On Sunday, I reached out and asked for players that the USL Twitter-verse considered to be unsung breakouts so far that I could write about. I got five good responses in ten minutes, and decided to delete the Tweet before I got overwhelmed. In any event, here's the low-down on that fivesome.
Devon Amoo-Mensah
CB, Detroit City
Credit Mike Ireland
You could feasibly nominate any part of the Detroit back three here, but Devon Amoo-Mensah fits the bill perfectly. Starting as the leftmost central defender, #30 rates in the 71st percentile for Goals Above Replacement, and his rate stats to date are insane. He's:
82nd percentile for defensive actions
96th percentile for aerial wins
83rd percentile for clearances
77th percentile for tackle win percentage
Everyone has praised the sheer volume of Amoo-Mensah's activity, but it's the names that he's gone toe-to-toe with that impress me. In the last three weeks, he's shut down Laurent Kissiedou of Memphis, Russell Cicerone of Pittsburgh, and Matt Sheldon of Charleston. The error-free shutdown presence he provides is paramount to Detroit's approach
The unsung thing about Amoo-Mensah's game is the offensive impact he provides in moving up from that wide centerback spot. Detroit is at their most dangerous when their wingbacks are driving attacks. This draws opponents wide and opens up the middle of the pitch for Maxi Rodriguez, Antoine Hoppenot, and others. #30's upfield forays complement the presence of Deklan Wynne on the left to form a dynamic tandem that demands opposing attention. His runs were the single factor that brought Detroit to life against Memphis, and they sum up how complete Amoo-Mensah is as a player.
Luis Zamudio
GK, Loudoun United
Credit Turtle Emoji
Loudoun kept three clean sheets to start the season, and goalkeeper Luis Zamudio was a big reason why. Even after a wake-up game in Pittsburgh, the new signee sits on an 81% save percentage alongside a league-pacing 1.69 GSAA and 97th percentile GAR. That's nerd for "he's really good." #50 has experience in the youth systems of both Club America and FC Dallas, two of the premier developmental apparatuses in all of North America, and it shows.
In terms of his tactical importance, the sweeping that Zamudio brings in limited doses is crucial for Loudoun. He's obviously great on his line, and you can't undersell that, but this is a club that plays a hard-pressing high line and concedes balls over the top by choice. As seen in the clip above, Zamudio knows when to pop out of the box and clear those direct passes. It puts out potential fires for his side and liberates Sargis, Hope-Gund, Lillard, and co. to overload the middle of the pitch from their defensive roles and close high upfield. Zamudio is one to watch this season, and I see big things on the horizon for him in the years to come.
Justin Ingram
CM, Indy Eleven
Credit David
Justin Ingram is the only real rookie on this list, but he's been one of the few things holding Indy Eleven together to date. They sit on two points in four matches but have grown into Mark Lowry's diamond midfield as the weeks have gone on, and the Loyola Maryland graduate's presence in the center of that system has been paramount. Registering in the 74th percentile for expected assists and the 65th for defensive actions, Ingram truly provides a two-way impact. He shifts laterally very effectively for a centerman, and he's shown good discretion in knowing when to press up.
Those positional instincts are visible in the clip above, but that through ball to start the move that leads to an Indy goal is the real highlight. It's a technically flawless pass, but the nous to find that the gap, the vision to spot that run, and the follow-up movement that #23 showcases are every bit as great. I think that Ingram can bring the gritty-but-creative style that Lowry needs out of a #10; what a find for the Eleven!
Nick Moon
AM/FB, San Diego Loyal
Credit Kaylor Hodges
Much as Moon Knight, my all-time favorite comic hero, is known for his split personalities, Nick Moon straddles the line between positions with an astounding ease. I've written and tweeted extensively about the shifting San Diego system where the right back in their defensive 4-4-2 turns into a full-blown winger in their attacking 3-5-2, and Moon is the perfect player for such a double-edged role. He played as a forward in League One, a right back and midfielder in Indianapolis, and now provides a bit of it all for Landon Donovan.
If there's a signature skill that the jack-of-all-trades brings to the table, it's the mazy, incisive dribbling into the center of the pitch that's briefly clipped above. You can employ Moon on either wing, but he's best coming off of the right side. There, he can hug the touchline and whip in balls on his preferred right foot or beat you for pace into the gut and open up space to use that same magic boot, defense be damned. We've not seen the attacking component fully actualized within an already-scary Loyal side, but the league should watch out for Nick Moon when it happens.
Luis Manuel Seijas
AM, Phoenix Rising
Credit Rise Up
You could pick out the moment Phoenix Rising came to life when they trailed San Diego two-to-nothing a few weeks back, and it was precisely when Luis Manuel Seijas came onto the pitch. He scored there and started the next week against San Antonio, providing 83nd percentile expected goals and 90th percentile expected assists in doing so. Sliding into that central trio for Rick Schantz's side, Seijas was steadying in possession and brought that sharp attacking edge to boot.
The importance of Seijas extends beyond his direct contributions, a common theme to all five players here. In #18's case, it's that staid presence and heady sense of when to attack and when to sit back that's rebalanced things in the Valley, freeing up Arturo Rodriguez to roam and flitter to the tune of three key passes, six crosses, and a shot on target. Seijas' metronomic passing game and sense of the moment raises the level of everyone around him.
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