RootsBlog

Oakland Roots took a frustrating 1-nil loss to Phoenix Rising on the road Saturday. Although Roots’ kept itself in striking distance down just one score, they never put a shot on target. It marked the first time Roots couldn’t put a shot on target since the 2022 season-opener against Rio Grande Valley.

After a scoreless first half, Phoenix broke the deadlock when Juan Carlos Azocar assisted Panos Armenakas for a first-touch volley goal. Armenakas then executed the worst ever griddy to be recorded.

Rising finished the night with 11 shots and six on target, while Paul Blanchette kept the score closer with his quick hands defending net. Blanchette already leads the USL Championship’s Western Conference with 14 saves thus far and is one behind Birmingham’s Matt Van Oekel.

Oakland had a few chances, notably in the first half. Johnny Rodriguez had free headers sail in the 22nd and 43rd minutes, but Roots couldn’t figure anything out in the latter 45 minutes.

The loss ends a difficult three-match stretch to start the season. March 30’s match against Las Vegas comes against 2023’s cellar-dwellers, but the Lights are coming off of a big 1-nil win over El Paso.

Here are my talking points from Saturday’s game.

What is Roots’ identity?

Through the first three matches of the season, it’s difficult to indicate what exactly is Roots’ identity. Do they want to be possessive? Do they want to hit teams on the counter? What does Oakland look like when they are reaching their peak and in their most consistent form?

Roots have yet to have the better side of possession through any of the first three matches; is it by design or because of adjustments to Phoenix, Charleston, and Indy? All of Oakland’s chances on Saturday came by way of counter attacks.

Miche Naider-Chéry couldn’t make contact on a header in the 17th minute on some good interplay between Johnny, Jeciel Cedeño, and Memo Diaz. Chéry than had a header in the 19th blocked. Rodriguez’s header that sailed in the 22nd came after. His next chance in the 43rd came when….

Delgado said after the Charleston tie that they are solidifying the defense before the offense finds its footing, so perhaps beating teams with defensive effort will be the team’s focus.

“We still need to get better on the attacking side of the ball. We usually get solid defensively first and then attacking comes as the season goes. It’s just getting more continuity with the team and just keep building,” Delgado said.

There’s been previous times Delgado mentioned building an attack that is strong in possession, but the stats since last season say Roots are a better team without a lot of the ball. In 2023, there were moments the attack looked caught in between two mentalities. If Roots are a better balanced team on the counter, I’d like to see it become a true stamp of the team’s identity.

Offense still finding consistency

Delgado commented following the tie with Charleston that he’s still looking for the attack to put the pieces together. It showed on Saturday against Phoenix without a shot on target and seven shot attempts in total. This is another reflection of lacking an identity.

If Oakland is going to rely on staying defensively stable to spring attacks, they will need to take advantage of the looks they get. Aside from both of Johnny’s headers sailing, there were times Roots’ offense squandered what could’ve been critical opportunities.

At the end of the first half, Chéry uncorked a shot from near mid-pitch instead of dishing off to Cedeño wide open on his right. It came after Baboucarr Njie did well to break free from a nearby defender before sending a long pass up toward Chéry, who won the ball off of Pape Bouye Sarr, but failed to identify Cedeño marching free and instead launched a shot from 45 yards. Chéry crouched to the ground at the halftime whistle, smacking the ground knowing he missed an opportunity.

Chéry’s longshot was similar to Rodriguez’s Hail Mary in the 56th minute, where Johnny stepped in front of a bad pass, but took a shot from near the halfway line instead of dishing out wide to Cedeño or Chéry.

If Oakland is going to hit teams on the counter as a primary way of finding goals, they’ll need to be more clinical with their chances going forward.

Tamacas, Hackshaw, Koze back this week?

With Bryan Tamacas, Neveal Hackshaw, and Irakoze Donasiyano wrapping up their international matches with their respective countries, it’s possible for all three players to be available for the upcoming game versus Las Vegas. Tamacas and El Salvador play on March 26 against Honduras, Donsiyano and Burundi face Botswana on March 25, while Trinidad and Tobago is done after losing 2-0 to Canada.

Hackshaw and Koze returning gives Oakland its two pivoting starting midfielders, where Hackshaw provides central defensive stability and a player who can turn defense into offense with Donasiyano.

For Tamacas, it gives Roots another defense who will be tasked with creating chances at the right wingback spot. If Oakland is a good team, it’s likely because Tamacas, Hackshaw, and Donasiyano are contributing.

Johnny Rodriguez’s injury

One major notable coming out of Saturday was Johnny leaving the match in the 57th minute due to an apparent groin injury. Rodriguez has yet to score through three matches, but would take away their foremost offensive threat and leading scorer from last year.

So, what would Johnny missing next Saturday against Las Vegas do to the attack?

Chéry would be an obvious starter at striker without Rodriguez. Although Trayvone Reid is a first option off of the bench for a center forward, Cedeño has already spent time in the #9 role and started in place of Chéry against Charleston before Napo Matsoso left with an injury in the 12th minute.

Moving Cedeño higher up the field would open up the Central Attacking Midfielder spot. Danny Gomez started in the #10 role against Charleston and would be my expectation to start there. Perhaps Lindo Mfeka is recovered from his offseason injury, but its still unclear how far away he is.

Back during the preseason ramp up to the regular season, blog heard Roots may be in the market for a striker. If Johnny’s injury becomes extensive and Luis Saldaña is still unavailable, signing another striker might become more than a backburner item for the front office.