The Roots return home with a difficult task awaiting them: containing El Paso’s explosive attack. With the Roots’ defense continuing to search for answers, all three major questions this week orbit around one thing: how do the Roots slow down one of the league’s most dangerous offenses?
Can the Roots Slow Down El Paso?
El Paso enters Saturday limping. Their attack does not.
After starting the season on fire with 13 points from their first five matches, El Paso has cooled down. Since then, they have only earned one from their last three matches. That point came on Wednesday night in a 2-2 draw at New Mexico.
Still, one thing has remained constant through both the highs and the lows: an extremely dangerous and efficient attack. They lead the league in goals per match (2.4) and rank second in both shots on target per match and big chances created.
The team also has been extremely efficient with their chances. El Paso has scored 19 goals on 22 chances, the best conversion rate among the league’s top ten chance-creating teams.
That attack now runs into the Roots’ current weak spot: the defense.
It is no coincidence that the Roots’ defensive struggles have coincided with the injury to David Garcia. Garcia served as a calming presence in the Roots’ defense. Even after missing the last three matches, he still ranks in the league’s top ten in clearances. Since his absence, the Roots’ defensive performances have been alarming.
Against the Roots, Monterey and Loudoun both outperformed their averages in shots, shots on target, and big chances. Loudoun generated a third of its season total big chances last Saturday.
Further complicating the issue is how El Paso attacks.
El Paso does not dominate possession the way many elite attacks do. Their 51.1% possession rate does not crack the league’s top ten and they barely crack the top ten in touches in the opposition box.
Instead of relying on slow build up play, El Paso attacks quickly and vertically. Many of their goals come from direct passes that break lines after a forced turnover or from counters initiated by long balls over the top. Their 31.5 accurate long balls per match rank second in the league.
That profile should sound alarm bells for Oakland. The Roots have struggled defending the counter, especially with Neveal Hackshaw on the field.
The matchup may force Coach Ryan Martin into major defensive decisions. Does he trust Hackshaw against one of the league’s most direct attacks? Does Keegan Tingey slide into center back to add pace? Could Tommy McCabe reprise the role he played in the Roots’ strongest defensive performance since Garcia’s injury?
Martin’s decision will go a long way towards determining the outcome on Saturday.
If he gets it wrong, this match can unravel quickly.
How do the Roots Handle Rubio Rubín ?
If El Paso’s attack is the engine, then Rubín is the driver.
Rubín enters the weekend tied for the league lead in goals with six. Unlike the other league leaders, Rubín has not scored a single goal off a penalty. He has chipped in with two assists, giving him a league-leading eight goal contributions.
For a team still looking for stability along the backline, Rubín presents a dangerous challenge.
Many of Rubín’s goals this season have come from the exact situations the Roots have struggled defending: through balls that test the line’s pace and quick counters sparked by passes over the top. Against him, one bad touch or slow recovery can be deadly.
Because of that, eliminating unforced errors will be critical for the Roots. They cannot afford the mistakes that plagued them against Loudoun last Saturday.
Luckily, the Roots field some of the league’s most efficient passers in their defensive midfield. Tommy McCabe leads the league in passes attempted and completed, while partner Bobosi Byaruhanga ranks in the top 10% of the league in successful passes for his position. Both are in the top quarter of the league in passing accuracy for their position.
If Oakland cools down Rubín, it will start with controlling possession and preventing the mistakes that ignite the El Paso attack.
Which Lineup Gives Oakland the Most Control?
Eliminating mistakes and controlling possession starts with putting the right players on the ball.
The question is: who are the right players?
As has been the trend in previous weeks, Martin faces a difficult decision on which offensive weapons to deploy. Saturday’s match against Loudoun saw the Roots line up Danny Trejo behind Peter Wilson. As we wrote after the match, the experiment did not go well.
Due to El Paso’s statistical profile, expect Martin to prioritize players that can maintain possession and avoid costly mistakes. Faysal Bettache should replace Trejo in the lineup as a center attacking midfielder. His statistical profile aligns better with a possession-oriented game plan built on composure and distribution.
The end of the match against Loudoun offered an intriguing glimpse at another solution.
In the 75th minute of the match, the Roots subbed in Bettache for Bobosi. Florian Valot then assumed Bobosi’s role, while Bettache took his usual position as a CAM.
The move energized the Roots’ stagnant attack. From the deeper position, Valot connected the backline and Bettache, who distributed to the frontline. The move yielded results as both Bettache and Valot were heavily involved in Peter Wilson’s goal.
The Roots deployed Valot in this role one other time: the 4-2 victory against Las Vegas Lights, arguably the team’s most complete performance of the year.
The previous question discussed how Bobosi and McCabe could determine the match. But what if Martin goes back to the well and uses Valot deeper to place an even calmer distributor on the field?
It’s not outside of the realm of possibility. One thing Martin clearly has valued all year is versatility. After the match against Vegas, Martin stated, “In the USL you have to have versatile pieces… The more positions you can play in the USL, your value just continues to increase, increase”
Loudoun gave a quick glimpse into Valot’s versatility. Saturday may provide a chance to see it over a full 90 minutes.