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USL Insights — More Width, More Success for Monarchs

By CHRIS HOCKMAN - chris.hockman@uslsoccer.com, 04/21/18, 8:29AM EDT

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New pieces have aided a change in style for defending regular season champions


Photo courtesy Michael Rincon / Phoenix Rising FC

HERRIMAN, Utah – After winning the USL Regular Season Championship in 2017 it was hard to see how Real Monarchs SLC would improve on what was a phenomenal season going into the new year. Setting a new USL record for consecutive regular season wins with nine straight victories in the first half of last season, expectations have been high in Utah of similar performances, especially with the opening of the club's new home at Zions Bank Stadium coming up on April 30th. The Monarchs have responded to those expectations with a tremendous four-game winning streak to start to the 2018 season, putting the Monarchs well on track to do something special again.

A 3-1 victory against Seattle Sounders FC 2 last Wednesday gave the Monarchs their fourth straight win to open the season, which now stands as the best start in club history. That is already one achievement bettered from 2017, when the side won its first three outings before falling in its fourth.

Statistically, there are a few differences between 2017 and 2018 so far as well. The Monarchs have slightly improved their passing accuracy (81.1 percent vs. 79.3 percent) and have been sending more of those passes forward (37.5 percent vs. 36.1 percent). But the most notable statistical change has come in the form of a greater success rate in crosses and corners, where the side sits eighth in the league at an accuracy rate of 27.84 percent. A season ago the Monarchs finished with an accuracy rate of 22.99 percent, putting them 27th out of the league's 30 teams in that statistic.

That increased success from crosses has come in part because the side has been using the flanks more often, with the arrival of Maikel Chang from the Charleston Battery and Josh Heard from Bethlehem Steel FC making an impact on the club's ability to get wide more often. Chang leads the Monarchs with 13 crosses this season at an accuracy rate of 23.1 percent, continuing the solid numbers he produced for the Battery a season ago when he recorded 74 crosses at an accuracy rate of 24.3 percent.

This means when you compare the matching fixture from a season ago, an early-season road game against Seattle Sounders FC 2, the Monarchs had a clear focus on getting the ball wide, and spent much less time attacking through the middle of the pitch than last year.

In 2017 the Monarchs saw 22.5 percent of their attack in the 3-1 win through the middle of the park, and while that was still the lowest percentage of the three sectors it is significantly more than in this year's contest. Last Wednesday, in another 3-1 win, the Monarchs moved the ball more to the wings, building just 15 percent of their attacks in the middle of the park, a 7.5 percent decrease, with more than half (50.7 percent) of the club's attacks coming on the right wing. With the lineup rotated to exclude Chang, those attacks against Seattle came through the combination of Heard and Andrew Brody, who combined for 13 crosses from the right during the contest.

The shift has been due to a couple of things, midfielder Sebastian Velasquez has been using the wings more this season, compared to his work in the middle of the park last year. That also happens for other players, with Chang and Heard notably sticking to the right side, aligning with their starting position more consistently than former Monarchs winger Daniel Haber, who tended to drift more into the center of the park.

This change has made the Monarchs a thrilling team to watch this season, getting in behind opposition defenses and creating opportunities that the side has been converting well. There is a faith in the system at Real Monarchs SLC this year, with a lack of panic when falling behind, and that is worrying for opponents. Next up are the Tampa Bay Rowdies, who possess a strong left side in the form of Zac Portillos and Leo Fernandes. That will be a matchup to watch on Saturday night when the teams meet for the first time at 7:30 p.m. ET at Al Lang Stadium.

BY THE NUMBERS

43 – Justin Portillos put in a perfect passing performance for Real Monarchs SLC against Seattle Sounders FC 2 last Wednesday, completing all 43 of his passes in the 3-1 victory.

13 – The number of goals scored by the New York Red Bulls II against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the four meetings between the clubs since the start of 2017. The Red Bulls II hold a 3-1-0 series lead, which grew after their 5-0 win last Saturday.

8 – Number of saves made by Andre Rawls in Orange County SC’s 3-0 victory, an impressive win that gave OCSC its fourth straight victory of the season and a performance which pushed Rawls to the top of the Goalkeeping saves rankings.

3-0-1 – Bob Lilley’s record against FC Cincinnati while Head Coach at the Rochester Rhinos. Now the Head Coach at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Lilley will bring that record and Riverhounds SC's undefeated season to Nippert Stadium on Saturday.

0 – The number of times that the Swope Park Rangers have defeated Phoenix Rising FC, a record they will look to change on Saturday in their meeting at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex (10 p.m. ET).

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