Season Previews

PART I: Reclamation  PART II: Forwards  PART III: Wingers  PART IV: Center Midfielders
Part V: Fullbacks  PART VI: Centerbacks

GOALKEEPER

For the first time since 2012, when they were an expansion side, Detroit City heads into the season without a goalkeeper who’s made an appearance for the club. The baton passed seamlessly from Jeremy Clark to Bret Mollon to Alex Bouillennec , and it will now have to be picked up by someone new.

The presumed frontrunner is Seattle Pacific’s Cody Lang. Lang is reminiscent of Bouillennec, a 6’4” D-II athlete with an impressive statline, most notably his 9 goals allowed in 18 starts and .868 save percentage this past year. He helped SPU to a GNAC title in 2015, he’s been named to the all-conference first team in each of his three seasons, and is his conference’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Robbie Beckwell of UDM joins college teammates Matt Ybarra, Spiro Pliakos and Tyler Moorman on the City roster. At just 5’9” and with only 4 career starts for the Titans, he’s almost a complete unknown quantity. As he’s currently the only other keeper on the roster, however, he’s in line to see a decent amount of action.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Despite being a total newcomer, Lang should be a solid #1. One key will be how quickly he forms an understanding with the four defenders in front of him. Since communication and organization of the defense was one of Bret Mollon’s greatest strengths, both keepers should benefit greatly from his coaching this summer.

One Reason to Be Excited 😀

By the end of last season, Alex Bouillennec had grown to the point where many supporters were entertaining thoughts of him as City’s starting keeper if/when the club eventually made the move to a professional league. Judging from all available evidence, Lang shouldn’t be too far off of that level, and he may even surpass it. He has comparable size and experience, and his save percentage was actually better than Bouillennec’s in his only year at Saginaw Valley St. – .868 to .756.

One Reason to Worry 😕

As with centerback, the current depth situation here is not ideal. It’s obviously less of an issue with goalkeeper since there’s only one starter, but it’s essential for at least one more to be added to the team, even if it’s only to compete with Beckwell for the #2 spot.

Player to Watch

Lang, and not just by default. He comes in with an impressive resumé of stats and accolades, and his height is perfect for the position. He’s a bit of a mystery man since, at the time of this writing, his school hadn’t allowed any requests for interviews, but I’d be surprised if he doesn’t turn in a quality season for City.

PART I: Reclamation  PART II: Forwards  PART III: Wingers  PART IV: Center Midfielders
Part V: Fullbacks

CENTERBACK

The story of the central defense is as much about the retirement of Josh Rogers as it is about the players who will be taking his place. More than just being a rock solid defender, it was Rogers’ vocal presence that helped organize everyone around him and gave the team its cohesion. Those who come after him may be more physically gifted, but their true test will be how well they can replicate his leadership.

First on that list is Seb Harris, who, after a ho-hum first season with City in 2014, broke out in a big way in 2015, starting it off with the late winner against Cleveland on opening night.

GOAL!!! @DetroitCityFC corner kick by Cyrus to Seb Harris 3-2 88″ @AFCCleveland pic.twitter.com/IydzTAhkb7

— NPSL Gameday (@NPSLGameday) May 16, 2015

His was a strong presence on the back line all season, both in the center and at times on the right. And, as hinted at above, his size makes him an excellent target and goal-scoring threat on every single set piece.

His likely partner will be Andre Morris, who just finished up his junior year at Michigan. Morris appeared in several games in the early part of last season, and, although he’s not as physically imposing as Harris, he’s a fine defender in his own right and completes what should be a quality starting four at the back.

After that, things get a little dicey. The only other centerback option currently on the roster is SVSU’s Omar Sinclair. He started every game for the Cardinals in 2015, and though he may be more at home on the right side, he does have enough size (6’0”, 170) to play in the center. I think that’s where he’ll end up because it’s where he’s most needed.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The lack of depth here is worrisome. During the player announcements, I expected to hear the names of at least two more centerbacks, but none ever came. Harris and Morris are a good starting pair, but if one of them gets hurt or if Morris leaves midway through the season as is customary for many of the UM players, this could become the team’s Achilles’ Heel. I’d be shocked if Ben Pirmann didn’t grab a couple more guys here to fill the position out, and hopefully we’ll see evidence of that at the Muskegon friendly on Saturday.

One Reason to Be Excited 😀

Harris and Morris are both experienced and have played together before. Once they get to know their starting goalkeeper, there shouldn’t be any serious issues in the heart of the defense.

One Reason to Worry 😕

Depth. See above paragraph.

Player to Watch

Similarly to Harris, Morris’ first year with City was okay but nothing spectacular. If he can come back and show a similar level of improvement as Harris showed last year, then Josh Rogers should be able to enjoy his time on the bench as an assistant coach rather than have to deal with calls for him to return to the field.

PART I: Reclamation  PART II: Forwards  PART III: Wingers  PART IV: Center Midfielders

FULLBACK

With the move to Keyworth and its wider field, fullbacks will play even more of a crucial role in the DCFC’s success than in the past. Fortunately, looking at the roster, I think this is the deepest and most talented crop that the club has ever had.

It all starts with Zach Schewee, one of three players remaining from City’s inaugural roster (Cyrus Saydee and Wade Allan being the others). He spent the vast majority of his early career at left back and then moved to the right for much of last year after the emergence of Alex Isaevski. As a solid defender who likes to get forward down the flank, he should thrive in the extra space at Keyworth. He’ll most likely start the year back on the left, while the right side should be manned by…

…Billy Stevens, a NY Red Bulls Academy product and former US youth national teamer. Stevens came to the University of Michigan with a healthy amount of recruiting hype and jumped into the starting lineup almost immediately. His bio states that he played as a centerback his freshman year and right back this past season; based on his size (5’9”, 165), I’d expect him to play on the right for City. Word from several Michigan Ultras (UM’s student supporter group for Men’s and Women’s soccer) who also happen to be in the Northern Guard is that Stevens is a ball of energy who feeds off of the emotion of the crowd. I think he picked the right place to spend his summer.

As alluded to above, Alex Isaevski followed up a promising 2014 with a monster 2015 season, flying up and down the left flank on a regular basis and often looking like the best player on the field not named Mellors-Blair. Unfortunately, he’s currently recovering from an injury and probably won’t be ready to go until the second half of the season at the earliest.

On the plus side, Ben Pirmann added another quality left back to the roster in Xavier’s Matt Nance. WARNING: the first part of the following video was filmed in Madison56erVision.

With Isaevski out for the time being, Nance should factor into the rotation right away. His brief highlight video suggests yet another attack-minded fullback, which should fit in well with the team’s philosophy.

POSITION OVERVIEW

With the all-around quality, this looks like it might be the strongest position on the team. Matt Nance may turn out to be the fourth-best option, yet he’d be a probable starter on nearly every other team in the NPSL Midwest. They’ll all play, and they’ll all be good.

One Reason to Be Excited 😀

Interchangeability. Schewee can play left or right, and if necessary, Seb Harris, Omar Sinclair, and Tyler Stephens can all fill in on the right. It would take multiple injuries to really put a dent in the position.

One Reason to Worry 😕

The injury to Isaevski is a downer, and if he can’t come back, or if he comes back at noticeably less than 100%, it would put a bit of a damper on what this position’s true potential could be.

Player to Watch

Billy Stevens – Along with all his other accolades, he won the 2015 “Ultra on the Field” award from the Michigan Ultras. If he truly thrives on atmosphere, putting him in Keyworth will be like letting a chubby kid loose in a Dairy Queen with a $100 bill and no adult supervision.

PART I: Reclamation   PART II: Forwards   PART III: Wingers

CENTER MIDFIELD

Center midfield has always been an area of strength for Detroit City, and despite the departure of two players – Latif Alashe and Kevin Taylor – who enjoyed loads of success with the club, that track record of excellence should continue in 2016.

Dave Edwardson has been an engine in midfield for three years running and is the odds-on favorite to become the club’s next captain. He typically plays a box-to-box role, with slightly more duties on the defensive end. That doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of contributing in the final third, though:

GOAL!!! @DetroitCityFC Captain David Edwardson to tie up the game 1-1 in 44′ v @LansingUnited @NGSDetroit @NPSLSoccer pic.twitter.com/PQ0THTjmXa

— Kelly Zirwes-Haapala (@KellyHaapala) May 31, 2015

His biggest challenge won’t be to maintain the level that he’s always played at; it will be to take on more leadership responsibilities if he’s indeed given the armband.

Next to him in the middle will be Troy Watson, a complete unknown at this time last year who ended up appearing in every single match and became an automatic starter by season’s end. He’s a pure defensive midfielder who relies on well-timed tackles and good positioning to break up attacks rather than physical intimidation and sliding in late. I’ve posted this what feels like a hundred times, but it just perfectly sums up what his game is:

He tracks down the attacker, eases him off the ball while staying on his feet, maintains possession with a basic dribble, and passes it out wide to start the attack going the other way. If guys like Deakin, Bautista, and Adkins are to truly shine, a big reason will be Watson winning balls in midfield and feeding them up top.

That’s not to say Edwardson and Watson are automatic starters with no competition, though. One newcomer who should challenge for time right away is Brett Nason, who started every game for Michigan in 2015 and was a top-50 prospect coming out of high school. He plays a defensive/holding midfielder role and looks a safe bet to see significant playing time.

The two other center mids on the roster both happened to have their finest moments of 2015 in the same match, June 20^th at Cincinnati. Matt Ybarra’s weak-footed thunderstrike drew City level at 1-1…

…and Danny Dragoi’s goal a few minutes later proved to be the game winner. It also resulted in one of the most iconic images in club history:

Many a brave young firetruck was confused on that day.

Back to the seriousness, Ybarra’s style is box-to-box, similar to Edwardson. While Dragoi is the oldest player on the team (34), he plays with energy and enthusiasm and likes to get forward. An excellent option to have on the bench or to make the occasional start.

POSITION OVERVIEW

While the center midfield won’t roll seven or eight deep as in some years past, this year’s group should be just fine. A possible bonus, Tommy Catalano played in the Windsor friendly on April 24^th and by all accounts acquitted himself well. If he rejoins the team, that’s just one more bullet in Pirmann’s clip.

One Reason to Be Excited 😀

Troy Watson’s growth over the course of last season was stunning. If he continues on that trajectory, he’ll be one of the best midfielders in the NPSL Midwest in 2016.

One Reason to Worry 😕

As with winger, there’s really not much to fret about here. I guess one concern is that with the Saints moving to Dayton, the local fire department there hasn’t been through a false alarm and might get caught off-guard come May 15^th.

Player to Watch

Dave Edwardson – If Troy Watson’s play from last year carries over, it might allow Edwardson more freedom of movement and we could see him chip in a few more goals and assists than in previous seasons.

PART I: Reclamation   PART II: Forwards

WIDE MIDFIELD/WING

There may be a good amount of overlap between forward and winger since several players are capable of playing both positions. Danny Deakin, Javi Bautista, and Spiro Pliakos could all end up bouncing from spot to spot, as could…

…Ali Al-Gashamy, a former Norway U-17 national teamer who, early in his career, bounced between several lower division clubs in Estonia and Norway (one move involving a €50,000 transfer) before landing at Gardner-Webb University. His stats haven’t been eye-popping, but GWU is one of the poorer teams in their conference, and judging from his highlight video he would’ve had double-digit assists if his teammates were better finishers.

From the above, he looks most comfortable out wide, taking on defenders in 1v1 situations. Q.E.D.:

I’m not sure if City has ever had a true winger with his combination of ball skills, speed, and ability to beat people off the dribble. Oh, and he was also in FIFA:

He should be an impact player whenever he touches the ball.

Joining him at the position are a pair who are well-known commodities. Cyrus Saydee, the silent assassin, is back for his fifth year. I feel like I write the same things about him every year, but that’s probably because he’s so damn steady and consistent: small (5’6”) but the most technically skilled player on the team, makes defenders look silly with his dribbling and ball-control, usually starts on the wing but drifts around the entire attacking midfield area to create chances. Having him combine with Deakin, Al-Gashamy, and Jeff Adkins should be a treat to watch.

After extensive action for City in 2013 and 2014, Adkins is back on a full-time basis after his college coach reportedly strongly insisted that he play for the Bucks last year. There’s little doubt where his heart is, though:

I like him best on the right wing where he can make attacking runs and cut inside to create havoc as demonstrated below:

And I might as well bust out this free kick gif from a couple of years ago because it’s just too pretty not to.

Finally, Tyler Stephens returns for another season. He can also play right back, but I think he’ll see most of his time at right midfield so I’ve listed him here. He didn’t see a ton of the field last year, so his role is probably that of a depth guy, to fill in wherever he’s needed. Started his college career at Oakland U before transferring to SVSU.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The wing was a problem area for City in 2015; Tommy Catalano never looked 100% comfortable out there, and once he left the team, even defensive mids Latif Alashe and Troy Watson got looks on the right side, with middling results.

We all know what we’re going to get with Saydee – excellent play, game in, game out – but the addition of Al-Gashamy and re-addition of Adkins are huge upgrades. Additionally, as mentioned in the intro paragraph, players like Deakin and Bautista could easily slide out wide depending on what type of lineup Ben Pirmann wishes to deploy.

One Reason to Be Excited 😀

There should be much more of an attacking threat from both sides than in 2015. This, coupled with Keyworth’s wider field, should help create a more balanced attack than just punting it up to WMB over and over again (even though that worked quite a bit).

One Reason to Worry 😕

I’m having a hard time coming up with one. Maybe finding enough playing time for everyone?

Player to Watch

Take your pick. Al-Gashamy, Adkins, and Saydee are all now in their early to mid-20s and coming into the primes of their careers. Each of them should be very good, and I expect one of them to have a monster year. I’ll randomly go with Adkins.