There wasn’t much to take away positively from Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to the Switchbacks. The performance resurfaced similar issues rather than new answers. Those issues remain as pressing as ever.
Loved: Neveal Hackshaw
In a match defined by offensive frustration, one bright spot emerged: Neveal Hackshaw.
The Roots struggled to break through Colorado Springs’ press throughout the match. Oakland failed to register a shot on target, let alone create a big chance.
The few dangerous moments they produced came from Hackshaw’s distribution, as he looked to bypass the press rather than play into it. Hackshaw completed 11/16 long balls, the most on either squad and nearly double the next closest total.
In the 27th minute, Hackshaw delivered a pass over the top to Peter Wilson, sparking one of the Roots’ few attacking sequences. Later, in the 41st minute, he found Jesus de Vicente on the left wing. de Vicente attempted to cross into the box, where the Roots had a rare two-on-two opportunity.
Against Colorado Springs’ press, the Roots looked like they had no answers. Hackshaw did.
This represents a notable shift. Early in the season, Hackshaw’s play raised concerns. David Garcia’s injury only amplified those concerns. Since then, he has quietly become a consistent performer for the Roots.
His passing has added verticality to the Roots’ attack. Despite only starting half of the Roots’ matches, his 35 long balls and accuracy both rank in the top fifth of the league. He has increased his long balls per 90 and accuracy from last year. He has paired that improvement with his usual aerial dominance, while avoiding the positional lapses that exposed his lack of pace earlier in the season. What once looked like a liability now helps anchor the defense.
In a fitting twist on a frustrating day, Hackshaw exited in the 71st minute with an apparent injury. With a USL Cup match against Las Vegas next and the Roots all but eliminated from the competition, the schedule offers a timely chance to rest him.
Unsure: Who Should Start in the Midfield Against a Pressing Team?
Besides Hackshaw, Tyler Gibson was another player who previously added more verticality into the Roots’ attack. Against Orange County, Gibson completed 3/5 long balls and 12 passes into the final third. He helped get the Roots moving quickly in transition before the Orange County defense could settle into its low block. His connection with Bertin Jacquesson drove many of those sequences.
After that performance, it came as no surprise that Ryan Martin gave Gibson the nod against the Switchbacks.
Gibson proved largely invisible. He finished with just 28 touches, almost a third less than his 73 touches against Orange County. His passing production dropped sharply, with 27 passes compared to 60 against Orange County. He had no long balls and only five passes into the final third.
The Roots may have hoped Gibson’s distribution could break the press. Against Colorado Springs, it didn’t.
Gibson’s struggles are indicative of the Roots’ midfield struggles against the press. They field a strong pairing in Bobosi Byaruhanga and Tommy McCabe. Gibson represents proven veteran depth. The Roots might have one of the best defensive midfields in the league, but it is an extremely defensive midfield.
This issue does not come to light with teams that do not press and prefer to sit in a low block. Against low blocks, the Roots can lean into transition after turnovers, where they lead the conference in fast breaks. The fast break allows the defensive midfield to play to its strength: distribution.
The Roots succeed when they have time and space after winning the ball. The press stymies both, killing fast breaks before they even begin.
Against the press, the Roots need someone to turn under pressure and progress the ball forward. Someone to turn pressure into attack and break a press on their own.
Bobosi, Gibson, and McCabe have not fit that profile this season. The question for the Roots is who does.
Florian Valot has played well in a deeper role. After the signing of Tucker Lepley, Martin spoke about the role he envisioned for Lepley. Martin stated, “We’ll see him as a #10, we’ll see him as an #8.” Since his arrival, Lepley has largely played on the wing. Martin stated this would be the case for simplicity and to get Lepley on the field. With nearly a month on the team, it may be time to try Lepley at the #8 against pressing teams.
Whichever solution Martin chooses, one thing remains clear: the midfield needs a different profile against the press.
Hated: The Roots’ Continued Struggles Against the Press
The defensive midfield’s struggles against the press are indicative of a larger problem the team faces.
The Roots’ struggles against the press are no longer one-offs. Instead a clear pattern has emerged: the Roots struggle to beat it.
Against teams that rank in the top five in possession won in the final third (Colorado Springs, Sacramento, and Tampa Bay), Oakland’s attacking output has been cut nearly in half.
In those matches, the Roots average 6 shots per match, 10 touches in the opposition box and only 0.67 big chances created. That’s a drop from their season averages of 12 shots per match, 18.8 touches in the box and 2.55 big chances created. Their goal production follows the same trend, falling from 1.63 per match to 0.67.
Even their best result in these situations came with warning signs. Against Tampa Bay, the Roots scored twice, but managed only 3 shots on target, 8 touches in the box, and an xG of 0.98. The scoresheet put perfume on the performance.
However, a window exists for the team to address the problem. Oakland’s next five league opponents rank in the bottom half of their conferences in recoveries in the final third. Three of the five opponents’ field tilt sit below 50%, indicating a majority of the game is played in their defensive third. These teams are more comfortable sitting back than pressing high. It’s a situation the Roots’ attack thrives in.
That stretch offers the coaching staff an opportunity to develop solutions before facing another elite pressing side, Sacramento, on July 25. The matchup will reveal whether those solutions are real.