commitment to counterpressure to get the job done. Luis Seijas scored yet another banger, but I wanted to shout out Ryan Flood here. He's been so steadying at left back, and he's finding that sense of adventure in attack.
6.) TAMPA: Midweek disappointment in the form of a should-have-been upset against Orlando carried over into a bad performance against the Baby Bulls. There's a lack of attacking punch at the moment for my taste. Sebastian Guenzatti can't quite get off the mark, and I'm left with a sense of stasis watching the movement in and around the box. Something to note: Guenzatti's xG per shot is down from the 84the percentile to the 25th this season.
Playoff Locks
7.) SACRAMENTO: This team is at their best when they're able to work outside-inside and inside-out. The level of fluidity that Sacramento has in a horizontal sense is crazy. Rodrigo Lopez moonlights as a winger, and the fullbacks (think Lacroix, Viader, and Gurr) bomb forward with impunity to utterly stretch opponents. A wise choice to go with a back three neutered that electricity to an extent, but the Republic are fun when they're clicking.
8.) SAN DIEGO: No league match.
9.) DETROIT: The Detroit press was wildly high this weekend, and it's illustrative of the increased confidence that they're playing with. I loved the upset against Columbus in the midweek, and they dominated Hartford early, but I think this team is a bit tired. They've run out the same lineup for weeks at this point and dragged for the whole second half in Connecticut. Which, of course, didn't stop them from getting a magical win. They're another side like San Antonio with mediocre underlying data but unimpeachable results.
10.) MIAMI: Miami doesn't drop after a decent showing on the road at one of the league's premier sides. They were run off the pitch in the second half, but those first-half moments where they dominated in the center of the pitch don't feel like they're an anomaly. That said, they're 18th out of 27 teams for xG differential; we need consistency here.
On the Bubble
11.) NEW MEXICO: I love seeing young'un Cristian Nava get the nod as part of that attacking front, and Preston Tabortetaka has to be in the singing-of-the-year conversation too. I didn't quite see it fully in Hartford, but he's a dynamo for his New Mexico team. For all that, the results aren't coming. Touch chunk of the schedule, sure, but the goals have to come at some point.
12.) LAS VEGAS: This midfield is good, y'all. Daroma, Crisostomo, Quezada, whoever: every one of them tracks up and down the field with ceaseless energy, and it's crucial to this team's unsung solidity in block. Los Angeles showed how you can stretch them out a bit, and I worry about the sustainability of a system based on big counter chances, but they're a riot to watch.
13.) EL PASO: I'm increasingly convinced that Richie Ryan is the most vital component of this team. His positioning opens the middle in buildup, or he passes through himself. When the fullbacks get high, Ryan is responsible for shifting to cover for them. In the final third, #6 is the pressure release valve who resets moves. Can he bear that burden in 2022?
14.) ORANGE COUNTY: The use of a back four against Indy was astute, allowing for the added presence of Sean Okoli in attack in lieu of a third centerback against a feckless attacking team. There's still a lack of fluidity here, but Orange County looked good playing long over the diamond.
15.) MEMPHIS: No league match.
16.) BIRMINGHAM: Birmingham moved into a four-at-the-back setup that impressively shut down Loudoun in buildup, but the Agudelo-less attack still didn't get it done to a satisfying degree. Everything just feels close. Whether it's free-moving Enzo Martinez or Prosper Kasim in the half space, something pops every week, but it never all gels at once. Kudos to Martinez at least for his first Legion goal.
17.) TULSA: After starting disastrously and falling behind to a rampant Switchbacks side, Tulsa adjusted admirably in sharpening their press and dropping their fullbacks into a flatter and more responsible defensive line. Still, they've really dropped in terms of form after a great start and are closer to a playoff bubble team than anything. The defense has fallen off (22nd in xG allowed), and we've not seen the magic from Rivas and Suarez to the usual degree.
18.) OAKLAND: …am I allowed not to like the green-and-gold getup? You get the connection to the A's and all that, but it just feels like someone took the life out of a Tampa kit for my taste. More seriously, xG likes this team a lot; they're 11th in total differential and sport a top-five xG-preventing defense by my calculations.
19.) RIO GRANDE VALLEY: The back three-back five choice was smart, and how about Luka Malesevic? There's a bigger point to make here, and it's that Frank Lopez and Dylan Borczak have a total "buddy cop" dynamic as a strike pair. Lopez is the grizzled vet, no-nonsense; the strong and silent type. Borczak is the young gun, full of life and energy. Universal, hit up me or Wilmer Cabrera.
20.) INDY: This team is getting healthy, and I'm still banking on madness from Solomon Asante. That said, it's too inconsistent right now. The back line for Indy had largely been fine, but then they allow a crap route-one goal to Orange County. Meanwhile, the Eleven really struggle to create, but you get moments of brilliance from Pinho or McQueen. Yeah, they beat OC and have a cute winning streak, but something's missing.
Down Bad
21.) LOS ANGELES: Moving to a back three did wonders for the Galaxy against Las Vegas. Liam Doyle played quarterback, carefully shepherding and recycling as his wide counterparts got adventurous in their passing and the fullbacks became full-blown wingers. It stretched Vegas and earned the draw.
22.) NEW YORK: New York debuted a back five against Tampa in a surprise move to match their foes, and it went quite well! The fullbacks, particularly O'Vonte Mullings on the right, did a lot to challenge their Rowdies counterparts, and Jonathan Filipe situationally flitted between the forward and midfield lines to great effect. This team just has flashes.
23.) LOUDOUN: It breaks my heart, but this Loudoun side just doesn’t have it. The initial dynamism and press-driven success isn't there any more. It's a bit of an odd contrast with Las Vegas. Both are counter- and transition-driven sides, but the former has the finishers to make due in games where they barely generate a shot.
24.) HARTFORD: Hartford isn't really good, per se, but they're reaching that baseline of solidity rapidly. Returning to a back four at home against Detroit, they were able to really leverage their midfield to cut off passing lanes and make life difficult. Detroit was the better side, but Andre Lewis' safe hands in the middle and a bit of luck nearly did the trick. Ariel Martinez rocks, by the way. Still, they can't buy a point right now.
25.) CHARLESTON: The diamond really clicked against Louisville, and Preston Kilwien's long diagonal balls were a treasure. This team still can't build on the ground, but they’re slowly but surely finding their strengths. Long live right-sided Andrew Booth, too; his positioning is impeccable.
26.) ATLANTA: This team's press is just insanely aggressive, and it's always fun to watch. The number of times I see Aiden McFadden halfway up the pitch and comically far inside and mistake him for an attacking midfielder is embarrassing. They're still bad, but they're having a blast in the process.
27.) MONTEREY: No league match.
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