Normally, we would be posting player grades and an analysis of last weekend’s game. Given the disastrous result—and I do not think it an exaggeration to describe it that way—it seems more appropriate at this juncture to offer some broader thoughts on the team and season to date.
Losing 2-3 away to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks was rough, especially given the early lead and a second lead when down to 10 men. But it was understandable under the circumstances. Losing 2-3 at home to Sporting JAX is a very different matter.
JAX had just one win to its name all season (2-1 over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds). This was their first win on the road. It should have been 3 points in the bag for the Legion. Further, it should have been put away before half-time. But two problems (which I think are at least in part related) that have plagued the team all season continued to rear their ugly heads.
In the first half, the Legion put up 9 shots. 3 were on target and 4 more very close. JAX managed 6 shots, 5 off target and one long-range effort blocked. The Three Sparks came away with nothing at the half rather than a 3 or 4-goal lead.
It took until the 55th minute for the Legion to actually score. But as has been the case all too often, the lead was given up just 3 minutes later and reversed in the 76th. Romario Williams managed an equalizer 3 minutes into stoppage time only to see that wasted right at full time. In that second half, the Legion recorded another 9 shots, 4 of which were on target and one more close. JAX had just 5 shots and scored with 3 of them.
For the game the Legion had an xG of 2.09; JAX had just 0.79, meaning that they scored when they absolutely should not have. Moreover, the Legion generated 16 scoring chances, a pretty high number, and failed to convert.
It’s not too shocking then that Jay Heaps kept the team on the field talking à la Bob Lilley for quite some time and then continued to do so in the locker room, including going over the game clip by clip in detail. And not without shouting. Both fan appreciation and the press conference were shelved.
So, the Legion did not score when they should and JAX scored when they shouldn’t. Which is a good summation of the entire season. Per American Soccer Analysis, the team’s xGF is 31.89 and its xGA 36.39. They have scored 22 and allowed 27. So, almost 10 under the xGF, which is scandalously bad. 9 under the xGA sounds good if not for the fact that allowing that many scoring opportunities is hardly ideal.
The issue is when and how the Legion concedes goals.
First, the inability to hold a lead for any meaningful period of time is baffling and frustrating. The habit of switching off for a time was a big problem last year and to be honest even with a fair amount of turnover in the roster it has not been remedied. It also smacks of arrogance, which the Legion has no right to indulge in. They have to get in the mindset that a lead is not guaranteed and has to be protected at a minimum if not preferably increased.
Second, the tendency to allow goals from crossing plays is getting ludicrous. Indeed, it’s at the point where everyone in the league knows that the Three Sparks cannot defend crosses—Nicholas Murray noted it in his Power Rankings this week—and will gladly take advantage of that fact. Why this is the case is perhaps not as much of a mystery as one might think.
It doesn’t help that there has been turnover and absences (for injuries and international duty) on the back line. Ramiz Hamouda’s transfer to the Bundesliga was thoroughly earned and deserved. I for one would never begrudge him that. But despite his youth he was probably our best defender and nothing has been done to replace him. Keegan Hughes got recalled from his loan and also has not been replaced. AJ Paterson finally returned from yet another long injury absence this week, even if for only 45 minutes. But he, Phanuel Kavita and Bryce Washington are the only centerbacks on the roster. That does not mean there is much room for maneuver. More on that in a bit.
The other problem with defending against crosses is, in my humble opinion, this: the Legion isn’t good at scoring from them. Since the team can only practice against itself how can the defense get good at stopping something the attack doesn’t really try very much?
That is not to say that the Legion doesn’t have good wing play. Indeed, both wings are super fast right now and very good in transition. But that’s as far as it goes. The issue is that they tend not to play the ball in from out wide. Rather, they will cut in, into or as close to the 18-yard box as they can get, before attempting to provide service. Does that have to do with having as the sole target a 5’11” striker who is both dwarfed by defenders and all too frequently offside? Maybe, but even so.
The really annoying thing is that the team has shown signs of excellence here and there. The USL Cup game against FC Tulsa was easily the high point of the season despite not ultimately counting for anything. Tulsa are a good side and they were utterly outclassed by the Legion. I had hoped that was a turning point in the season, but no. The old problems quickly resurfaced.
So what is the solution? Well, that’s hard. And possibly inappropriate when there is still more than a third of the season left to play. The Legion still has 33 points to play for and has a chance to close the 7-point gap between them and 8th-place Hartford Athletic as soon as this weekend. But it feels like there is no change coming.
It’s easy to say tear the whole thing down and start over. And very tempting to do so. But that is an end of season strategy, regardless of whether it is the best option (it very well may be). It was done kind of half-way after last season and perhaps should have been done more drastically. And the late coaching change did not help.
For now, a slightly-better-than-BandAid solution is needed. It is notable that in a recent article the aforementioned Nicholas Murray highlighted as the hole the Legion needs to fill is a striker. My immediate reaction to that was get real! It’s a centerback or two the team needs. But in fact he may not be wrong. As much as I hate to say it, Ronaldo Damus’ best years may be behind him. At best, he does not really fit what the team needs in a striker. Romario Williams may at one time have been closer to that, but he’s getting up there in age and is best used as a late substitute as currently.
But I don’t think I’m wrong either. The team needs to fill both holes. And fast. The European transfer window is still open and there are plenty of players elsewhere who would jump at a chance to play this level, including in League One. And presumably that Raz money is still sitting in the bank waiting to be used.
The other big fix can’t really be done until that happens. I’ve said it many a time and will continue to do so: the USL Championship is a 3-man back line league. Or 5-man if you include wingbacks. With only 3 centerbacks on the roster you can’t really do that, especially one of them is still recovering from injury. Or…perhaps it’s time to take Romario up on his offer to play at that position (he was the emergency guy earlier in the year and has experience at the position, albeit a long time back).
Whether that’s a practical change or not, the 4-2-3-1 isn’t getting it done. It excels in the high press, but the Legion simply does not play that way. It’s either slow buildup or fast transition. A 4-1-4-1 would likely be a better choice, providing extra defensive cover with the single pivot and spreading the midfield wider with the extra midfielder. With the right personnel it can also quickly morph into a 4-1-3-2 for a more fearsome attack.
That’s a fair amount off my chest. For now, at least. We have no option but to see what the team does over the next 11 games to rescue the season. And armchair-quarterbacking (or whatever the soccer equivalent is) is easy. It’s up to the guys at Dunnavant Valley to get it done.
Let’s hope that last week was a serious wake-up call.
