Home vs. FC Tulsa Preview

Date: Saturday July 29, 2023

Kickoff Time: 7:30 pm EST at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, FL

Records: Tampa Bay Rowdies (35 pts 10W-5D-5L); FC Tulsa (28 pts 7W-7D-7L)

Standings: The Rowdies are 3rd in the East and Tulsa are 7th 

There’s a lot going on in the world of American soccer; but, perhaps none of it is more important than what’s going on this weekend in St. Pete (… perhaps). With a new (but familiar) Head Coach in Nicky Law, the Rowdies will return home after two less-than-stellar games on the road to host fellow Eastern Conference contenders FC Tulsa! Get yourself down to Al Lang this weekend to cheer the boys on and take in Pride Night as well!

At least we got a point last weekend?

The good news is the Rowdies didn’t lose. The bad news is that they didn’t look great on the attacking side of things. From thirteen shots, of which ten were inside the box, only four were on target. One from Charlie Dennis came closer later in the game; but, overall, this really isn’t the kind of return that Tampa Bay fans will want to see. 

Lining up against Indy Eleven, the Green and Gold took on a relatively normal look. Jake Areman made another foray into the center of the midfield. Most of the other options had players taking up their most comfortable positions. Dennis was often higher than the #10 role he was listed as filling. This didn’t seem to give him the best chance to get on the end of the balls from midfield. 

Unfortunately, the most lasting effect from this game might just be an injury. Sebastian Dalgaard, lining up as one of those out and out wingers, had to be subbed off in the 34th minute after spending several more on the Indy turf. At this stage afterwards, we don’t have a good idea of the extent of the damage. One can only hope that he won’t be out long after what was a very strong spell for him recently. 

Where Indy Eleven found their own success was at avoiding our press by simply playing the ball over it. Aodhan Quinn had quite a few of these bypassing long balls and found one of his several attacking options higher up the field. The Rowdies did well to defend these and keep the ball out of the most dangerous positions. However, it still showed that pressing is currently disjointed. 

This is a problem for Tampa Bay in the short term. In the beginning of the season, it was frequently the case that pressing was done off kilter and ultimately allowed the opposition to play right around it. As the year has continued, kinks have been ironed out and triggers have been sharpened. However, in the last two games, we have returned to similar issues. 

Sorting this out will be paramount in the interim this week. The Rowdies were first in the East only two weeks ago. Since then, they have dropped two places, but still aren’t far off of that top spot. Three points are going to be necessary. Achieving the same success goes back to that cliche in sports: playing your game. Law is familiar with this team from his time as a player last season, & Tampa Bay know what they need to do to win. Everyone just needs to be on the same page to make sure they’re moving in tandem from play to play. 

How are Tulsa winning so much recently?

On the other hand, the Rowdies’ opposition this week comes to town white hot. FC Tulsa have won their last five games, including one on the road away in Connecticut. In so doing, they have forced their way back into the playoff conversation. Manager Blair Gavin has been looking for a formula to bring the club success. He seems to have found it with a big midseason pickup. 

Far outside the norm in the USL, Tulsa went and made an acquisition via trade in late May. By sending Memphis 901 Rodrigo da Costa – and an undisclosed fee – they were able to bring in something they had been lacking: a consistent striking threat. Phillip Goodrum was none too happy to still be Tennessee after rumors emerged in the offseason of a potential move abroad, so he seemed to welcome a way out of that organization regardless of destination. 

Since then, he has scored all seven goals he has in 2023 and also chipped in with two assists. This form is downright scintillating; but, he’s not the only player Tulsa has to rely on for their good numbers this year. Former University of South Florida Bull Marcus Epps has six goals and two assists, while Moses Dyer has 3 goals and four helpers on the year. That unit, along with German attacker Milo Yosef, has been extremely effective all throughout. 

Keeping them in check will be no easy feat. Eventually, one will get into a good position and the Rowdies will have to rely on a good tackle or save from the keeper. Luckily, that part of the team has been very good recently. Giving up one goal in three games is one of the small story lines that might go unnoticed since Neill Collins’ departure because of the results that have come with it. However, the backline being in sync will allow Tampa Bay’s attackers a good platform. 

As highlighted above, the ability of the Rowdies higher up the field to contribute to the defensive effort will be key here. Tulsa may not have players with the USL pedigree of Aodhan Quinn. But, they are, of course, no slouches either. Tommy McCabe and Eric Bird have been around this league for a few years and a few years more, respectively. They know what is required for success. They can also play similar roles to the abovementioned USL All Star. 

Bird will try to do what Quinn did this past Saturday and dictate the play from deep. McCabe will be the willing runner, trying to shut down everything the Rowdies do while offering an outlet to link back to front for the visitors. While Tulsa themselves have established a strong back four in recent games, they have also created a platform for the midfielders to try to create good attacks from deep. 

Cal Jennings, JJ Williams, and whoever else finds themselves higher up the field will have to nail down their pressing triggers. Additionally, they will need to make sure that the passing lanes around their bodies are plugged quickly and thoroughly. Every attack prevented will be crucial with the Tulsa unit waiting up top for any chance – or half chance – to rip a shot on target. 

Behind Enemy Lines with Special Guest: Outsiders – Green Country Soccer Podcast (@918OutsidersPod) 

We’re excited to continue our five game winning streak. After a rough stretch where we allowed ten goals in three games, we are excited that our defense has started to gel after a couple of trades. Phillip Goodrum has been our catalyst at the #9; but, unsung heroes Marcus Epps and Moses Dyer playing on the wings have complimented and revitalized our offense. The key to our recent success, though, has been the backline of Adam Armour, Rashid Tetteh, Ruxi, and Justin Malou. These four have finally had a stretch where they’ve played together and found success.

For the Tampa Bay game, we feel that containing Cal Jennings and former Tulsa man JJ Williams is a must. Jake LaCava in previous games has caused us fits. Attacking Tampa Bay’s backline will be difficult, so if we do it early and can capitalize on a mistake or two, then we can make tactical adjustments at half time to see it out. Tulsa tends to play a more grinding type of game when they are on the road, dropping Yosef deeper as a wingback to make a 3-5-2 formation and pushing the wingers up higher. The expectations for the game are that if Tulsa can make their mark early, they will slow down the game, try to control possession, and do the job.

Score Predictions from the RBLR Rowdies Podcast:

Carlos Rueda: 3-1 Rowdies win

James Knowles: 1-1

Yurika Wheeler: 2-0 Rowdies

Special Guest: Peter Delos (@pete_db) 2-1 Rowdies