What’s worse? Being oblivious to your biggest weakness? Or knowing exactly what it is, but not being able to do a damn thing about it?
Neither is what you want, but the latter might be the more futile of the two. That’s exactly where the Verde and Black find themselves nearly two months into the season: painfully aware of their fatal flaw and painfully incapable, seemingly, of addressing it.
Over the weekend, Austin FC fell on the road, 1-0, to St. Louis City SC. While there was certainly nothing to like from an attacking standpoint – ATX managed just two shot attempts (neither on target) during the 90 minutes – the focus this week is on the one goal the club conceded, because it looked a hell of a lot like many of the other goals Austin FC has surrendered through eight games this season. Which is to say, it came in transition.
Of the 10 goals Austin FC has conceded in open play this season, a staggering six have come with the Verde and Black scrambling to stop their opponent on the breakaway (which they fail to do more often than not).
And it’s not as if any of this is news to head coach Josh Wolff or his team. Austin FC has struggled defending in transition for years.
“Transition has been a little bit of an Achilles’ heel for us, always,” Wolff admitted after the club’s April 6 win against the San Jose Earthquakes. It wasn’t the first time this season he’s homed in on that chink in the armor.
Wolff identified transition defense as a key heading into St. Louis and a focus in the club’s midweek training. But you wouldn’t have been able to tell watching Tomas Totland, Rasmus Alm, and João Klauss swiftly dissect the ATX back line for the 57th-minute winner Sunday afternoon.
After the match, midfielder Alex Ring spoke to the feeling that comes with having the same vulnerability exploited game after game, despite efforts to the contrary.
“When you emphasize that [in training] and that’s the way you concede, definitely it’s frustrating,” he said.
Ring might be further frustrated to know that the club’s best bet of protecting itself in transition most likely hinges on removing him from Austin’s starting lineup.
When Austin FC has been at its best in recent seasons, it often coincides with Sebastián Driussi and Dani Pereira orchestrating the attack from midfield. When those two advance themselves up the pitch, it often leaves gaping holes open in front of the club’s back line when the opponent regains possession. That puts the spotlight on the club’s third midfielder, who represents the best chance of cutting out opposing counterattacks before they get into Brad Stuver’s penalty box.
That used to be Ring’s game. But now, with 33-year-old legs, it’s not. The Finn is averaging just 1.25 tackles per 90 minutes this season, less than striker Gyasi Zardes. Meanwhile, fellow midfielder Jhojan Valencia leads the club at nearly three tackles per 90 minutes.
Ring is undoubtedly the more refined offensive player of the pair, but he hasn’t given the club enough on that end to justify leaving Valencia, Austin’s best ball-winner, on the bench.
At the very least, it would be irresponsible not to try a swap in that position. Contrary to popular belief, doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result is not actually the definition of insanity. But it’s still a pretty dumb thing to do.
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This article appears in April 19 • 2024.
