1. Collective unit or only individuals?
In Five Big Questions: Preseason (Pre-Covid), our first big question was “Can Greenville match their stellar defensive play from 2019?” No need to dive into stats from last season because we all understand how hard Greenville was to break down. We also know that in the offseason, we signed some impressive defensive additions. So where are we now? Looking at defensive talent alone, and we can include our holding mids as well, there is no question Greenville has the most talented backline in the league. And you’d like to believe that all of the talent present would also equate to a solid, uniformed unit that moves with total understanding of each other.
Last year, Greenville’s backline was the anchor that kept the team in the mix despite not being able to score consistently until the second half of the season. Through the first few games, it seemed that Greenville’s backline was going to be that anchor once more. But since those first few matches, Greenville has rarely seen the same defensive personnel take the pitch twice in a row. In fact, Tyler Polak and Brandon Fricke have been the only two consistent names throughout the first eight matches (and even Fricke missed a match due to a red-card suspension). The injury bug has hit the Triumph defense, as right back Abdi Mohamed is out indefinitely with a foot injury that was reaggravated in the 8/22 match against Ft. Lauderdale. Harri Hawkins also saw his defensive debut, paired with Fricke as Greenville’s other central defender, cut short by injury. On the positive side, Cesar Murillo has proved extremely versatile through Harkes’s early defensive scheme.
All of these players mentioned are extremely capable of being a key part to the Greenville defense. But getting all players on the same page, defending in the same scheme and having the same goals in mind (build out of the back, force wide, no set pieces, etc.) is the crucial component. You’d like to believe that having the most talented defenders all on one roster would be enough. But in the game of soccer, as the case with most sports, rarely is a team’s success determined by the individual’s talent. Coming out of the two-loss stretch and heading down the second half, Greenville will need the defense to act more as a collective unit and stay in their shape more consistently. Staying in their shape will ultimately help prevent the counter attack transitions more effectively which is how most of the goals have happened against the Triumph this season.
2. Can the Triumph attack be as effective in the last eight matches as they were in the first two?
The quarantine proved to be a beneficial time for the Triumph to work on attacking patterns in small groups, a luxury that isn’t normally available through such extensive length during a normal preseason time frame. That specific group training had immediate payoffs for the league-leaders, with the club opening up with five goals in just two games.
Since the 3-2 win vs Richmond on July 25th, the club has yet to score more than one goal in a match. But that sounds worse than it is. Why? Because pieces of Greenville’s attack (aside from last week’s NEII and Richmond loss) look really sound. The timing of the runs, the opposite movement from the forwards, the ball delivery, the service ideas. It’s all there. It’s just there, currently, in moments and individual efforts. The run may be timed well, but an extra touch was taken and now the gap for a through ball is gone. Conversely, the awareness from the midfielders may be there regarding a certain pattern that is building, but the forwards aren’t changing the defense in any way. The entire buildup may be beautiful only to finish with a service that clears every player in the box.
Like we saw this past week, a quality team in this league won’t allow you the luxury of having impressive “pieces.” As the season marches on, and team’s (scouting reports) improve, the margin of error continues to shrink. There’s no question Greenville is capable of beating teams by two and three goals. It’s just a matter of “the pieces” finding the same frequency. Being efficient and putting teams away early will be a big key for Greenville’s success during the second half of the season.
3. How’s the mentality?
In Five Big Question: The Restart, we ended with this question, and we laid out exactly why every player and coach in this league has multiple reasons to be mentally exhausted. Honestly, last week was as much a mental test as it was a physical and tactical challenge for Greenville — top all of the exhaust from travel and playing two games in four days with back-to-back poor performances and you’ve hit the point where a less-experienced team could start to downward spiral.
Some people may be worried that Harkes’s side peaked too early. Let me assure you: that is not the case in Greenville. Noah Pilato said it best after his game-winning goal at home vs. Fort Lauderdale CF. “This team is built. And it’s built well.” Being around the team on a weekly basis and hearing Coach Harkes talk to broadcasters each week, it’s easy to see that the Greenville Triumph are a team built to adapt and are led to hold each other accountable on and off the pitch. Yes, the undefeated streak ended. Yes, we lost matches we probably shouldn’t. But this is a team built, mentally, for the long haul, and they will bounce back with precision and purpose.
4. what are the second half schedule highlights?
Four new opponents. A 2019 League One Final rematch. One last match with a neighboring rival. A pair of back-to-back home matches. Just to name a few. Looking back at the first half, Greenville’s highlight was staying at home for three games straight. But the team started on the road as an opening weekend fixture for the league against a brand new club. They then had to face a very tough Richmond squad at home only to go back on the road to the most heavily-lined soccer field the league has ever seen (at Forward Madison) to round out the month of July. The beginning of August was pretty memorable as the team welcomed fans back to Legacy for the first time against Chattanooga, but the month would end on a pretty low note with two road losses and a drop in League One’s power rankings.
Still holding the league-lead by a game, the team is looking at the second half with excitement as the sixteen game schedule will close in just two short months. with not one moment or one match to be forgotten. Here are some things that could happen second half: Greenville sweeping Tormenta and Chattanooga for the season. League-leading Greenville downing defending League One champs in front of a home crowd (after losing the Championship at NTSC’s home field last season). Greenville defends its’ home turf against a new club in Omaha. Not to mention, the club has four more matches on local television thanks to our partners at The CW 62 featuring two Sunday afternoon fixtures!
5. Featured Guest Question: Chris Ashley, “How will their position as favorites Affect this team’s pursuit of the usl League One final?”
At the halfway point of the 2019 season, the Triumph had a record of 3-5-4, were seventh in the standings and had only a 7% chance of making the four-team playoff. That 2019 side used their position as underdogs to fuel a relentless pursuit of points down the stretch that ultimately led them to the championship match. This year’s team currently sits at 5-1-2 with a 70% chance to make the two-team final. Can they stay motivated to keep their seat at the table? Or will the expectations they have setup thus far this season be too hard to maintain down the stretch?
The Triumph travel to take on Tormenta FC on Friday, September 4 at 8pm. They come back home to the Upstate for a 3pm match against Forward Madison on Sunday, September 13.
Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased here.
