Saturday’s trip to Detroit started and ended in disappointment for Oakland Roots in its 3-1 loss to DCFC while down a man. The loss brings Oakland’s record to 2-1-4 through seven matches, still in eighth place but one point ahead of Tulsa with two games in hand.
Roots’ concession of two early goals against Detroit in the eighth and 27th minutes before going down 3-nil in the 51st ultimately told the tale. Justin Rasmussen helped give Oakland some hope with his goal in the 57th minute, but Gagi Margvelashvili drew his second yellow card three minutes later to put Roots down a man.
Individual mistakes led to both of Detroit’s opening goals of the first half. Ben Morris’ opener came on a sloppy giveaway by when Roots were in control of possession, where Danny Gomez played a pass backwards targeting Niall Logue. Morris read Gomez’s pass several yards in front of Logue and dribbled at the Roots’ defender until reeling off a low right-footed shot.
Then in the 27th, Roots conceded a penalty when Bryan Tamacas made contact with Alex Villanueva in the box. Detroit showed excellent interplay in the buildup, where Roots were pressing in DCFC’s defensive third when Michael Bryant played a pass up to Maxi Rodriguez, who flicked the ball to Yazeed Matthews on his first touch. Matthews then sent a pass on his first touch as well just past the outstretched foot of Tamacas–enabling Villanueva to make his run into the box.
With the defense stretched, Tamacas made contact with Villanueva as he tried to nick the ball away. The Detroit forward sold the foul well, allowing Rodriguez to score from the spot. DCFC put the game away in the 51st when Victor Bezerra sent in a shot on more work in transition.
Roots’ goal in the 57th came when Rasmussen was found open at the left post on a nice driven pass across the face of goal by Danny Gomez. It was a product of good pressing in the front, where an initial challenge by Memo Diaz on James Murphy enabled the play.
Paul Blanchette also made his 300th career save in the 36th minute.
Not taking advantage of chances
Oakland actually had some progressive looks throughout the game, but struggled to execute on the finishing touch or identifying a progressive pass. Roots had more touches inside the penalty area against Detroit City with 21
In the 14th minute, Jeciel Cedeño tried to make a pass to Gomez centrally in the box, but passed up a shot from about six yards.
Four minutes later, Memo found Koze Donasiyano at the right post for a header, but his attempt went straight to Nate Steinwascher. The failure to pick out the pass in a buildup showed int he 41st minute when Cedeño had space at midfield after doing well to turn himself free from defenders, but failed to identify Memo running free to his right.
Then right before Gagi’s red card, Johnny Rodriguez and Rasmussen got crossed up on a play inside the box in the 59th minute. It started with Johnny receiving a nice through pass by Cedeño, dribbling into space with Detroit’s Bryant covering him. Instead of pulling an initial shot, Rodriguez laid off to Rasmussen, who sent a touch pass back in Johnny’s direction for a shot that was deflected out for a corner.
Margvelashvili’s dismissal in the 60th minute didn’t help Oakland stay productive with momentum swinging in their favor. They stayed productive with five corners in the remaining 40 minutes, Koze missed Johnny on an open run in behind in the 75th, while Jeciel had a shot from distance easily saved in the next minute.
Vulnerable going backwards
With Oakland providing more of an aggressive high press over the last few matches, each of Detroit’s goals signified how vulnerable the defense was going backwards with the wingbacks and select center backs getting higher up the field.
It’s easy to nitpick on Morris’ goal, where Gomez’s pass into no-mans-land put Oakland’s center backs in a difficult position. With Logue tracking backwards against Morris, Gagi was left covering the central channel. It was a common look of having two center backs on an island.
Below is a screenshot of the moments before Morris’ goal, showing how Oakland’s CBs were left in a vulnerable position.
Then on Tamacas’ foul to enable the penalty kick, Gagi and the Salvadoran defender were left vulnerable with acres of space left in front of them. Maxi Rodriguez easily received a long ball as Oakland’s forward’s pressed, allowing Matthews to swing a pass out to Villanueva on the left side.
With all of Tamacas sprinting backwards to catch Villanueva, the momentum of his tackle attempt took him through the player. Rodriguez put away the PK.
Below is another screenshot of Roots’ defense left in a bad spot, where Tamacas and Gagi were left to cover three attacking players.
Then in Detroit’s third goal, Roots’ defense was strung out after losing possession. Bezerra’s goal started with Rodriguez springing a runner out wide, who kicked it back to Bezerra for a give-and-go. Rasmussen was caught out of position twice, leaving Bezerra for a shot in from about 10 yards while isolated against Logue–who looked back yelling at his defense in frustration.
Below is a screenshot of the moment before Bezerra’s goal.
Lineup choices
Etsgar Cruz getting the nod in Oakland’s starting 11 was a big surprise for just about every Roots’ fans, but it’s a strategy many supporters I talked to at Saturday’s watch party were in support of.
Relying on academy products like Etsgar and Ilya Alekseev isn’t a strategy often seen in the USL Championship. Hopefully, getting minutes to ascending products like Cruz and Alekseev will pay larger dividends than turning to older options who may be losing value.
Esgar and Ilya represent the organization’s best chance at transferring a player for money. And the saying in sports goes, “You don’t invest in diminishing returns.” But does Oakland’s commitment to development mean they are already turning the page on this season after seven matches?
Etsgar could’ve had a better game against Detroit. He played a total of 55 minutes before making way for Trayvone Reid, finishing with 21 total touches and completed 12 passes, but never generated any touches inside the opponent’s penalty area, passes into the final third, or shot attempts.
Given Cruz’s ineffectiveness against Detroit, it’s fair to say the experiment did not pay off after one game. But, it’s an interesting situation to keep an eye on. Leading me to my next topic below.
Competition battle at CF
Etsgar’s start alongside Johnny Rodriguez was a testament to the indecision at the second center forward spot. The lineup was Oakland’s seventh different combination of the season, during a span which Noah Delgado has lined up Johnny with Reid, Cruz, Mfeka, and Miche-Naider Chéry up to this point.
Now seven games through, Delgado is still seeking to answer where Oakland is getting its goals from apart from Rodriguez.
Chéry has gotten the most time of the bunch with 264 minutes in seven appearances. He’s been unable to lock down a starting spot and has just 15 minutes of action over his last three appearances, including 11 minutes against Detroit.
Reid, similarly, is also scoreless in 237 minutes, five appearances, and three starts. He pulled off one shot against Detroit, but wasn’t credited for any shot attempts in his starts against Monterey and El Paso.
For Mfeka, he’s missed time since pulling himself out of the Monterey game with a lower leg injury. He has just 67 minutes in two appearances, and it seems like the page is starting to turn on him with Etsgar and Trayvone being younger options ahead of him.
Will Oakland continue turning to Etsgar, Trayvone, Chéry or Lindo for the second center forward spot? Or is it time for Roots to take a look at the market?
Colorado Springs notes
Gagi’s red card means Oakland will be without him on April 27 against Colorado Springs, while Neveal Hackshaw and Baboucarr Njie will serve their final game of a three-match suspension. So what does that mean for Oakland’s potential lineup for Saturday’s game?
With Gagi and Hackshaw unable to fill the central slot, Logue seems likely to man the middle area. With Logue vacating the left, Rasmussen could slot into the left center back spot. Given Rasmussen moves to the back and Njie remains suspended, Memo Diaz is a good shout for the left wingback role.
As for the right side, if Camden Riley continues to miss time, Tamacas should rotate into the right center back spot once again. With Memo being the likely nod at LWB and Tamacas moving backwards, Alekseev could be their option at right wingback.
Regardless of the roster rotation, Saturday’s game against Colorado Springs marks a prime opportunity for Roots to get three points. They should go into this match as the favorites with the Switchbacks with just one point through six matches at 0-1-5.
A victory over Colorado Springs will give Roots and its fanbase some life going into a difficult month of May.