At this time last season, 14 of the USL’s 16 eventual playoff teams had settled into top-eight positions. It feels like we’ve got far more havoc in store this time around. Week 30 was frustrating in a sense, with most teams on the bubble drawing and failing to stake their claim on a postseason spot. That said, there was still plenty to learn from the top of the Championship table to the bottom.
Which clubs made the bold changes that paid off, who’s in trouble, and how did that impact the power rankings? Let’s dig in.
1. Louisville City
Trending: No change
Result: 1-0 win at Detroit
When you watch Louisville City, it often seems like they’ve thrown their entire team into the attacking zone. That’s not necessarily untrue, but Danny Cruz has instilled a sense of balance that’s equally unmistakable. Knowing when and how to temper the upfield aggression with a foolproof structure has made LouCity the Players’ Shield favorites, and it stood out in Detroit this weekend.
I highlighted Aiden McFadden as an attacking-third target in this column last week, but Amadou Dia is equally important at the opposite wingback spot. Dia is asked to fill a complementary role on the left, sitting low and almost giving Louisville a back-four baseline in restart situations.
Here, you wouldn’t be wrong to call the shape a 4-2-3-1. The back five is highlighted in purple, but McFadden is so high and Dia so low that their roles would be easily misidentified in a vacuum. The same idea prevailed in set piece situations, particularly on long throws. There, one center back (Josh Jones) would take the throw-in while the others (Kyle Adams, Sean Totsch) would present themselves in the box. It thus became Dia’s job to serve as an anchor near halfway in case of a quick transition.
