The Back Four: Week 3 Whiparound
Breaking down major stories from Week 3 in USL League One and the USL Championship, including Portland's debut and more
Welcome in to The Back Four!
Before we start, be sure to check out Backheeled. As always, my team-by-team power ranking is up, and it’s got insights into the entire USL Championship. I also wrote about pro-rel last week, asking the big questions about the league’s plans. There’ll be a follow-up this Thursday regarding next steps, and I’ve got some super insightful interviews in the mix for that one.
Also, be sure to watch the new episode of This League! when it drops on YouTube later this week. We’re now on podcast players as well, so subscribe to the Backheeled feed on Apple, Spotify, or wherever your pods are being cast.
Without further ado, let’s get to it.
Eating crow on Monterey
If you listened to The USL Show or read my preview work at any point over the winter, I was entirely out on Monterey Bay’s chances for 2025. I try to remind you people with some regularity that I’m actually a dumb guy…and, yeah, Monterey is a case in point.
Through three games, the artists formerly known as “Union” have posted the third-best expected goal margin in the USL. On a per-game basis, their 0.76 xG against average trails only San Antonio FC. Across every phase of play, Jordan Stewart has this team operating with admirable chemistry and intensity, and it paid off in spades during a statement 3-0 win against Orange County on Saturday.
Stewart’s system is deceptively simple. Monterey defends and attacks in a version of a 4-4-2, and there isn’t a ton of variation therein. In possession, you’ll sometimes see one of the forwards (think Anton Sojberg) drop in like a third midfielder while the wingers push ahead into more of a 4-3-3, and defensive midfielder Wesley Fonguck regularly takes up a left back-ish spot in build to help stir the pot. Still, it’s the principles that power Monterey more than the formation.
Take the example here. Fonguck, circled in dark blue, drops low to fill the left back spot in the first screengrab, allowing actual left back Grant Robinson to push ahead to the left edge of the frame. In the act, Fonguck draws Orange County’s front lines higher, giving Robinson that much more time to think after he receives the ensuing pass.
When the fullback gets his touch, there’s only one option: let Mayele Malango cook. Malango was a standout for Chattanooga in USL League One because of his vivacious presence out wide, and his ceaselessly positivity has done wonders at the Championship level. Here in the second frame, you see the left winger bursting in behind, where he’ll ultimately receive and put the defense to the sword.
Still, there’s more to this play. In the central midfield, Xavi Gnaulati (dark blue, nearer to the ball) is creeping toward Robinson as a potential safety valve if Monterey wants to slow down. Forward Anton Sojberg is also dropping in like a center mid, filling Fonguck’s role and providing side-to-side optionality if it’s needed.
Of course, the through goes toward Malango, who selflessly cuts back to Sojberg as he crashes toward the edge of the box. Both he and Gnaulati are ready to be selfless if needed, but both understand that MBFC is pushing play into a new phase here. Whether it’s Jordan Stewart’s coaching, natural attacking instinct, or a bit of both, those two players – and the whole of this team, frankly – are consistently is making the right decisions at every stop.
Between that quick-twitch attacking profile and a defense that’s second in the USL with 6.0 final-third takeaways per game, Monterey is genuinely one of the most fun teams in American soccer at the moment. There’s attacking verve, brilliant one-on-one defending from players like Nico Gordon and Miles Lyons at the back, and a real sense of underdog energy underpinning it all.
When I’m wrong, I’m wrong. Monterey is proving that they’re legit, and they’re having a blast in the process.
San Antonio’s organization
This is a play that simply doesn’t connect for San Antonio:
Blame what you want, whether it’s Luke Haakenson and Diogo Pacheco’s disconnect, the close-down from Oakland, or that Jorge Hernandez had drifted somewhat to the right. It’s the sort of incompletion that you’ll see a couple hundred times in the course of a soccer game, but what makes it an important sequence is what San Antonio does after the incompletion.
There’s a good counterpress, and then there’s San Antonio in 2025. You see it here: defensive midfielder Almir Soto, right back Juan Osorio, and both wingers crash inside to get a stop. This team is hunting in packs, denying transitions, and controlling matches week in and week out.
Per American Soccer Analysis, San Antonio hasn’t allowed a single chance on the fast break all season long. Shuttling midfielder Nicky Hernandez is posting 1.9 interceptions and 6.0 recoveries per game, both 87th percentile marks; Soto is just as excellent with 2.4 tackles and 6.1 recoveries a match. Still, it’s the whole-team effort that’s making the difference, as evidenced by Osorio’s step from the right back spot.
Over the weekend, San Antonio’s average defensive action came 33% further upfield than Oakland’s, including a dozen takeaways in the middle and attacking thirds. Not only is Carlos Llamosa’s side immaculately structured against the counter, but they know how to get the job done in more orthodox pressing situations. Even without Juan Agudelo versus Oakland and while moving into more of a 4-2-3-1, SAFC didn’t miss a beat defensively.
Between my columns and podcast appearances, I’ve focused a lot on San Antonio’s wingers and their ability to quickly break out of the defensive zone into attacking transition. Those facets of the team are crucial, of course, but it’s their organization at the back that will make SAFC a legit threat in the West in 2025.
(And get ready for my “Mitchell Taintor for MVP” campaign signs and bumper sticker to come back in fashion, 2022-style.)
A New Hope
Phoenix might not be racking up the points in the table, but consider this team’s best moments. Rising have flashed unbelievable offensive potential at their sharpest, bringing an intentionality and tempo from back to front that they lacked throughout 2024. Mo Traore and Pape Mar Boye haven’t missed a beat in central defense. In the rare moments where first-choice fullbacks Emil Cuello and Collin Smith have shared the pitch, it’s all come together.
Still, execution has wavered. Rising haven’t seen enough of those “best moments,” and they’ve often dug themselves into holes. As PHNX’s Owain Evans put it:
The slow starts are a big issue, and Phoenix obviously needs to step up. That said, I tend to take a positive stance when you’re seeing such vast potential so early in the season, especially under a new manager like Pa-Modou Kah. It’s Hope Avayevu’s instant impact within the Kah system that I’ve been especially impressed by.
Consider the former North Texas man’s numbers so far:
82% long passing accuracy on 3.8 attempts per match
0.89 xA, the fifth-most in the USL Championship
6.6 duel wins per game on a 67% win rate
1.4 final-third takeaways per match, which puts Avayevu in the 95th percentile
Just to make it abundantly clear: those are absurd marks for a No. 8 to be putting up in their first USL season.
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What makes it all the more impressive is Avayevu’s vision as a passer. I noted the long ball numbers above, but consider what that means in practice. The 22-year-old isn’t punting it over the top and hoping for the best. Instead, he’s intentionally finding pockets in which to switch Phoenix’s point of attack from one side to another.
That’s clear in the graphic above, which maps Avayevu’s passing attempts from the recent comeback draw against Rhode Island FC. While operating as the left-sided No. 8 in a 4-1-2-3 from the jump and taking on a more expansive role in a second-half 4-2-4, Avayevu completed more than 80% of his dishes, inclusive of seven key side-to-side switches.
Against FC Tulsa’s narrow press in Week 1 and RIFC’s funneled 5-2-1-2 on Saturday, that ability for the Ghanaian native to find pockets, draw the defense, and then alter the point has been paramount. No, Phoenix didn’t exactly light the scoresheet on fire in either match, and they’re underperforming their xG by roughly 20% if you except that bizarre 4-4 draw against El Paso two weeks back. Still, Avayevu is helping to create opportunities that ought to eventually come good.
It isn’t just set-up play that defines the midfielder’s arsenal. Above, you get a taste of Phoenix’s somewhat more direct 4-2-4 alignment from the second half over the weekend. The hosts have forced the brunt of the Rhode Island midfield to commit toward the Rising right, and Avayevu sees a gap in the left channel. #10 receives in that pocket, takes a controlling touch that freezes an opposing defender, and threads a wonderful through into winger Damian Rivera’s feet.
Plenty of players can set the tone in deep areas, but few in the USL combine that skillset with incision in the final third. Avayevu does both, and he also added four recoveries and a goal during that more open (and positionally onerous) final period on Saturday night.
Phoenix has room to grow and needs to find consistency, but Hope Avayevu has arrived. However Pa-Modou Kah finds balance, Avayevu will be central to it.
Neapolitan Dynamite
FC Naples cut an interesting figure entering their expansion season. Most people trusted their veteran-laden back line, but questions abounded about a more youthful and less USL-tested front end.
It’s all come together for Matt Poland in the early going. Karsen Henderlong has carried the offensive load, scoring three goals in three matches to become an instant star at the League One level. Still, the defense is the headliner. Naples has conceded just once so far. They’re allowing 0.68 xG per 90 minutes, putting them a shade behind One Knox for the division lead; the same goes for their positively stingy 0.08 xG per shot allowance.
Poland’s team has set up in a 4-1-4-1 shape, and while they’re winning the ball back in the final third just 1.7 times per game, Naples never lets their opposition build out with ease or comfort. That aspect of the Naples system was on show in Spokane on Saturday.
You can note a few aspects of Naples’ approach here despite the fact that this is a very, very wonky moment where the Floridians still manage to maintain that “4-1” alignment up top.
In this case, Ian Cerro (the starting right winger) has chased the ball left unsuccessfully but still managed to press the opposing right back into a backpass. Meanwhile, Henderlong has filled for Cerro on the left and is ready to pounce if the ball keeps swinging in his direction. Naples isn’t afraid to let their front lines flow and get muscular in the press.
Central marking is the other big thing on show. We saw lighter hints of that approach in matches like the season opening draw against Chattanooga, but Naples made a point of using their No. 8s, Luka Prpa and Kevin O’Connor, to go man-to-man against the Velocity pivot this weekend.
You can see those midfielders engaging their opposite numbers above. Together, Prpa and O’Connor posted five recoveries and four tackle attempts between them.
The third man in the midfield, Marc Torrellas, can’t be seen in the example screenshot, and for good reason. He took on a more defensive-minded role, providing a crucial safety net for Naples between the lines. Torrellas’ ability to cover various holes in the back four and apply backpressure in recovery situations was paramount, and it took some of the burden off of Jake Dengler and Brecc Evans in central defense.
Dengler and Evans are time-tested standouts in League One, and their give-and-take chemistry has been a delight already in 2025. It’s a testament to Naples’ structure that the duo only had to attempt five duels against Spokane despite their conceding 63% of possession. FC Naples is extremely good at making the “stop before the stop” that keeps their central defenders out of high-leverage, last-ditch scenarios.
You can watch a full sequence that bears out this team’s excellence in rotation, highlighting the ability to maintain structure and limit opportunities no matter how disadvantageous the game state. I’ve also broken it down into three key stages here:
Naples is seemingly caught on the break, with left back Ian Garrett (high upfield in dark blue) beaten by the opposing winger. Torrellas (in gold) is recovering back, but he’s put into no-man’s land by two viable Spokane runners.
Spokane passes toward their central attacker, and there’s a crucial moment of communication between Torrellas and Evans as the pass is hit. The center back decides to step to the Velocity receiver, but he does so at an angle that mostly denies a pursuant through ball to the right.
Meanwhile, Torrellas fills a few roles. He’s central enough to shadow the Velocity striker as Evans steps high, but he’s also ready to turn and scramble if Spokane wants to thread the needle toward the channel. Torrellas’ positioning compresses space on multiple planes.
Naples, having slowed their hosts to a standstill, finds compactness in block. Poland’s side forms a seven-man brick wall and forces Ish Jome – who received a momentum-curdling sideways pass after Evans’ step up – to try a hopeless blast from range. Danger over.
Because of the efficacy of their pressing shape and their surety in possession, Naples has allowed very few of these potentially lethal sequences. Still, when such moments have arisen, the expansion side has handled them with the utmost composure.
t’s extremely hard for a new team to find their sea legs this quickly, but FC Naples is a wonderful exception to the usual rule because of their defensive chemistry. That’s a massive credit to Matt Poland.
Handicapping Hearts of Pine
Last Thursday was a major moment for Portland, with Hearts of Pine drawing more than 3,000 fans to their first-ever home game, a bad-weather bout against CD Faialense in the Open Cup. This team still has a week to go before they hit the pitch in League One, but their momentum is palpable.
On the pitch, Bobby Murphy’s side stood out because of their aggressive pressure and keen ball movement. We knew that Hearts of Pine would be an in-your-face team, but the win over Faialense was illuminating in terms of the form that philosophy would actually take.
Despite playing a sub-professional opponent, Portland went long on 21% of their pass attempts. Goalkeeper Hunter Morse led the charge by punting on 11 of his 17 passes, a 65% share. This is a Hearts of Pine team that wants to be direct, and they used that sensibility to control territory and impose their will in the Cup.
Portland’s first-ever goal was a case in point, with the expansion side using a long ball to instantly enter the final third and unlock combination play between winger Ollie Wright and full back Nathan Messer. That direct, vertical sensibility constantly put Faialense under pressure, and it tiled the pitch entirely in the Mainers’ favor.
Hearts of Pine did well to supplement the long game with well-structured pressure. Rookie striker Titus Washington picked up six recoveries, for instance, illustrating the front-line intensity Murphy’s side brought to the table. You wouldn’t have known that this team added forwards like Azaad Liadi and Jake Keegan very late in the preseason given their overall organization out of the defensive 4-4-2.
For my taste, Trinidadian international midfielder Michel Poon-Angeron was the standout. The 23-year-old completed 62 passes, 19 more than any other player on the pitch, and did so without ever feeling phased. He also added three recoveries and helped to underpin what was a delightful counterpressing structure.
You get a sense above. Portland starts with the ball at Poon-Angeron’s feet and works forward into Wright as he tucks into the half space. Meanwhile, Messer pushes up the left sideline to create a sort of passing triangle. When Wright is dispossessed, all three players understand their roles: (1) Poon-Angeron steps up to try and win the ball, while (2) Wright and (3) Messer cycle low to deny an immediate outlet that might break the counterpress. Meanwhile, Washington scoots to the left wing to cover Poon-Angeron’s back side.
There couldn’t have been a more organized or timely response, and it allows Poon-Angeron to regain in a dangerous position. Instantly, Washington can find the ball anew and push toward the endline.
If this is what Hearts of Pine look like in league play, they’ll instantly emerge as a contender. The sample size and quality of opponent are small and poor, respectively, but you can only beat what’s in front of you. By that measuring stick, it’s all going according to plan in Maine.
Quick Hits
In other news this week…
Want more Monterey insight? My friends at The Union Report are there for you.
Go check out The USL Show’s YouTube channel as we near 1,000 subscribers. I’m obviously podcasting there, but we’re also posting my weekly Tactics Show segments – one each, every week for League One and the Championship – as shorts.
Few things in the USL are as scary as Marcus Epps fielding a cross at the far post as your defense is scrambling to find their structure.
I know I highlighted Nils Seufert back in Week 1, but the dude is absolutely killing it in Richmond. So confident as a passer, and really heady about the way he advances into the final third out of a deeper baseline position. The Kickers are so fun right now.
Pittsburgh’s choice to take Beto Ydrach, who started as a center back in Week 1 and made a really bad mistake to gift North Carolina a goal, and move him into a No. 8ish role is so Bob Lilley that it hurts. I actually thought Ydrach was quite good despite the slip a few weeks back, but he did well to boss Hartford off the pitch (see: eight-for-13 on duels) over the weekend in the midfield. Good player!
Texoma is an immediate entry into the rarefied “Please Raise Your Camera Angle Higher” club alongside Orange County. Possibly fun team, but it’s gonna be hard to say much about them unless they’re playing on the road.
Related: the fact that New Mexico changed their camera placement midway through last season was something I discussed a few times, but it deserves constant praise.
I’d confidently tell you Japanese Breakfast is my favorite active music act,1 and I’m enough of a hipster ass to say that’s been the case since before Crying in H Mart hit. I’m still processing their new record,2 but I’m here to endorse the track that features Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges crooning for an entire verse. This song has actually been released twice already under the name “Ballad 0,” once in a synth-y pop version and once as a stripped-down live recording, but I think the Bridges iteration is my fave.
Cover Photo Credit: Monterey Bay FC, Twitter; Phoenix Rising FC, Twitter; Matt Poland, Instagram
A nice little workaround to reflect the fact that Daft Punk is retired.
I wrote this footnote late last week before any matches actually happened, and I’m here to say that I like (not love) the album upon reflection but adore the song “Honey Water.”