Oakland Roots suffer another loss, this time in a 1-nil defeat to FC Tulsa. It results in Roots going winless throughout the month of September, now over 370 minutes without a goal.
Roots conceded the eventual game-winner in the 7th minute when Aaron Binout fired in a feed through the box by Stefan Stojanovic.
Oakland still sits with 40 points in 6th place, allowing 9th place Tulsa to creep six points back. Roots still have a four point cushion on 7th place Phoenix and five points above 8th place Orange County.
Postgame Press Conference
Talking Points
- The skid continues
The scoring and winning drought continues for Roots. They have now gone approximately 374 minutes of regulation time since scoring its last goal against New Mexico on August 31. Interim HC Gavin Glinton was frank with his assessment of the recent run, saying the energy isn’t anywhere it needs to be.
“First standpoint, we haven’t brought the energy and commitment we need. We’re losing a lot of second balls, the pressure of our defending, and the initial battles that you need to have as a baseline to be able to play this game,” Glinton said.
“Before we can even start talking about passing and receiving, we need to talk about the commitment. It hasn’t been good enough. When we talk about the details; it’s the ability to circulate, create chances, and get on the end of chances. Scoring goals is the toughest thing in football. Scoring and defending goals is about tactics in some parts, but its also about heart, commitment, and effort.
Oakland’s energy was originally what took them up to 2nd place; pressing for all 90 mimutes and creating chances off of being disruptive. The same mentality now seems like a distant memory.
“We talk about being aggressive and getting teams on the back foot. We’ve looked at resting and making sure we have energy coming into these games and the energy has sadly been missing. Now its about finding the rhythm of the players and getting us ready for Memphis,” Glinton said.
Oakland didn’t start finding a groove until late in the game. In the 78th minute, a dangerous pass in led to a slow header by Koze Donasiyano to the Tulsa goal keeper. Then with two minutes left in regulation, Johnny Rodriguez had a shot on target to force a corner, which may have been Roots’ best chance of the game.
It’s a similar tone to how Oakland ended the 1-0 loss to San Antonio two games ago”, where they were also started creating some chances in the waning minutes. Creating the “killer instinct” is something Glinton is still looking for.
“It keeps happening. Against San Antonio, it was the same thing–we were better when we were down a man. We keep waiting to get hit in the mouth before we start forcing teams to defend us and be worried. We talked about being aggressive and having a killer instinct, those are the two psychological things that we aren’t hitting,” Glinton said.
“I’m going to go back and look at myself, first and foremost, to make sure I’m doing what I need to bring that out of them.”
- History repeating
An eerie feeling to last season continues for Roots. Oakland’s winless skid in 2023 started in August and stretched until the end of the season. Now in 2024, Roots inability to secure three points is giving fans vivid flashbacks of yesteryear.
“I don’t think we’re there,” Glinton said when asked about similarities to last year. “We’ve hit the nail on the head when talking about the energy and commitment, I think the selflessness we had when we’ve been tough to play against is lacking right now. Some of the technique and passes we’re receiving need to be cleaner, but I think we’ve put in enough to create chances.
- The formation
Glinton has deployed a 4-2-3-1 over the last two games in hopes of yielding better results. Today, Dom Dwyer got the start up top with Johnny Rodriguez rotating to the left side, but the mix failed to produce. Glinton said he’s looking to find “some kind of combination” that’ll bring positive results.
“We scored no goals, so we’ve got to figure out some kind of combination to make sure we’re aggressive and putting teams under pressure no matter who the combination is,” Glinton said.
With the formation change, Glinton explained they’ve been looking to create a better presence in the midfield by deploying a central player in the #10 role.
“We’re trying to get a little bit more presence through the midfield, as well as along the back line. Again, we want to be more aggressive, so adding an extra player to the midfield and being careful about getting caught in transition has been a focus for us. We’re trying to get an extra player in the attack so we can have more sustained possession and being more aggressive,” Glinton said.
- Neveal Hackshaw a late scratch
Oakland was notably without starting center back Neveal Hackshaw, opting for a CB rotation of Niall Logue and Gagi Margvelashvili. It sounds like Hackshaw’s availability came right down until game-time, but he was a late scratch.
“He was a game-time scratch. He picked up a knock and we put him through a test and just made a late decision,” Glinton said.
- Lindo Mfeka no-longer with the team
Lindo Mfeka hasn’t appeared since the 1-1 draw at Rhode Island on August 17. Glinton gave an update on the former starting midfielder and winger, saying he is no longer with the team.
“Right now, Lindo is not with the group,” Glinton said flatly.
Multiple club sources have indicated prior to Sunday’s match that Mfeka had a falling out with the team. It seems definite that we’ve seen the last of Lindo in a Roots jersey.
Starting Lineups
- Oakland Roots Starting 11
It’s a 4-2-3-1 with Dom Dwyer in the #9 spot and Johnny Rodriguez at left wing. Danny Gomez starts in the CAM spot while Rafa Baca and Cam Riley make up the midfield behind him. No Neveal Hackshaw, who im hearing picked up a knock. The back four includes Rasmussen, Logue, Gagi and Memo.
- FC Tulsa Starting 11
Timeline
GAME TIME! Can Oakland Roots get back on track?
Tulsa early shot on target, not a challenge
Tulsa goal – 7′
Too easy for Tulsa, another goal conceded in the first 10 minutes. Ball centered into the center of the box, fired into net. Bibout fires it in
Roots free kick – 14′
About 7 yards above area, drawn by Johnny.
Dwyer shot goes side netting
Roots corner – 25′
Memo ball in leads to nothing
Dom shot on target – 30′
Roots good to win possession high, shot goes straight at GK
Tulsa free kick good area – 33′
On left side above area,sloppy challenge by Gagi.
Shot goes straight at Paul, he collects loose ball.
Tulsa corner – 35′
cleared
Johnny gets a header on it, but not in good position to make square contact- 43′
Tulsa shot high – 45′
Tulsa shot sails – 45+5′
First half notes:
Roots trail after conceding another goal in the first 10 minutes. Oakland now hasn’t scored a goal in over 300 minutes. Roots with 3 shots, 2 on target with 57% of the ball. Tulsa with 6 shots, 3 on target.
Roots free kick – 50′
long ball in, Logue called offside
Tulsa shot way high – 52′
Roots long free kick – 54′
Tray getting ready to come on
Tulsa long free kick, near chance – 58′
Tray on for Sinisterra- 62′
Roots corner – 69′
Header by Rasmussen loops onto the top of the crossbar.
Ali and Njie coming on for Gomez and Dwyer – 77′
Tulsa corner – 76′
Roots free kick – 78′
Good area for ball in.
Dangerous ball skips around, cycled back to Koze for a header that slowly went wide
Njie shot on target from distance, not a challenge as it skips to the GK – 84′
Johnny shot on target – 88′
mightve been the best look of the game. Nice feed by Baca
Tray dangerous pass leads to a corner – 90′
Corner – 90+1′
Memo shot on volley trails high – 90+6′
Corner – 90+8′
last chance. Leads to nothing