Studs Up Soccer – Belated FC Cincinnati first half report card

Photo Credit: Chris Asbrock (Impact Sports Cincinnati)

by Chris Asbrock

The 2018 USL season is over half over for the orange and blues of FC Cincinnati. As things stand right now, FC Cincinnati are alone at the top of the Eastern Conference, having played a few more matches than the rest of the conference. With the US Open Cup run over, Coach Alan Koch can solely focus on bringing a championship home to the Queen City in their final season in the USL. The rise of this club in this city has been nothing less than spectacular. They have captured the hearts of this city and are continuing their meteoric rise to the top.

This city has been longing for a winner and FC Cincinnati have provided just that. Before the season started, Koch and the rest of the FCC front office put together an incredibly talented team, that would rival anyone in the league. The coaching staff and front office have assembled a team that is incredibly professional and truly loves playing together. This summer has been a lot of fun for all who love and support the orange and blue. Coupled with the great play on the field, the city, club and fans were rewarded with a MLS franchise that will begin play next season. Let’s take a look back at the club and grade them on the first half of the 2018 season.

Forwards: A+

The forward play has been nothing less than fantastic this season. Just a few weeks ago, Danni Konig became the clubs all-time leading scorer. Not only has Konig been great, he continues to prove why he is one of the top forwards in the league. Currently sitting in the top three of the league, Konig has justified his acquisition last season was more than worth it. Whether it is starting a match or coming in late in the game, Konig has change a match with his incredible finishing ability. In addition to Konig, Emery Welshman and Russell Cicerone have been key players in coming off the bench, even starting a few matches. Both men have done and admirable job this season alongside the Danish striker.

Midfielders: A+

The midfield play has been nothing but stellar this season. Kenny Walker, Emmanuel Ledesma, Corben Bone, Nazmi Albadawi and Michael Lahoud have been fantastic this season. Along with Konig, Ledesma and Albadawi are in the top 5 in goals scored this season. Ledesma was just recently named the midseason USL MVP and is certainly a logical league MVP when all is said and done. Ledesma has been incredible all season providing opportunities for the other players. As things stand, Ledesma is at the top, or tied for the top spot in the league in assists. He is also on the verge of setting the all-time franchise record for assists, in less than a season with the club. What Ledesma has meant for this club cannot be overstated.

The support of the other midfielders like Jimmy McLaughlin and Richie Ryan have helped the orange and blues continue their fantastic run of play. Will Seymore and Lance Laing have made solid contributions in their short time on the field. Tyler Gibson has spent the season thus far injured and is very close to returning. His return will be helpful for the depth of this club. If FC Cincinnati expects to hoist some silverware at the end of the season, the midfield play will be crucial to their success.

Defenders: A

The defense has been one of the stingiest groups in the USL over the last few games. They have a total of nine clean sheets so far this season. Since giving up three goals in that astonishing 3-3 draw in Toronto on June 27, the defense posted four straight clean sheets. Overall this season, the defensive unit has conceded 20 goals so far in the USL, with the majority of these goals coming early in their campaign. Dekel Keinan, Forrest Lasso and Justin Hoyte have been mainstays on the backline and helped FC Cincinnati become one of the top defensive teams in the league recently. Paddy Barrett and Blake Smith have been rocks defensively as well. Along with their stellar defensive play, the centerbacks have been crucial in putting the back of the net, bagging four straight goals in their two most recent games. Having the leadership on the backline that FCC boasts, certainly makes things a bit easier for Alan Koch and his staff.

Goalkeeping: B+ 

It was tough to give the keepers a grade less than an A but this comes from the performances earlier in the season. Both Newton and Richey failed to make saves that could have been made. Regardless, the play of Newton and Richey has been fantastic recently and are a huge reason why the orange and blues are at the top of the Eastern Conference. Newton has had the majority of the minutes this season, but Richey earned some minutes through his hard work during training. FC Cincinnati fans were spoiled by the play from Mitch Hildebrandt over the last two seasons. With his departure to Atlanta United, Koch looked to two familiar faces in Richey and Mark Village. The addition of Newton gives Koch a choice of three fantastic keepers.

Coaching: A+

Alan Koch faced an uphill challenge after taking over for John Harkes at the beginning of last season. Things were not looking positive when Harkes and the club parted ways, just days before the club left for preseason training. The club turned to Koch, who was named the clubs Director of Scouting and Assistant Coach, just a few months before. Koch has been a phenomenal addition to the club and the perfect person to lead this club into the MLS next season. As mentioned previously, Koch and front office have put together a team that is worthy of a championship. On paper, heading into the season, FC Cincinnati is one of the most talented teams in the league and Koch has done an incredible job of at the helm this season.

Overall Grade: A

First half MVP: Emmanuel Ledesma

This has been a fantastic season so far in the Queen City and things look to only get better. On July 28, FC Cincinnati will be hosting RCD Espanyol from La Liga in an international friendly. Not only will the orange and blues be facing another club from one of the top leagues in the world, they will be celebrating their entrance into Major League Soccer. This club has navigated a tough season and look to be battle tested, pulling out results in games that would have ended differently last season. The results FCC have had this season will only continue to help them, as they move forward in chasing a USL championship.