Photo credit: Jacksonville Armada FC

Well, there is no denying it. This North American Soccer League season is unpredictable at best and these Power Rankings are subject to change. I mentioned last week that this 2017 NASL season has the potential to be the most interesting in North America and I think that still holds true. The spring and fall seasons are split evenly with a winner getting an automatic playoff bid, but the top four teams will make the playoffs. No team will be out of this race.

Three of last year’s four postseason teams are in this week’s bottom four in the Power Rankings. What is going on?

I use complicated critical analysis to put this list together… maybe. But if you are curious about how all eight teams came into the weekend, you can find last week’s rankings HERE.

No one has been given an official reason why the schedule has featured so many two-legged matchups, but do we really care? These schedule quirks are just a part of 2017’s format and we know these teams will become incredibly familiar with each other.

Getting on with the Power Rankings

1. Jacksonville Armada –  2

Dogs and cats are living together, but you can’t deny Jax their week in the sun. NASL United was bad last year. So bad that they had only one win in their entire spring season. They have doubled that total already while keeping FC Edmonton off the board in two consecutive matches. Congratulations, Jacksonville, on playing well ahead of expectations and earning maximum points when no other team has.

2. Miami FC –  1

They are human after all and they dropped points at home, but South Beach FC remain one to watch. Their opponents were out-shot and out-possessed, but New York still found a way to spoil a nice evening in southern Florida. It’s not like Miami has plummeted from grace, but everyone take note that the sunshine state is leading these Power Rankings for the first time.

3. San Francisco Deltas –  2

Congratulations, Triangles! Your first win was in your second match and in front of the home crowd. It was more like a gathering, but congratulations on leapfrogging in the Power Rankings nonetheless. The San Francisco Treats put up a convincing win on #NCFC which gives them four goals in two games at Kezar Stadium. Norwich City was unaware the contest took place.

4. Puerto Rico FC –  2

Through no real fault of their own, the Carmelos drop two places in this week’s rankings, but they maintain the edge on Indy Eleven because they just can’t be beaten right now. They opened the season with three draws just like Indy. Two of those are to Indy. Both teams had plenty of chances, but neither team seemed fit enough to pull away. The real advantage is having Hector Ramos as a man among boys. The Eleven stare at him like he is covered in glitter.

5. Indy Eleven –  2

There is no reason to panic but the Chubby Checkers need to put the room service down and play some defense. Scoring five in three games makes Indy the best in the league and it will be rewarded later on in the season, but conceding five is also a league-leading stat. Their wounds are self inflicted which sends my Power Rankings algorithm into a frenzy. The bye week will be welcomed by the Eleven, who were already nursing multiple injuries in Week 3.

6. North Carolina FC –  No Change

It’s a long trip to make to San Francisco. It’s probably even longer to come home with nothing to show for it. The season opened strong for #NCFC Canaries when they scored in the 4th minute against Miami. The RailHawks settled for a draw in that one. They opened the scoring again in San Fran, but fell 3-1 to an expansion side in front of the same crowd they used to film this basketball game. Coincidence?

7. New York Cosmos –  1

So… The Cosmos won, but I am not buying what they are selling just yet. It is truly hard to tell if Jax or NYC are the bigger story in these rankings. The ‘Mos were efficient with their opportunities, but they were hardly the better team against Miami who had 14 shots inside the box. A win on the road is worth something and it gets them out of the doghouse, but there is work to do in New York before I can comfortably put them near the top four.

8. FC Edmonton –  1

They are a tough nut to crack under Colin Miller. They always have been. However, this year the Eddies have been beaten at home and away. They have no goals and no points after two matches versus the Jacksonville Armada who just happen to be leading the league?! The bright spot here is that they haven’t got a long way to claw back into the fold. They go on the road to North Carolina next week with both teams desperately needing a win.

Photo credit: Jacksonville Armada FC

These Power Rankings were a lot harder than they were last week, but this season and this league belong to anyone at this point. While Miami are proving themselves, they are not without weaknesses. 

Are Jacksonville the real deal or are they just the beneficiaries of some insane scheduling against the leagues worst?

It is safe to say that neither of last year’s championship competitors are in full swing. New York squeaked some goals in and Indy is tattered on defense. What do you think of this week’s rankings?

You can follow Soc Takes and Aaron on Twitter @SocTakes and @AGunyon.

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Photo Credit: Bruno Postigo

Dario Suarez is one of the most potent attackers in the NPSL. With four career caps for the Cuba national team, that probably goes without saying. After netting four goals last weekend, he’s been named the NPSL Week 11 Mitre National Player of the Week.

The AFC Ann Arbor forward started his weekend off by recording a brace last Friday versus Kalamazoo FC in his side’s 2-nil victory. Suarez then followed it up with another brace in another 2-0 Ann Arbor win over Detroit City FC on Sunday. Here’s his double against Detroit City:

He has six goals in just four matches this season, which already equals the team-leading total he put up in his 2016 NPSL campaign. His stellar form has helped carry AFC Ann Arbor to an early first-place perch atop the NPSL Great Lakes Conference. The Mighty Oak have maxed out on points so far, winning all four of their matches while boasting a jaw-dropping nine goals for to one goal against.

“Individual accolades are great and in Dario’s case well-deserved,” said AFC Ann Arbor coach and sporting director Eric Rudland. “Even more importantly though, Dario’s performances have fueled positive results for our club and he is proving that he can be an effective two-way player.”

Photo credit: Bruno Postigo

The humble striker known as “Super Dario” deflected much of the attention from winning the award away from himself, instead preferring to credit the other lads in the locker room. A forward who helps out on the defensive side of the ball and shows extreme humility? This Suarez guy seems too good to be true. Luckily for Ann Arbor, he’s the real deal.

“Good things come together when you mix teamwork with passion,” Suarez said. “I am grateful for this recognition and thrilled to share this award with my teammates who made it all possible.”

Photo credit: Bruno Postigo

AFC Ann Arbor will attempt to keep its unblemished record in tact on the road tonight at Lansing United. The match will be live-streamed via Lansing’s YouTube page with kickoff set for 7 p.m.

You can follow Kevin on Twitter @KJboxing.

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Guys, after having slept on it, let’s have some perspective. The sky is not falling down. As an eternal pessimist, I’m in this weird role where I feel that some of the reaction to the game has been too negative. We all care about this club, and your opinion is as valuable as mine. Some of you have traveled far distances to support this team, and I have so much admiration for that. But, the three major things I will disagree with are:

a) Hank should be fired. b) The players don’t care. c) Booing the players is okay.

#IndyForever. Pic credit: Indy XI

This rant is an attempt to address those 3 points:

1. We lost 3 games this week — 2 of them to a team far superior to us (or anyone else in this league). Yes, the Michigan Bucks loss is indefensible, but, it was one awful game.

2. Those of us who want Hankinson gone; you’re entitled to your opinion and anger. First of all, I disagree with the idea that Hank should be fired. Let me ask you this — who would replace him? There aren’t too many Marc dos Santos/Alessandro Nesta’s out there waiting for us to sign. Especially given our shoe string budget.

3. The players do care. They care as much as you do. I spoke to a couple of them last night, and they’re livid. If you’ve played a sport, you know what it’s like to be in mental quicksand. Indy won 75% of our aerial duels against Miami’s team. We narrowly edged (Source: Opta Stats) on duels won. We matched Miami on many other metrics such as tackles won/percentage tackles/long balls played. So, the idea that our players didn’t care/are playing long balls like the Sommer-era are just demonstrably false.

I listened while Aaron Gunyon and Kevin Johnston interviewed Colin Falvey after the game. I hope Aaron can share some of that audio, because there is no way you could listen to Colin speak and think he doesn’t care about this club and its fans.

4. STOP BOOING YOUR OWN PLAYERS IMMEDIATELY. The ONLY time you boo your own players is if they’ve done something morally/ethically wrong on the pitch. Ask yourself – what exactly will this accomplish anyway?

5. Vent. That’s totally fine. You’re entitled to be angry.

6. We’ve been through worse nights and worse weeks as Indy XI supporters. The sky is not falling in… yet.

7. Hank’s plan (almost) worked perfectly:

7a. Hank’s plan was to siphon the midfield space for Ritchie Ryan (best holding MF in the league) and Dylan Mares – by playing Brad and Lovel as 2 ball-winning midfielders in a 4-5-1. If you watch the game again, you’ll see that Ritchie and Mares had (probably) their least effective games of the season. 

7b. Hank’s plan was to force Miami to go wide and send in crosses; which Kwame and Falvey were capable of dealing with. He did not want the likes of Poku to get 1 v 1 against any defenders, or to be able to turn and run at defenders. Except for one occasion in the 2nd half – that plan worked.

7c. Hank’s plan was to have Braun, Speas and Thompson make runs along Miami’s high defensive line, and find themselves played through by the likes of Torrado. From the press box, I counted a number of times when those 3 made excellent, well-timed runs, but the ball to them was either not played (most of the time) or weighted incorrectly (one time). Hank’s plan was right. Our execution was not.

Hi Bill! This passion drives our club. (By the way, while you shouldn’t boo players, it’s perfectly okay to boo Bill. Pic Credit: Indy XI

7d. After ~the 60th minute, Hank switched to a back 3. We created a couple of chances, and then got hit on the break for Poku’s goal. Hank’s decision to go 3 at the back was a good tactical switch which gave us a chance to equalize. By that point, Miami was playing on the counter, and had switched their shape to a narrow 4-5-1 (which is why Vuko had so much space for last 30).

8. So, why did we lose? We made two critical individual errors. For the first goal, our team switched off defensively. For the 2nd, one of our defenders did not play the offside line, allowing Poku to be clearly on-side when the ball was played through to him. Two errors, two goals, zero points. Against a team like Miami, two errors will offset any other defensive organization.

We also lost because this is a league which will be decided on game changers. Given the repeat match-ups, tactics will not decide games – the way it didn’t decide this game – game changers and individual ability will. When it comes to game changers, we have very few. And, with our shoestring budget, I don’t see that changing in the summer either.

We still miss Don Smart (aka bae). I saw him hanging out on the touchline. And, he’s just glorious. He’s just… bae.

Ultimately, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Your passion fuels this club. But, let’s take a deep breath, relax, stop booing and stop asking for Hank’s beautiful head of hair. Come on your boys in blue! #BeatEdmonton

You can follow Nipun and SocTakes at @NipunChopra7 and @SocTakes

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Image credit: Boston City FC

After recently launching a sister club in Brazil, NPSL club Boston City FC continued making waves with another sizable announcement Thursday.

Boston City FC and New Balance signed a multi-year apparel agreement that will keep the team outfitted in New Balance gear for the foreseeable future. The Boston-based athletic apparel company will provide Boston City custom kits, footwear, tracksuits and more.

“New Balance is incredibly excited and proud to announce a new sponsorship with our local NPSL team, Boston City FC,” said New Balance general manager global team sports Chris Gallo in the press release announcing the deal. “Our agreement together is a strong statement for New Balance in the region and we look forward to providing the best experience for both the players and fans on and off the field.”

Earlier this month, Boston City birthed a sister club in a different hemisphere: Boston City FC Brasil. The affiliate received more than 1,000 youth applicants to enter the academy before it even officially launched.

Now, with a multi-year deal in place with a major sportswear manufacturer and an expanding presence globally, Boston City FC appears to have positioned itself for a prosperous future — whether that’s in the NPSL or elsewhere.

“The level of commitment from New Balance is a clear indication that they believe in the longevity of the project we started two years ago,” Boston City FC managing director Craig Tornberg said. “They have recognized what we have achieved to date and see the tremendous potential Boston City has to influence and appeal to soccer fans in our region.

“We are incredibly honored to wear one of Boston’s premier brands, who have made such a global commitment to our sport. We look forward not only to wearing the New Balance uniforms, but also carrying out brand activation in the Greater Boston market, at matches, and through our youth soccer partnerships as we continue to integrate with our local community.”

Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

Support Soc Takes on Patreon for access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

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Rayo OKC’s Yukon Stadium was supplemented with turf for their games.

Remember Rayo OKC’s turf last season? It is singularly owned by Mr. Sean Jones — minority owner of Rayo OKC — as Rayo Vallecano declined to pay for any portion of the cost. Jones has been paying for the 96 pallets of turf for about a year now. They’ve been in storage since the end of Rayo and NASL’s 2016 season. Towards the end of last season, there was speculation whether Cosmos were trying to purchase the turf. While there is still uncertainty around that, Soc Takes can confirm that at this very moment, that same turf is on its way to NYC for a trial.

This week, that turf was transported to Brooklyn to be tested on MCU park surface. If the turf is considered to be in good enough shape, it will be purchased (Update: see below) by NY Cosmos for use for the 2017 NASL season. The turf is expected to arrive today.

The turf will not be the only connection between Rayo OKC and NY Cosmos this year; Alberto Gallego has joined the team as Assistant coach to Gio Savarese along with midfielder Richard Menjivar (As first reported on twitter by James Poling of The Oklahoman). Gallego has experience with the turf – a Rayo source informs Soc Takes that Gallego, on occasion, laid the turf himself in the 2nd half of the NASL 2016 season. Whether or not that had any bearing on the decision to try out the turf is unknown.

NY Cosmos, in spite of a tumultuous off-season, are clearly taking incremental steps to prepare for the 2017 season. As for Jones, he will be glad to not have to set aside payments towards the turf; and be one step closer to putting the Rayo story behind him, as he focuses on Oklahoma City FC.

Update (February 25th): Soc Takes has learned that NY Cosmos will not be purchasing the turf out right. If they like the turf, they will lease it for one year, with no plans to buy it. Soc Takes understands that COO Erik Stover believes the option of leasing the turf allows the team to find a more appropriate long-term solution for their field.

Samaras and other Rayo OKC players go through their warm up drills.

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Photo credit: Alexander Wells/WellsIllustration.com

Wolverhampton Wanderers FC hosted bottom-dwellers Rotherham United FC in a must-win matchup at Molineux Stadium on Saturday. The home side had been without a win in their last seven attempts. Their last league win had been on Jan. 31 against Barnsley.

Since then, Wolves have been in an absolute free fall. The defense has refused to hold and WWFC found themselves one place out of the relegation zone when they woke up Saturday morning.

The dark side of pro/rel is the terror fans feel when they are helpless to turn things around for their club. Four of February’s five losses were played at home, so today’s points mean that much more for a team desperate to change its fate.

By all accounts, today’s performance was lacking for WWFC. Rotherham are the league’s worst side and have no way to alter their course. RUFC will not find themselves playing in the Championship in 2018. The 1-0 scoreline held (only just) and three points go to the table, but the victory wasn’t satisfying or comfortable.

With the win, the Wolves clawed their way to 20th with two games in hand on their competition above and below. They are separated by one point in either direction. Breathing room. Nothing more.

Gaffer says the result is the most important thing. Have played better than this recently and lost.

— Wolves (@Wolves) March 11, 2017

There is a quick turn around for a Tuesday away match at 14th place Brentford. The Wolverhampton unbeaten streak currently sits at two games.

Follow @AGunyon on Twitter for more on this #RelegationWatch.

Thumbnail photo credit: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/Sky Bet Championship

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Photo credit: U.S. Soccer

It’s almost Open Cup time again!

The 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament kicks off this Tuesday, with the first day of the first round. We have 56 clubs entering in the first round, with 21 from the PDL, 18 from the NPSL and 17 through the local qualifier tournament. These numbers are up from last year, with a total of 99 teams involved in this year’s tournament. This is a new record for the Open Cup, growing from just 40 clubs 10 years ago.

The first round always brings with it the battle between the PDL and NPSL for unofficial fourth division supremacy, as well as the opportunity for upsets by local amateur teams. Let’s take a look at how both of those went down last year.

In the 2016 first round, we saw nine matches between NPSL and PDL clubs, five between NPSL and local clubs, and nine between PDL and local clubs. The PDL just barely edged out its rival league, winning 5-4.

But against local qualifiers, the PDL fared worse, winning three games and losing six against local opposition. Notably, PDL club Ventura County Fusion had to forfeit to the LA Wolves of USASA despite winning the match 2-1. After a protest and subsequent investigation, the Fusion were found to have fielded Gabriel Gonzales, who had also played for Cal FC in its qualifying matches. That’s a roster violation, and the Fusion’s win was stripped.

The NPSL clubs fared better against the local qualifiers, winning their matches 3-2, albeit with a forfeiture by NTX Rayados. NTX elected to sit out the 2016 spring season in its local league, and as a result had no registered players. That meant the team had no eligible players to contest the Open Cup, and the win went to Corinthians of San Antonio.

One week away from #USOC2017 kick-off. @RedForceFC09 & @SoFlaSurf stream live on @ussoccer May 9 at 8:30 P.M. ET – https://t.co/ET4ctGEvC9 pic.twitter.com/7abESU40j9

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) May 2, 2017

This year, the first round has grown to 28 matches, featuring 11 between the fourth division leagues, seven between NPSL clubs and local qualifiers, and 10 between PDL clubs and local qualifiers And, both clubs who were disqualified last year are back! The NTX Rayados will be taking on the NPSL’s Houston Dutch Lions, and the Ventura County Fusion will be taking on the Moreno Valley Futbol Club.

Also of note this year, we’re guaranteed to have at least two first round clubs make it to the third round. The winners of Western Mass Pioneers vs. Boston City FC and GPS Portland Phoenix vs. GPS Omens will play in the second round, as well as the winners of Albion SC Pros vs. Chula Vista FC and LA Wolves FC vs. San Diego Zest.

Every other first round winner will face a team from either the USL or NASL. Last year, we saw two first round clubs advance all the way to the fourth round, against MLS opposition. La Maquina FC held the LA Galaxy to a 1-1 draw into added time, eventually losing 4-1, while the Kitsap Pumas were defeated by the Seattle Sounders with two second half goals.

To wrap things up, I’ll leave you with my favorite non-FC Dallas related Open Cup memory: the Cal FC story.

In 2012, Cal FC, a “fifth-tier” amateur team led by former USA international Eric Wynalda, won all three of its qualification games with a +11 goal differential. In the first round, Cal made quick work of the PDL’s Kitsap Pumas, winning 3-1. This brought the name Danny Barrera from obscurity right into the headlines, as he and his brother combined for two of Cal’s three goals.

In the second round, Cal FC took on the Wilmington Hammerheads of USL Pro and stunned us all with a commanding 4-0 win. Again, the Barrera brothers combined for two goals. Some may say that they got some help with Wilmington down to nine men in the second half, but all four goals were scored before Bryce Taylor received the first of Wilmington’s two red cards. With the win, Cal FC moved on to take on some MLS opposition, the Portland Timbers.

On May 30, 2012, in the final match of the third round, Cal FC moved from headline news to Open Cup legends. Things started off well for Cal, with a fingertip save from Jesus Gonzales the only thing keeping Troy Perkins off the scoresheet in the 6th minute. Yet the Timbers pressed harder, constantly getting crosses in and holding Cal scoreless. First half, no score. Second half went by, more of the same, even a penalty kick awarded to Portland. Still no score. On to added time.

It only took five minutes. Artur Aghasian took a clean pass right through the Timbers defense. He was onside. Into the box. A quick chip.

Darby Carrillo with more heroic work in goal. The final whistle blew.

And history was made:

Cal FC 1, Portland Timbers 0.

For the first time in years, an amateur team toppled a giant from MLS. Could it happen again this year? Here’s hoping.

You can follow John on Twitter @JohnMLTX.

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Miami FC are running away with the rankings at this point. Can anyone stop them? Miami are the outright leaders and sit 7 points clear of the Deltas and the Cosmos after 12 games. They have 27 points! They have the best offense (21 goals for), the best defense (8 goals allowed) and they are undefeated on the road. South Beach FC have the longest active unbeaten streak. There is no doubt that Nesta’s boys will make a postseason appearance in their second attempt. It appears they will be the first ones to punch their playoff ticket and hoist their first hardware at the same time. It’s just a question of when will they clinch the Spring?

There aren’t many surprises to be had in these rankings. The bottom half of the table is content to separate itself from the peleton and don’t show many signs of changing that around. The Eddies have two wins in their last five but they still have the leagues worst goal differential. Indy Eleven gathered themselves together for their first win after 11 tries, but they beat a tired North Carolina team that isn’t exactly burning up the charts right now. NCFC has four points over their last five matches. Puerto Rico FC and Indy do too.

Where can we find some conflict? We need something to argue about.

New York Cosmos haven’t had the hottest five game stretch. Their last four contests have been against bottom half teams. In a recent three game home stand, NYC’s only results came from a comeback win against PRFC and a draw against NCFC.

It is tempting to put Jacksonville ahead of Cosmos because the 3-0 victory at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco is worth a lot. That was a few games ago however. Since then, they have beaten Indy but they have been blanked by Miami…twice.

The Deltas have enjoyed tormenting the little guys. They beat Edmonton and Puerto Rico, but who hasn’t? Indy! Hey. That’s not nice.

You can follow Aaron on Twitter @AGunyon.

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Recently, rumors emerged that next season’s Indy Eleven kits will be sponsored by Adidas. While four independent sources informed Soc Takes that Adidas would indeed be next year’s kit sponsor, it turns out those reports were either premature or incorrect. Larry Linde, director of corporate partnerships at Indy Eleven, informed Soc Takes via email:

“I can go on the record and confirm that there is no signed, done deal with any kit manufacturer”

Credit: Indy Eleven

Adidas’ sports licensing division operates out of the east side of Indianapolis.

Under Armour is considered the other front runner to be Indy’s next kit manufacturer. Indy Eleven just completed a three-year partnership with Diadora and a partnership with global brands such as Adidas or UA would be a terrific optic for the upcoming visit from MLS.

Soc Takes can reveal that the club are in negotiations with another powerful, global brand as a kit sponsor (not manufacturer). If the deal goes through, this sponsor would confirm the marketability of Indy Eleven.

Soc Takes will update this story as more information emerges.

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Photo credit: Matt Schlotzhauer/Indy Eleven

Injuries continue to hamper the Indy Eleven roster. A familiar name returns to the report, but there are still options for head coach Tim Hankinson. The Soc Takes crew has carefully considered the available personnel for this weekend’s matchup vs. FC Edmonton. There is a problem though. The gang could not come to a consensus on the “best 11” or the best formation the Indy Eleven gaffer has at his disposal.

Let’s start with the injury report

The following players are out for round two vs. the Eddies of Edmonton: Eamon Zayed, Lovel Palmer, Craig Henderson and Don Smart. Adrian Ables is listed as questionable. Zayed has a cracked rib, Palmer is dealing with a lower leg pain (ankle) thing, Henderson has had a hamstring strain and Smart has been sidelined for much of the season. We expect both Zayed and Palmer to be available soon. It may be as early as next week. Henderson’s injury status is less certain.

A delicate attempt to point out Indy’s troubles without piling on: Even a practice player, Adrian Ables, has been unable to avoid the injury bug.

What will the team look like this weekend?

We’ve been informed that everyone other than the players listed above is available for selection. There are some tough choices to make based on form, performance and physical attributes. There are similarities. However, it is very hard to predict what Hankinson will do in these situations. He is wily. He is probably desperate for a win. And he is known to shake things up when he feels his hands are tied.

Neither Edmonton nor the Eleven are setting the world on fire right now. Both clubs are in a dire need of points to bring the season within reach. Indy Eleven captain Colin Falvey offered a sobering comment on the state of the season:

“Now it’s become a case of ‘forget about the spring, we need to get some points on the board to make sure we have a chance of playing in the postseason.’ It’s as simple as that.” – Colin Falvey

Get on with it

Here are three different potential looks for Indy. KJ is looking for Daniel Keller. Nipun is predicting a return to the 4-5-1 and I am looking for consistency.

Kevin Johnston’s projected starting XI:

Nipun Chopra’s projected starting XI:

My projected starting XI:

You can follow Aaron on Twitter @AGunyon.

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