Story of the Club

Sunday, June 2nd, 2019 – Detroit City FC 3 FC Columbus 0

Sunday was one of the most complete and dominant performances City has ever put together. If it were a baseball game, it would’ve been a no-hitter. If it were a round of Mortal Kombat, it would’ve been a Flawless Victory. If it were a battle, it would’ve been Cannae, with Columbus playing the role of the encircled Romans, unable to move, waiting all afternoon in the Italian summer sun until it was their turn to die.

The only remotely nervy moments came in the first half, when the ball from a Columbus corner bounced around in front of Owen Finnerty a few times, and when City’s dominance in possession failed to result in any real quality chances.

In the second half, though, they started to wear Columbus down, mixing in a few more long balls and crosses until one finally found the head of Shawn Lawson for the breakthrough.

The sender of said cross, Kervin Kenton, changed the game when he came off the bench and was the fenceline’s unoffical Man of the Match. I’m not privy to front office dealings, but if he hasn’t been offered a pro contract yet, it should happen today. Quality left-sided defenders are hard to come by, and those who are equally proficient in attack are even less common. Grab him with both hands, sign him up, and never let him go.

At the end, Cyrus Saydee’s goal to make it 3-0 resulted in a picture which summed the match up perfectly.

City calm and in contol, Columbus utterly defeated after huffing, puffing, and chasing all evening, coming away with absolutely nothing to show for it.

Continue reading “No-hitter”

Sunday, May 19th, 2019 – Detroit City FC 2 Kalamazoo FC 3

“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves…”

I don’t know if Bruce Lee ever played soccer, but if he did, I imagine he would’ve approached it the same way as martial arts: fiercely competitive and open to any technique or way of thinking that could improve his game.

In the middle of his career, Lee became frustrated with the conventional practices and techniques of the fighting styles he had studied. He felt they were too constricting and not well-suited for hectic real-world scenarios.

Detroit City’s loss on Sunday – to a pesky opponent, on a saturated field, amid swirling winds – was a perfect example of just such a scenario. It was also reminiscent of nearly all the losses they’ve suffered in the Keyworth era, which typically follow a similar pattern:

Phase 1: City looks like the better team for the first 30-60 minutes.

Phase 2: Once the opposing team realizes this, they get more and more aggressive, fouling freely and taking yellow cards to break up the play and throw City out of sync.

Phase 3: City starts trying to force the issue, playing more long balls and risky passes. The opposing team seizes on miscues and gets one or more goals, typically off of counter-attacks.

Phase 4: City gets more desperate and their play deteriorates further. Once the final whistle blows, we all file out and wonder how that one got away.

Continue reading “Be Water”

Wednesday, May 16th, 2018 – Detroit City FC 1 FC Cincinnati 4 (AET)
Saturday, May 19th, 2018 – Detroit City FC 2 FC St. Pauli 6

Those who strive to reach new heights must inevitably push themselves beyond what they’ve done in the past. The old ways, however successful they’ve been, may not necessarily apply in the harsh terrain of the unfamiliar.

While some new ventures will result in instant success, the likelihood is low. More often, you have to fall flat on your face – again, again, and again. And a few more times after that. It’s all part of finding your way in new, confusing surroundings.

Whether success or failure is the end result, knowledge is always gathered, and growth is attained. If community-building and enrichment is Detroit City FC’s essence, it’s supported by a culture of boundary-pushing, of, “I’m taking this huge bite and I’m not sure if I can chew it all, but I’m gonna go for it and see what happens.”

I have a theory that this attitude permeates the club from the top on down, so that a supporter lighting a flare just to see if he can get away with it is merely a reflection of City’s ownership elbowing their way into the American soccer country club without the permission of Those Who Know Best. Working title: The Czervik Principle.

Not long ago, City was playing punt-and-chase against teams like Binghamton and Zanesville. Now they’re stringing together beautifully-executed counters against professional sides…

…and convincing one of the world’s best-supported clubs to come play at Keyworth, while in the process earning screen time on the same station that broadcasts the Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons.

While the results of this week’s matches were not as we’d hoped, the overall mood surrounding the club should be one of encouragement. City went punch-for-punch with one of the best teams in USL until they were worn down by superior depth and fitness in extra time, and there should be no shame in being beaten handily by a far superior 2. Bundesliga team fresh off of a relegation dogfight.

Taking a wider view, the fact that these matches even took place at all is proof that City is progressing at a furious rate. And as fun as it is to beat up on hapless clubs from Podunk Midwestern towns, true development comes from testing yourself against superior opponents.

By repeatedly probing its own limits, City has redefined what a small American club can be. In trying to carve out a place in the world, setbacks and frustrations are a given, but the best solution is to simply step forward and see what’s out there.

Continue reading “Unknown Country”