Let’s take another look at the players who have made an incredible impact on the club this season and have proven their ability to make an impact on many levels, according to the Scouts of the Football Syndicate.
Kuenzi Harman, Asheville City SC – F
Herman is a modern winger who plays with a silky, direct and inverted style. He could use his height to beat full-backs in one-on-one situations and one day make a living by beating opponents who have signed up to stop him. Able to keep his defense honest and pass with precision to punish overcommitment, Herrmann has the tools to succeed as a wide player.
Hosei Kijima Sarasota Paradise – M
Kijima’s spatial awareness is almost unmatched in League 2. Capable as an attacking midfielder, winger and even right-back, Kijima always knows where he needs to be. He makes life easier for his teammates by sniffing out tiny spaces to free himself up, and he can do the same to push the backline to the breaking point. If the defense is crooked, Kijima is sure to find weaknesses and apply pressure.
Diego Connix, Des Moines Menace – D
Konix is a great ball-playing defender, with a great sense of tactics to keep the ball under his feet and in his own half. He is most comfortable defending in the box, challenging heading shots and taking down potential threats trying to break through tight spaces. Des Moines hasn’t conceded a single point in a month.
Joel Sanwa, Nona FC – D
A defender among defenders. Sanwa is a tough defender and seems to be up to the task, but he is light on his feet and can move quickly against tricky attackers. Sanwa doesn’t have an elite vertical jump, instead challenging in the air with his powerful physique and game sense, capable of making any tackle or challenge Florida clubs need him to do.
Sam Thurber, FC Motown – F
Servers are vermin in the best sense of the word for forwards. I love to press, I love being on the team, and when my team loses the ball, I love to get it back. He’s not here just to run behind him to score goals. He likes to run in channels to clear space for others, he likes to enter the defense from not holding the ball, he likes to run directly with the ball to attack the defense. Everyone should always be vigilant against servers on the pitch.
Jason Smith Jr., Park City Redwolves – GK
Smith is consistently trying to build up from the back. He has great rationing power and can easily use his hands and feet to break lines. He has great positioning and organizes the defense well. He’s a solid shot-stopper and rarely spills. He’s clever and aggressive, coming off the line to claim a cross or shutting the Angels down with a breakthrough.
Bailey Sparks Jr., Texas United – F
Sparks, who is most active in the Forsnine, likes to dip under opposing centre-backs, turn around, place passes on advancing runners and try to break through the finish line. He is always conscious of assists and makes good decisions immediately after receiving the ball. His first two-foot touches are as sublime as his passing touches. Sparks is one of the league’s best high-playmakers.
Jack Clarkson, AHFC Royals – M
Clarkson lives for the Royals to patrol the center of the park, clean up the mess and start pushing the team onto the pitch. He hadn’t been substituted in a match since the 53rd minute of a 5-0 lead by AHFC at Round Rock SC three weeks ago. He is central to how they hold onto the ball and move forward, and will be heavily dependent on him for the rest of the season.
Lewis Duncan, Salt City South Carolina – M
If Salt City scored, it’s fairly safe to assume that Lewis Duncan was involved. In games where Salt City SC have scored at least one goal, Duncan has scored in all but one as a left-sided midfielder or attacker. Sometimes as a substitute, sometimes as a starter, when Duncan stepped up, he delivered.
Shunnosuke Nakajima Flat Irons Rush – M
Nakajima tries to steal the ball at first and second base, and usually ends up winning. He makes everyone around him better as a selfish, aggressive, and hard-hitting “connective tissue” type of player. His influence is invaluable to Flatirons Rush.
Bruno Rosa, Westchester Flames – F
Rosa is the Flames’ leading scorer and also the Metropolitan Division’s leading scorer. The winger, who has scored eight goals in 10 games, lives less to serve than to apply pressure, get in the box and strain the ball at his feet. He has two more goals than the next highest scorer in the division and needs a few more games to continue showing his top scoring prowess.
Mark Torrelas, Chicago City South Carolina – M
How do you go unbeaten in the first eight games and build one of the league’s most consistent offenses? He scores frequently, is an aggressive distributor and is aggressive from the opening kick. Torreras has used a scripted attack this season to score multiple goals in the first 10 minutes of the game, and Chicago City SC ran flawlessly.
Matthias Johannes, Northern Virginia FC – M
Johannes’ positioning is excellent. He always seems to be in the best spot to pick up loose balls. From there he has the legs to get out of tight spaces and is surprisingly fast with short bursts of power. These traits allow him to take defenders out of play and attack defenses before passing the pass to attackers with either foot. He has good passing range and, perhaps more importantly, he knows when to use that range to go more direct and when to play simple. He never seems to rush on the ball and is always very cool and calm. He’s always checking his shoulders and letting his teammates know where he is, so he’s very aware of what’s going on around him.
