There are twenty-seven teams in the USL, they're all ranked here, 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 watch out for my midweek piece.
My USL League Guide 2022, an updated, 75-page breakdown of every team's basic system. It's a hoss, but I like to think it's informative.
But without further ado...
Title Contenders
1.) SAN ANTONIO: It's a credit to San Antonio that they can miss six starting-caliber players because of injury and suspension and still roll out one of the best lineups in the USL, as happened on Tuesday against Tulsa. The guests were strong in the middle and limited transition within their back three, but I loved what San Antonio got on the left from Connor Maloney and Nicky Hernandez. They interchanged and drove transition breaks. Elsewhere, Samuel Adeniran looked super sharp.
Adeniran started along two other elite strikers in a high-powered line with Justin Dhillon and Santiago Patino in another interconference game against Charleston. Those three were simply delightful, liberating one another to flow and rotate wherever they pleased, and it challenged a Battery core than can be mistake prone centrally. Pair that with Shannon Gomez's all-world crossing and great feeds down his right side from Jasser Khmiri and Mohamed Abu, and this was yet another stellar outing.
I do have to throw a word in on Matt Cardone's retirement. He's a legend of the lower leagues. In the last two seasons, he rated in the 92nd and 98th percentile for overall performance, but he's been doing that for years. Pair that with a spectacular beard and a spotless reputation as a leader, and you see why he's been so impactful for San Antonio.
2.) TAMPA BAY: In a heavyweight matchup against Memphis, Tampa BAY rolled with their same starting eleven from last weekend. Their tactics were similar as well, with Sebastian Dalgaard moved to the right instead of the left to mark Jeremy Kelly after his shutdown matchup with Alex Dixon last week. The Rowdies, leading users of a back three, sat in a 4-2-3-1ish shape that split two centerbacks wide and dropped Lewis Hilton low in build. It's a fascinating shift, and it let them stay confident and possessive while drawing Memphis up in the press. Both of their first two goals came when they played over the aggression of the visitors, a showcase of how varied this team's attack can be.
Hilton was vital fending off the 901 press, and he's been exceptional all season long. He's in the 89th percentile for expected assists and the 80th for pass completions this year. Against Memphis, he went 20-for-21 on passes in the opposing half. Few players in the USL combine his vision and progressivity with so much technique and compsure.
3.) COLORADO SPRINGS: Burdened with an unusual Friday-Tuesday-Friday slate, Colorado Springs went with a change-heavy lineup headlined by Kharlton Belmar at the midweek. On the road, fullbacks Isaiah Foster and Issa Rayyan caught my eye with their work rates against a Hartford side that's best in the wide areas. Those fullbacks and the generally weakened lineup were often sucked out to that wide threat, leaving gaps and conceding a spate of set pieces. That all came to a head late, when poor rotation and tracking let Hartford get ahead past the 70th minute.
A return home to kick off the weekend was better. The Switchbacks looked much fresher at home, and I loved the performance in defense from Dennis Erdmann. He was good in the back line and kickstarted numerous breaks. The speed with which Brendan Burke's unit advanced was night-and-day different compared to the Hartford game, and it paid off whenever Michee Ngalina found a touch. This team occasionally looks vulnerable, and defense wins USL Cups, but you can't watch the Switchbacks on the break without thinking they're a true threat.
4.) LOUISVILLE: Wilson Harris was back in the starting mix for Louisville as the Legion came to town, but he struggled to find an inch of space between the visiting side's top-notch centerbacks. His first-half injury was a setback, and it's a shame after the side finally got a legit forward back in there. Still, his club's best moments came in breaking with tempo or overloading the channels, forging zone entrances that let City work from the outside in. Sean Totsch's ball-carriage was bright in that vein, and the cleanliness of Wes Charpie's passing (17/19 in Legion territory) likewise opened opportunities for Brian Ownby and Jorge Gonzalez to progress. Those sorts of sequences earned a spate of set-piece looks for Louisville, and Joshua Wynder showed a hint of his dominant physical potential in smashing a free kick home for the opener. This team always just finds a way, rarely budging from what works.
5.) SAN DIEGO: Hosting the defending champions on Wednesday, San Diego were resplendent, blasting their midfielders into the channels and looking especially strong down their left side. The first goal epitomized the dominance with a now-classic passage of Kyle Vassell hold-up and Tumi Moshobane overlapping. Vassell put in the, uh, tackle of a lifetime to blow the game open, but the left-leaning build patterns remained untouchable for a rolling San Diego attack.
Is this team a title contender? I have them in the tier of that name, but what does that really mean? In the recent past, defense has won USL Cups, and it generally is the most important factor for teams in single-elimination tournaments. Think about Orange County last year. They hardly scored, but a handful of goals from Ronaldo Damus were enough because of a standout back line. Tampa (0.59 goals allowed per 90) in COVID-cancelled 2020 also springs to mind.
Obviously, San Diego isn't close to that level of solidity. Still, Colorado Springs isn't all that stout either, and I have them in the title mix. Moreover, Phoenix's 2020 finalist squad and the 2019 title-winning Real Monarchs only had average defenses. This year's Loyal have a penchant for allowing silly goals against the run of play, but they've shaped up las the season has worn on. Collin Martin's destruction (83rd percentile defensive actions) in the middle has been key, and I like the Elijah Martin-Kyle Adams-Grant Stoneman triad. In their last four games, San Diego has allowed just three goals. If "average" is the minimum, Landon Donovan's side is there or better.
If this team keeps improving at back, they undoubtedly have the offense to go the distance. Alejandro Guido is unendingly amazing and continues to be my MVP pick, and Kyle Vassell is the signing of the season. On the latter: he makes direct, over-the-top build a viable strategy for San Diego. The Loyal were hellbent on ground-based, slow-tempo attack in years past, but the wrecking ball that is Vassell provides hold-up and physicality that opens up a whole new avenue of offense.
Pair that duo with cleverness and pace from Thomas Amang and Moshobane (16 goals and assists combined), a rotating cast of bright wingers, and an underrated stable of set-piece maestros, and you can see why the Loyal are the top offense in the West by goals per 90. That firepower just might be enough, and they'll have a chance to prove it against Colorado Springs on Independence Day.
Playoff Locks
6.) SACRAMENTO: For the first time in weeks, Sacramento's impenetrable Casey-Donovan-Desmond trio in back was broken up on the road against a lethal Colorado Springs side, but the defense remained stout. The forward thrust of the press - think holders, wingers, and striker - tended very narrow against build, often collapsing to either the right or left side of the pitch. That opened switches and let the opposition progress, but Sacramento is immaculately good at recovering and relying on their defense to stay firm. The Switchbacks countered the solidity with tempo, consistently seeking out their speedy attackers when the Republic had pressed up to find joy.
We've reached a point where Sacramento is this close to being a Western threat but lacks the final touch. Their chance creation is a shade too tame, and the defense has finally shown vulnerability to pace in transition. The Republic's conversion rate is third-worst in the USL at just 9%. Maybe a continued run for Zeiko Lewis solves the creation issue, but you're sacrificing the all-league pressure of Keko in that case. A +4 goal difference is fine for an average side, but San Diego and Colorado Springs are approaching +20. It's a symptom of a defense-first game, but the data consistently shows that the Republic need a spark.
7.) BIRMINGHAM: One of the consistently fun aspects of Birmingham's system is the disparity between Jonathan Dean's "might as well be a winger" positioning on the right in comparison to Jake Rufe's pseudo-centerback role on the left. The Legion make it work, and Dean has more than enough pace to recover and shut down most issues, though he did struggle in that regard earlier in the year. Further up, Birmingham pressed in a now-standard 4-4-2, but they made a concerted effort to man-mark Louisville in the middle via Mikey Lopez and Zach Herivaux.
Birmingham was mostly fine off the ball before the red, although set piece concession was an issue. I've been on cruise control figuring that their attack would get it together, but I think it's officially time to worry. Yes, Louisville is insanely stout and controls the game against everybody, but the Legion have just 14 goals all year. That's second-from-bottom across the entire USL, and the only team lower just fired their coach. Maybe you drop Enzo Martinez down to the central midfield to spray passes, maybe you give Edi Horvat a look as the number nine - this team has a 7% conversion rate, and that starts at striker - or maybe you go off the map entirely. I don't know what has to give, but the Legion need a shift to make the leap.
8.) MEMPHIS: Facing off against a Tampa Bay team in a surprising back four, Memphis came out with two forwards to press the opposing centerbacks man-for-man. The 901 shape was what I would term an "empty bucket" 4-4-2 with two deep center midfielders, two high forwards, and a gap between. That look denied breakouts down the spine of the pitch, but it also left space down the flanks and into the channels off long passes. Down 1-0, you saw Jeremy Kelly pinch up to try and support against Lewis Hilton coming deep to overload the forwards. A series of poorly-timed rotations from there left the box vulnerable, and it was game as Tampa Bay went up two at home. The Rowdies are great, but the tactical change was probably an overstep for a Memphis side that's been perfectly legit in defense.
9.) DETROIT: Yes, Las Vegas didn't have Danny Trejo or Cal Jennings in the lineup. That doesn't demean the whooping that Detroit put on the Lights by systematically denying their core tactical identity. Le Rouge came in with their usual group, and they got world-class performances out wide. Las Vegas sits narrow and tries to deny the middle on defense, but they spread play with their rangy forwards going the other direction. Michael Bryant and Deklan Wynne took advantage of the space out wide in attack and tracked back to assure solidity in defense.
When Detroit's wide spark goaded the Lights wide, Connor Rutz went to work between the midfield and forward lines, linking play and generally wreaking havoc. That's a real feat against a stout defense, and it's one of the reasons that Rutz feels like a hard cut every time I'm back on my Team of the Year shenanigans. The numbers don't love #11's game - he's below average for expected goals, expected assists, pass completions, and defensive actions - but they eye test shows Rutz to be a vital cog for this side.
In the Mix
10.) EL PASO: El Paso played a pacey wing pair featuring Emmanuel Sonupe and Christiano Francois with the theory that they could race past the press in Edinburg, and at times the midfield took a two holder-one creator aspect to weather that pressure with safe passing. Smart in theory, the system was often overwhelmed by RGV's dynamic 4-3-3ish defense and struggled with turnovers
The Atlanta matchup at the weekend saw Ricardo Zacarias, an attacking midfielder, slide into the right back spot in a pinch. El Paso badly needs depth there, because Zacarias plainly wasn't up to the task. Paired with the somewhat flat-footed Matt Bahner on that side, #17 struggled mightily on whether to track Atlanta's wingback or drop in against their free-flowing forward runs. A lack of steel in the center didn't help. As much as I love Richie Ryan and the dynamos in front of him, no one was there to meet the box-to-box dominance of Robbie Mertz. Basically, every time I start to buy what John Hutchinson is selling, seeds of doubt slip through because of chemistry and construction issues.
11.) NEW MEXICO: After a flat offensive game against Birmingham, Zach Prince switched things up a bit and opted for an early-season favorite with Neco Brett and Preston Tabort Etaka up top. Things went belly-up immediately when a direct Monterey move let Chase Boone tower into the box for a headed goal, one that systematically took advantage of New Mexico's wide woes. I liked how Rashid Tetteh consistently targeted a changed-out left on the part of the hosts, and Sergio Rivas made some superb runs into those areas. There's a reason he's one of the league leaders in xG per shot; his movement is exceptional. Still, the dynamism is gone for New Mexico right now, and teams can shut them down by pinching narrow, getting compact, and challenging United to do something. I'll be interested to see what changes are in the offing.
12.) LOS ANGELES: If you look at my Goals Above Replacement estimates of player value, Preston Judd is the best player in the USL by a country mile. I don't hate the take entirely, and it's indicative of my math overrating defensive interventions and good-old-fashioned goalscoring, but I need to cool the jets. In any event, Galaxy II took on more of a back-four system while hosting Oakland in order to get extra midfielders up the pitch against a thin Roots pivot. The added numbers and width tore through the guests in the second half, and I couldn't take my eyes off of Cameron Dunbar in the left half space as he combined with Josh Drack. This team is a bit mercurial, and the expected numbers hate then, but the Galaxy have moments that convince me they're really in this playoff hunt, and their sixth-place position doesn't lie.
13.) RIO GRANDE VALLEY: I'm always a shade mystified by Rio Grande Valley's forward rotation. Frank Lopez, Dylan Borczak, and Adolfo Hernandez have all contributed nobly, so naturally Wilmer Cabrera turned to Frank Gaviria this Wednesday out of nowhere. The position just may not be that important to RGV. Their endlessly energetic midfield press, in the form of a narrow 4-3-3 against El Paso, is the real engine. Ricky Ruiz, Isidro Martinez, and Emilio Ycaza hover between the forward and midfield regions to dominate opposing pivots and generate chances for whoever is leading the line.
14.) LAS VEGAS: Las Vegas were without Danny Trejo and Cal Jennings at forward and Dekel Keinan in defense, rendering them shorthanded as they hosted plucky Detroit. Morten Bjorshol excelled as the guests systematically tore down his flank, letting the Lights bend without breaking for large chunks of the match. The rotated lineup struggled to build through the visiting press, lacking Trejo's dribbling and Jennings' gravitational movement. Isn't it a shade depressing to know that 2023 is still going to be marred by a side that's wholly reliant on the whims of an MLS parent? Enrique Duran's Lights are a blast, but give me independent Rio Grande Valley or the out-of-the-closet Galaxy affiliate in the playoffs.
15.) PITTSBURGH: Winless since mid-May, Pittsburgh jumped out to a quick lead in Montclair and never looked back. You have to credit the Riverhounds for sticking with their now-typical 3-4-2-1 shape, matching New York's back three identically. The two-man attacking midfield went narrow against the opposing build to deny the middle. When the opponents then went wide, wingbacks Alex Dixon and Toby Sims jumped up into the final third to apply manic pressure. New York went long in response and struggled with turnovers, and those same wingbacks became the targets of quick outlet passes against the unsettled foe. The Baby Bulls are poor, but Pittsburgh deserves credit for playing their game and staying positive. Dixon (99th percentile GAR) is a complete star; watch out for the USL Tactics Show this week if you're interested.
16.) MIAMI: Somewhat surprisingly, Miami switched into a 4-2-3-1 in advance of their all-important Indy matchup, employing an attacking midfield composed of Joaquin Rivas, Joshua Perez, and Lamar Walker. That's a whole lot of speed and trickery to slot in Speedy Williams and Kyle Murphy, and the side looked all the brighter for the changes. When that trio turned into a foursome with Mark Segbers on the overlap, their speed and movement bowled the Eleven over. On Miami's opening goal, a long goal kick to that Segbers-powered right side overloaded the hosts. Indy was drawn wide, Miami quickly broke from side to side, and Walker was in enough space to get an assist. Kudos to Anthony Pulis for the strategic dominance.
Though Saturday's game was the first win for Miami since May, it felt like a statement in the playoff race. Miami is up three points on the Eleven for the last playoff spot, though the Hoosiers have two games in hand. Nonetheless, Rivas looks like a star addition, his new club has a clear goal-difference edge, and Indy is reeling. This was a "six-pointer" if there ever was one.
Ups and Downs
17.) HARTFORD: With Harry Watling out the door, Hartford switched key man Joel Johnson into the back line against Colorado Springs. The choice was wise and played to Johnson's strengths. He's got four goals in 2022, but that's on unsustainable 90th-percentile conversion. Liberated to overlap from deep, the Liberian burst into the final third without a second thought, pairing nicely with Prince Saydee on the left wing. That duo dragged the Switchbacks wide on Tuesday, opening holes for delightful bits of central penetration. Still, I was left wondering why we've seen so little of Corey Hertzog up top. He's one of the most prolific finishers in league history, and this side finally has the capability to create looks. The late-arriving pair of Rashawn Dally and Ariel Martinez got Hartford over the line, but you wonder what Hertzog could've done with all that unmet service.
18.) OAKLAND: Memo Diaz, a jack of all trades, moved to the left to accommodate Edgardo Rito's right-sided return as Oakland took on Los Angeles, but the big tactical shift came in the middle. Jose Hernandez pressed wildly high from the central midfield, a move that left the Roots' pivot exposed without blowing up the Galaxy's possessive style. To shore that gap up in the second half, Oakland tucked Mikael Johnsen and Charlie Dennis narrow to try and deny the center. Suddenly, the Galaxy tore down the wings in the newly-opened space, exposing the wingbacks and dooming Oakland to a dispiriting loss. This was a step back. The Roots have been competitive in most all of their games, and they're still in the thick of it for the playoffs, but Juan Guerra's side looked as poor as I've seen them against Galaxy II.
19.) INDY: Seeing Ayoze return to the left-back spot for Indy makes everything seem right in the world. I've been critical of the spacing and recovery speedy shown by the Eleven defense in recent weeks, and the Spaniard skirts those issues with his intelligence. He held his own against a difficult matchup with Joaquin Rivas. The issues largely came down the middle in defense. In a flatter 4-4-2 than usual, Indy struggled to stay compact and often gave up space between the lines; Speedy Williams and Joshua Perez ate up. Overreactions in support of the flanks didn't help, and, as I noted above, the result felt rather consequential in terms of Indy's playoff hopes.
20.) ATLANTA: Tristan Trager jumped down Charleston's throat at the midweek, slinking beyond veteran defenders twice to get an instant brace. His electricity and mobility complement a similar skillset shown off by Jackson Conway, and both players feel like strong fits in front of a mobile midfield. Atlanta doesn't pick you apart in block, but they can generate chances in transition, and having smart movers like the Trager-Conway pair lets that happen alongside Robbie Mertz or the oft-creative Darwin Matheus.
Hosting El Paso on Saturday, Atlanta immediately returned to their normal form and gave up a hideous set-piece goal. Still, they were so, so bright in the aftermath. Mertz put in a masterclass against a stacked Locomotive midfield, tearing up play as a destroyer and linking with a brilliant Raimar on the left. El Paso is functionally without a right back for the time being, and Raimar feasted with Trager, Conway, and Matheus constantly running into that right channel. They gave up chances aplenty as always, but darn if this team isn't a blast right now.
21.) MONTEREY: The Californian expansion side finally had Chase Boone back in the lineup with New Mexico on the cards, but Frank Yallop couldn't help himself from tinkering with the defense and slotted Robbie Crawford in at left back. I was skeptical, especially given tha Grant Robinson was there on the bench. Now, Crawford is great. I love his passing vision, and he gets box-to-box, but he's a natural number six or eight, and he lacks the pace to deal with a lot of forwards. This is why I don't coach. New Mexico targeted his side consistently, and Crawford was largely fine. Supported with great intentionality by Hugh Roberts and a box-to-box Boone, the ex-Battery player looked lovely, and he sparked the opening goal with a good long ball into the always-feisty Christian Volesky. This team doesn't have any quit, and I love that about them.
Down Bad
22.) PHOENIX: After such a bright end to the Las Vegas match for Marcus Epps, I was surprised to see Joey Calistri start, but the move made sense given Calistri's stronger defensive sensibilities. I know I called for an amicable end to the Rick Schantz era last week, but he's tactically astute even if the team isn't there for him. Phoenix conceded to Orange County in short order thanks to set-piece hilarity, but Schantz deserves credit for narrowing the side's shape to claw back into it. In the first 25 minutes, Rising's fullbacks didn't get a single touch in the middle third of the pitch. From that point until full time, they got 15 such touches, illustrating how Rising compressed play.
That change protected Baboucarr Njie and James Musa on the vulnerable left by containing action, and it gave the technical Rising midfield a breath of fresh air. The compact unit had innumerable passing angle to exploit, leading to much smoother attacking play past the Orange County 4-4-2. It's not always pretty in Phoenix in 2022, and June was a month to forget, but the playoffs are still attainable for a side this talented. Don't get me wrong, I still think a coaching change is for the better; more on that from me this week. Still, until that happens, you have to trust the process and admire the small victories.
23.) ORANGE COUNTY: There were moments where Orange County kept level-headed in the 4-3-3 - another new formation, mind you - but those instances were sparing. The right side was weak, with Ian Hoffman especially struggling to communicate with Ahmed Longmire at centerback. I suppose that's what happens when you're constantly changing lineups and personnel, but the issues persisted even when both sides went down a man and Richard Chaplow bunkered into a back three.
As much as Patrick Rakovsky has struggled in goal, Colin Shutler has been shaky too. He rated as a top-ten goalkeeper in League One last year, but you couldn't help but cringe at some of the shots he let through his hands against the Loyal. That said, Shutler was good against Phoenix, especially in those dying moments when his side was down a man and under pressure. Still, he conceded
I like the return of Dillon Powers, but it might be a "too little, too late" proposition. Powers put up top-quarter defensive actions, tackle win rate, pass completions, and forward passing last year and was solid next to Tommy McCabe and with Eric Calvillo driving play a step ahead. Orange County lacks the latter's verve and play-driving, but a restored combination of Powers and McCabe could pay dividends.
Powers comes into a super crowded central-midfield mix. Chaplow started four players who are best in the center against Phoenix, adopting a 4-4-2. Ivan Gutierrez, the most winger-y of that bunch, did well on the left against his old club, and the side was ruthless down the wings initially. Still, their flat shape struggled to actually stay flat and compact, and Rising grew into the game, exploiting the holes the slow midfield was leaving. This side just can't find its best system or personnel. Regardless of the results, I just want a modicum of consistency.
24.) LOUDOUN: A semi-resurgent Loudoun featured Luis Zamudio in goal without Sami Guediri this weekend, but the unstoppable Abdellatif Aboukoura still slotted into the forward line. Aboukoura showcased his mazy movement in the channel, and Jacob Greene linked with him to power Ryan Martin’s attack. Combined, those two are younger than:
Dekel Keinan
Richie Ryan
Yuma
Ayoze
Matt Van Oekel
Michael Orozco
Luis Seijas
Unreal, right? I know Loudoun isn’t long for this league, but those are two players I’ll be keeping an eye on in the future. Meanwhile, Zamudio recaptured some early-season form to save a penalty and make a handful of brilliant saves. #PlayoffLoudoun may be dead, but I still love watching this roster.
25.) TULSA: Tuesday's game in Texas illuminated Sean McFarlane's role as the "break glass in case Bradley Bourgeois needs rest" right back, and the squad for that match also saw Lebo Moloto restored in a spunky midfield grouping. The defensive 5-2-1-2 or 5-3-2 matched up well with San Antonio's central trio, indicating that Donovan Ricketts has the ability to tweak his system to address opposition, and you saw that numerical parity pay off as Kembo Kibato's counterpressure led to the opening goal.
Between that match and the weekend bout with Loudoun, Tulsa announced that Cuban international Jorge Corrales would miss the rest of the season with a leg injury. Brutal but sadly typical of this season. Ricketts kept that same Moloto-in-the-hole look for the Loudoun game. #30 ended up deep down the pitch to pick up possession, stunting his impact where it counted. Still, he pressed up on the left like a winger or shadow forward, and his lack of pace in that context left Gabriel Torres on an island for a few great looks. There’s only so much Eric Bird and Adrian Diz can do in rotation when you’ve got such a liability. I hate that Moloto can’t find a fit in 2022.
26.) CHARLESTON: Aidan Apodaca entered the lineup for a semi-hot Charleston side to meet Atlanta on Tuesday, and he had some moments interchanging with Augustine Williams, but the storyline for Charleston came at the back. Within two-and-a-half minutes, the Battery trailed by two goals thanks to horrendous defending. Preston Kilwien got unlucky slipping on goal one, but he and Leland Archer botched assignments in transition to go down 2-0 before you could sit down with your Cheerwine.
Seeking more solidity and enjoying the starting return of Dominic Oduro, the Battery broke out an honest-to-God double pivot for the first time in weeks against the transition titans from San Antonio. Meanwhile, their vital fullbacks were shutdown by the hard-pressing wide men visiting out of Texas, stunting build entirely. This was always going to be a difficult matchup, but the Battery could hardly get a look at net.
27.) NEW YORK: The ever-shifty Baby Bulls returned to a back three to match the visiting Riverhounds, and they got hammered in that shape. You're innately moving your fullbacks-turned-wingbacks higher up the pitch with a trio in defense, and Pittsburgh feasts when they can liberate Alex Dixon out wide. O'Vonte Mullings and Curtis Ofori tracked poorly on both flanks, but the centerback corps looked equally disengaged. Elsewhere, I was happy to see Michael Knapp (93rd percentile defensive actions and 97th percentile forward passing in 2021) get his second start of the year, but he hardly could find a touch against a rampant foe.
After the defeat, New York parted ways with Gary Lewis as the team’s coach. It’s been nearly four months since the Baby Bulls won a match, but I’m left a bit confused here. Like yeah, the results are terrible, but Lewis contends with a tumultuous roster, and the play on the pitch belies the disastrous view provided by the league table. What’s the point of this club, anyway? Guys like Ofori, Mullings, Sam Williams, and AJ Marcucci have shown growth under Lewis. I flatly refuse to believe this is a win-first team, so a results-driven firing is foolhardy.