LouCity is really firing on all pistons right now. Last week, I was hoping to see a emboldened offense now that we were back to full strength. With the return of Kaye, Williams, and Smith, LouCity was able to dominate most of the game. Williams went most of the game unchallenged, allowing our midfielders to stifle the Riverhounds’ offense while maintaining possession.
Not a single player drops tiers this week. This game further proved my point that when everyone plays their part, the wins will come. Jimenez, Spencer, and Williams form the bedrock of a very potent attack.
S-Tier
- Oscar Jimenez(S)
- Luke Spencer(A)
- Speedy Williams(A)
A-Tier
- Brian Ownby(A)
- Sean Reynolds(A)
- Paco Craig(A)
- Greg Ranjitsingh(A)
- Mark-Anthony Kaye(A)
- George Davis IV(B)
- Niall McCabe(DNP)
B-Tier
- Sean Totsch(B)
- Richard Ballard(B)
- Guy Abend(B)
- Tarek Morad(C)
- Kyle Smith(D)
- Ilia Ilic(DNP)
- Paolo DelPiccolo(DNP)
- Cameron Lancaster(DNP)
I’m trying to be unbiased here. LouCity is the best team in the USL over the past month. This is the best team that James O’Connor has assembled. Look at this:
- LouCity is 4th in goals scored in the USL, but no individual player has scored more than 9. A common point of concern with supporters is the fear of where the goals are going to come from. The answer to that question is “everyone.” 16 out of 17 field players have scored this season, with only Tarek Morad sitting goalless. If he’s on the field for the next PK, I suspect he will be the one over the spot.
- LouCity leads the USL in shots (406) with 48 scored.
- LouCity has only conceded 24 goals, good for 3rd in the USL. Our back line is the most solid it’s ever been. We’re 2nd in the league in clean sheets with 11.
- We’re disciplined, unlike the UL Football Cardinals. LouCity has only 40 yellow cards and 2 red cards.
- Since the loss at Charlotte on August 5th, LouCity is 5-1. We’ve outscored our opponents 17-4 over 6 games.
- Since the start of the 2015 season, LouCity is 46-17-20. The 1.9 points/game is the highest of any USL team in that same span of time. Rochester is closest at 1.85 ppg.
Granted, I wasn’t paying as much attention to the numbers as I am this season, but it’s hard to imagine any other LouCity team being anywhere near where this team is at this point in the season.
The outlook for the final 7 is pretty good. There is no reason LouCity shouldn’t be able to get 15 out of the 21 available points. I anticipate a challenge out of Rochester, whom we play twice, and Charlotte. With everyone here and healthy, home field advantage is ours to lose at this point.
~J
PS: I think the Metro Council vote is coming sometime this month. If you haven’t yet, get in touch with your district representative and make your feelings known. Check out LouCity’s Stadium page for details. The team really needs this to survive, and they’re doing their part by staying competitive on the field. Now it’s our turn.
