Roots fans it’s game day! Roots host Monterey Bay F.C. at 7:00 p.m. on April 6, 2024 at Pioneer Stadium on the campus of CSU East Bay in Hayward, California, what many people are calling “the third best city in the East Bay.” The Roots need a win, coming off of a disappointing performance against Las Vegas Lights (who I now am forced to believe are good, so the Roots’ loss looks less terrible).
Monterey Bay F.C. (Union?)
Union enter their third season in USL, seeking their first trip to the playoffs. In 2023 they improved on their point total from 2022 even as they got one win fewer. In the offseason, Union added some attacking potency, picking up Luther Archimede, who struggled to get on the pitch for Sacramento in 2022 and 2023, despite scoring 5 and 6, respectively, and Tristan Trager from Charleston Battery. They also returned Alex Dixon, who scored 12 goals for them in 2023.
With the departure of Hugh Roberts, Kai Greene has taken over as captain of MBFC.
MBFC’s Form
MBFC are off to an okay start. Obviously, a point better than the Roots have through four. But Monterey’s three decent results are all against teams that are really struggling. They kicked off the season with a 1-1 draw away to El Paso (who have gone 0-1-3 so far. They then won 1-0 at home over Phoenix, which would appear to be a good result but Phoenix’s only non-loss is their home win over the Roots. Union hosted league newcomers Rhode Island FC and drew 2-2 (RIFC are 0-2-1 to start). In their defense, Union’s only loss is 2-1 away to SAFC, which still isn’t a win, but is a result that you’d not be shocked by from an otherwise good team. Since there are some goals, let’s look at some highlights.
The RIFC jerseys look like keeper jerseys to me. Speaking of aesthetics, I loved the rowhouses opposite the camera at Laney, but you cannot beat Cardinale Stadium for pure beauty in a USL stadium.
The opener, a good finish by Albert Dikwa on a low through pass that beat the Union backline from distance, earned this commentary: *ahem* “Rhode Island has dropped anchor in Monterey Bay.” Honestly, none of these goals are all that great. Suspect defense all around. I do enjoy that MBFC’s corner kicks are sponsored by Bagel Corner.
The pass and goal by Mobi Fehr to draw Union level were both excellent, but they would not be enough for Union to salvage a result.
Players to Watch
Rafael Baca #10 – 34-year-old defensive midfielder Rafael Baca was born in Michoacán but largely raised in Inglewood before playing college ball at Loyola Marymount. Baca went undrafted, but signed with the Quakes (under Frank Yallop) where he played 2011 to 2013, making 79 appearances, including their 2012 Supporters Shield winning season. Baca then played 10 seasons with Cruz Azul in Mexico City. Baca only managed to play 1,045 minutes in his first season for MBFC in 2023, contributing one goal and one assist, but he already has 360 minutes through four games in 2024 and a goal, earning FotMob’s highest rating on the team.
Mobi Fehr #13 – Fehr has had an unusual journey to the USL. Fehr grew up in Japan, playing in a J1 League academy, and was rostered for a season with FC Basel and then a season for Portland Timbers, but without a senior appearance for either. He played 2014-15 with SC Sagamihara in the great Tokyo metro area and 2016-18 with Hoang Anh Gia Lai in Central Vietnam. Fehr played 2019-2022 with Las Vegas Lights and has been on Monterey Bay since their founding.
Roots’ Form
Bruh, no.
The Roots have some excuses for the turd from last weekend, but you’d have thought pre-season that a good team would be beating this Vegas team even if it was relying on subs. We thought that Koze and Tamacas would be in, despite late returns from national team duty. That didn’t happen, which is especially frustrating since Tamacas was playing friendlies. Johnny is apparently hurt too bad to play.
I think the defense also generally looked fine until the opener, which was somewhere between bad luck and an individual error, not a collapse of the defensive scheme/structure. Sure, Hackshaw gave Gannon more space than he probably should have on the edge of the Roots’ box, but it took quite a shot from Gannon to curl it into a dangerous spot, and Blanchette would have saved it easily, but Logue was caught in no man’s land between shot and keeper and his deflected header put it past Blanchette.
What’s disappointing is that after that, I think Vegas was liberated to play with no fear–they played like they did not think the Roots could hurt them. Vegas doubled their lead a couple minutes later on a slow breakaway following a Roots’ corner kick. They scored again like 15 minutes later, none of which are captured on the highlights from the game.
Things have been bleak since the international guys went on international duty. This team just does not have much depth outside of center back.
Lineup and Score Predictions
Bloom
Come on guys. Give us something to root for. 2-1 Roots.
Jon
I’m running back Reid up top alongside Cedeño. My big change to the midfield is Lindo Mfeka starting for the first time this season after entering the last game. Aside from that, I have Riley back at the RCB spot accompanied by Gagi and Logue.
Breakout game (please, soccer gods), 3-1 Roots.
Aaron
Well, friends, we’ve already reached the point of the season where I hypothesize different ways to use the Roots’ personnel, since the system we’ve been employing for more than a season now is not exactly working. I have in mind two things this week. First, Delgado’s system has worked best with a deep-lying playmaker. Who do we have who kinda seems like they could fill that role? I mean, no one, really, but Brian Tamacas is definitely close. Two, I was shocked at how little control Roots had over the the middle of the pitch (i.e., zones 8 and 11) against Vegas. We should fix that! My proposal this week: forget wingbacks. Run a 3-box-3. Clog up the middle, force MBFC to hit crosses with Big Gagi in the middle. Get balls through the midfield in the half-spaces, rather than forcing your wingers to chase balls down the touch line. Just not the same things as last week. Please. 2-1 Roots.