On Zach Zandi, Colorado Springs' linchpin
Why Zach Zandi could be the difference-maker if the Switchbacks win a USL title
Back in 2019, James Chambers and Zach Zandi were teammates with Philadelphia Union II. The two midfielders led their team in minutes played and shared the pitch 28 times; they combined for 17 goal contributions all the while.
Fast forward to 2024, and Chambers - the rookie head coach of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks - will manage a more refined Zandi in this Saturday’s USL Championship Final. In many ways, the 28-year-old midfielder brings a “coach on the field” intelligence, but the verve that stood out in 2019 still defines his game to this day.
Indeed, Zandi nabbed a brace to help the Switchbacks past Orange County in the Conference Semifinal. Throughout the playoff run, the Pennsylvania native has combined clever off-ball attacking movement with exquisite out-of-possession positioning. Zach Zandi starts as a defensive midfielder in Colorado Springs’ 4-2-3-1, but his impact extends all over the park.
Zandi played just three matches in 2023 amidst injuries, but he’s back with a vengeance in 2024. Though the midfielder’s numbers don’t jump off the page1 compared to peers at his position, that’s a function of role more so than quality. In roughly 1,900 minutes with Zandi on the field this year, Colorado Springs accrued a plus-13 goal difference. They were minus-five in 1,100 minutes without him.
The Switchbacks enter the final in the midst of a five-game winning streak, with Zandi playing all but 11 minutes and emerging as a key scoring threat. During the recent unbeaten run, the Pennsylvanian has attempted nine shots, seven of which have come from outside of the 18-yard box. The midfielder has three goals all the while - two of which were game-winners.
When the Switchbacks attack, they aren’t reliant on overlapping runs from the full backs. Colorado Springs only connected on about four crosses per game in the regular season, placing them 12th in the USL. Instead, there’s a focus on the central areas; the full backs set the table and forge overloads working from outside-in.
In that context, Zandi’s movement - not just his edge-of-the-area scoring - is crucial. Colorado Springs’ shape looks like a 2-4-4 at times, with Zandi and pivot partner Speedy Williams greasing the wheels as the Switchbacks move toward the middle.
Williams (48.5 passes per match) is the tempo-setter, and he tends to sit deeper to help circulate in build. Once Colorado Springs enters the attacking third, the Jamaican international becomes more of a linking player that can drift into the channels to facilitate and serve as the base of passing triangles.
Though Zandi (22.5 passes per match) can start deep next to Williams, he’s more adventurous in his movement and thus less dominant with the ball. There’s half-space support in the mix, but the Pennsylvanian is more offensively slanted. Think of Zandi like the “Plan B” on the end of attacking moves, patiently positioning himself for rebounds and edge-of-box shooting angles.
Often, that role sees Zandi fill space on the weak side while the proper No. 10 in the 4-2-3-1 seeks out touches. In the act, Zandi maintains structure and pins defenses that could otherwise help out against roving runners.
That effect is most marked when Tyreek Magee - fresh off a start for Jamaica against the USMNT in the latest international window - is the starting No. 10.
Magee took nearly 53 touches per game this year, a high mark relative to his advanced position. He’s the sort of creator that seeks out the ball, drifting and roaming to make an impact. Few players in the USL are as tidy; Magee hit on 81% of his attacking-half passes, posted a 99th percentile dribble success rate on 2.2 successful take-ons per game, and generated 90th percentile expected assists in 2024.
As Magee roams and is allowed to be expressive, Zandi is there to replace him opposite of the ball. The former Philadelphia Union II star understands that his role is to set the table, make himself available as a passing outlet, and then choose his spots to make a daring run.
Colorado Springs scored five fastbreak goals in the regular season, a top-five mark in the league and something I referenced in my preview on the USL league site. Breakaways come in a few flavors, from the mad scramble after a set piece to the controlled break carving over the high press. Zandi is the secret ingredient for Colorado Springs in those situations because of his versatility.
Above, it’s Zandi that emerges as the point atop the attacking spear. As the Switchbacks break the first line of pressure, they allow defender Matt Mahoney to carry forward on the ball with Speedy Williams smartly filling low. Meanwhile, Zandi - a nominee for the USLPA’s 2024 Comeback Player of the Year - makes a daring charge over the top.
Opposing Las Vegas is drawn in a few directions that make his run viable. Mahoney is an obvious distraction, and the nearest Lights midfielders have to peel off of Zandi and close to the center back. Meanwhile, striker Ronaldo Damus occupies the Lights’ central defender with a rightward-arching move of his own. All that sets up Zandi’s run into the left channel - which would’ve been a goal if not for a tenuous offside flag.
That’s a terrific example of the Pennsylvanian’s movement, but Zandi’s passing shouldn’t be underrated in fastbreak situations. He ranked third in the USL with two fastbreak assists in 2024, comprising half of his overall set-ups.
As in attack, Zandi won’t set the defensive stat sheet on fire - he has 14 defensive actions and four recoveries thus far in 289 playoff minutes - but the 28-year-old is rarely caught out of position. His discipline keeps the Switchbacks steady and allows for more experimentation and aggression elsewhere on the pitch.
Colorado Springs starts this play in their standard 4-2-3-1, but a pass toward an isolated central defender triggers the press. Right winger Yosuke Hanya (in black) closes to the ball and curls his defensive run to force play wide. Meanwhile, right back Aidan Rocha (out of frame, but indicated in white) and defensive mid Williams (in blue) push upfield to mark immediate passing outlets.
The eventual shape, if all goes right, will be a 3-1-4-2 that traps against the sideline. Las Vegas will be pinned. This has been a fruitful formula all year, but it does introduce risk if the timing is off.
Amidst that rotation, Zandi (circled) sits deep. The Switchbacks close down in an almost man-to-man setup to achieve their trap, but Zandi smartly opts to stay low as a midfield safety net.
In this case, opposing Las Vegas is able to work through the press. Indeed, they’ve done so with a clear intention to leverage the rotation innate to Colorado Springs’ sideline trap scheme.
Both Rocha and center back Matt Mahoney (also in white) are dragged far to the sideline thanks to smart off-ball movement. The Lights maximize their width, doubling up on that sideline to draw attention. Thus, a second-wave Las Vegas runner (in red) can curl between the lines from the midfield and sneak over the top.
The Switchbacks lack structure here, and it’s fairly easy to see. The lines are misplaced and uneven, and Las Vegas has room to work. This sequence has all the makings of a break unless a stop comes in.
However, Zandi (circled again, far right of the frame) is wise to the movement. He sticks to the backside of the curling Las Vegas midfielder, setting himself up to slow down or prevent a potential break.
Zandi pursues that receiver all the way to the flank in the end, pinning him against the sideline. He’s weaponizing out-of-bounds territory like an added defender.
All the while, Zandi’s teammates can regain their shape. Williams, Rocha, and Mahoney all rotate to the ball to deny any potential escape route.
In the end, Zandi will come away with a tackle, literally his only attempted tackle in 90 minutes against the Lights. Still, this play came with Colorado Springs clinging to a lead, and it beautifully evidences Zandi’s preternatural instinct for timely intervention.
If James Chambers and co. are lifting a trophy on Saturday afternoon, it’ll owe to another excellent match from Zach Zandi. Whether he’s scoring goals off of late-arriving runs, bending opposing shapes as a mover, or holding down the defensive fort, the midfielder defines Colorado Springs’ style and culture. This run to the title game has been a testament to Chambers’ tactics and Zach Zandi’s ability to make them work.
Radar for 2024 here. I’m obviously a numbers guy, but it’s crazy how hard it is to quantify someone like Zach Zandi using conventional counting stats.
