At the base of El Paso Locomotive FC’s jump from last place in the Western Conference in the 2024 USL Championship season to a top-four finish last fall was its attack.

Locomotive showed the ability to be explosive in the attacking third last season. The side ranked in the top third of the league with 47 goals and 39.91 Expected Goals during the regular season with forward duo Amando Moreno and Wilmer Cabrera Jr. each finishing the campaign with double-digit goals and Gabriel Torres sitting in the top eight in the league with seven assists.

If there’s one thing new Head Coach Junior Gonzalez wants to ensure remains as he takes the reins, it’s that attacking endeavor as the club looks to the new campaign.

“Where I see the team is exceptionally good is in the offensive side of the game,” said Gonzalez on Tuesday in an introductory press conference hosted by the club. “It’s proven by the goals they scored last season.”

At the same time, as good as Locomotive was in attack, the flaw that held the side back was its leakiness defensively. El Paso conceded 45 goals in the 2025 regular season – the most by any side that finished in the top four in either conference – despite posting an above-average Expected Goals Against mark (36.05xGA).

That, for Gonzalez, is where the side can go from being a good side to becoming a serious contender this season.

“What I talked to the team about Saturday was to be more stable on the defensive side, to travel more compactly up and down the field, so that we're in better positions to counter press and impede the opponent's progression to goal,” he said. “It’s [a goal] for our staff that I’ve discussed in our planning, is to be very difficult to play against, that when the ball turns over, we’re immediately counter-pressing and winning the ball back quickly, that we’re looking directly to goal.”

• PERSONAL IMPRINT: Gonzalez’s arrival in El Paso as the successor to former colleague Wilmer Cabrera Sr. is a new step for the 48-year-old manager, who has previously served as a Head Coach for MLS-affiliated reserve teams at Houston Dynamo, the LA Galaxy and most recently Los Angeles FC. What that means first and foremost is it’s a chance for Gonzalez to put his own imprint on the squad and playing style as opposed to implementing an organizational style that can allow for smooth pathways between the First Team and Reserves.

• COLLABORATIVE EFFORT: As much as that’s the case, Gonzalez spoke about his collaboration with Locomotive Technical Director Ray Saari since his arrival as they build out a squad for the new season.  “How I work is very collaborative,” he said. “Everyone that’s here, we're all working together. Ray and I are making, obviously, the technical decisions on the players and which ones come to the club. But again, none of that happens without [MountainStar Sports Group President] Alan [Ledford’s] blessing, either. So, we all discuss every aspect of the profiles of the players and make those decisions.”

• BUILDING BLOCKS: While Locomotive’s roster isn’t fully set yet, there have been some notable new arrivals this offseason. Those include the attacking duo of Guatemala international Rubio Rubín, who figures to be a centerpiece in the attack for Moreno to play off, and 22-year-old Mexican forward Diego Abitia, who brings an interesting profile from his time at Atletico San Luis in Liga MX.

After his prior stint in the Rio Grande Valley, meanwhile, Gonzalez is already enjoying his new home away from the field. In one of the most soccer-knowledgeable pockets of the United States, getting the club out into the community in addition to impressing on the field is also on the radar of Gonzalez and new club President and General Manager Mike Digiulio, who also met with reporters on Tuesday.

“This will be my second time being a Texan, and I can tell you already fallen in love with El Paso,” said Gonzalez. “I believe it was a better environment than where I was before. No offense to the Toros, but I believe that this is where I should be. I thought really hard on the next aspect of where my family and I want to be in my journey. I’m excited to put a competitive product [on the field], but really lead the team and get the team into the community.”

As Locomotive gets to work with seven weeks ahead of a challenging season-opener at home to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Gonzalez is ready to make his mark on the incoming squad and build on last year’s success.

“There’ll be players that will compete, and we want to continue the success that this team’s had in the future,” said Gonzalez. “It’ll be a team that plays with stability, organization. We all know that the players have immense creativity within their game, so we don’t want to stifle that, but just give them a little bit more structure.”