by PART I: Rebel Scum
Note 1: All position previews address the roster as it currently exists.
Note 2: In the case of players who play multiple positions, I’ve listed them at their primary spot (or at least what I think it is, based on the information available).
Note 3: Official DCFC Roster page is here.
FORWARD/STRIKER
A good way to start this year’s position previews is to note that City’s leading goal scorer from 2017 is back. Shawn Lawson brought stability and production back to a position which struggled mightily in 2016, scoring 9 goals and combining well with Cyrus Saydee and Tyrone Mondi, in particular.
A well-rounded forward, Lawson is capable of beating defenders off the dribble, in the air…
…and with pure speed:
And it’s been almost four years since his goal which snapped half a dozen ankles against Fort Pitt, but here it is again, for old times’ sake:
Though his first appearance with City was all the way back in 2013, he’s still just 24 years old and is now coming into his prime. I expect him to be the starting striker at the beginning of the season, but he’s going to face much more competition than he did a year ago. If he can continue doing things like this, though, he may just hold them all off.
The foremost challenger should be Rafa Mentzingen, a fellow 9-goal scorer in 2017, albeit with Lansing United. While Lansing had some tough times, particularly in the defense of large leads, Mentzingen was a bright spot. By far the brightest spot:
Also, since this post is about soccer, I’m obligated to mention that he’s Brazilian. Not that this makes him in any way superior to other players, but you have to admit it conjures up a certain magical aura, kind of like when Don Cherry talks about hockey players who are, “Good Ol’ Ontario Boys.”
Getting back on point, if Rafa doesn’t start as a central striker, I think he may fit best in the left wing role vacated by Tyrone Mondi. His slick dribbling and pure finishing may also draw some comparisons to Will Mellors-Blair, and there’s some chance he’ll live up to that hype. No matter where he lines up, his attacking prowess and nose for goal will get him on the field right away.
Along with Lawson, the other returner at forward is Tyler Moorman. His winning goal against Glentoran seemed to rev City’s season up after a slow start – they won nine straight league matches immediately thereafter.
As a senior at UDM in the fall, he had the best season of his college career, scoring 11 goals and being named to the All-Horizon League First Team. At 6’3”, he’s a more physically imposing player than the smaller forwards, but he’s still skilled with the ball at his feet, as seen above. After making key contributions in his first two years with City, he’s poised to take on an even greater role.
From the small amount of video I’ve seen (special thanks to Sean Grogan), Jake Rudel looks similar to Moorman, not only because he’s the same height, but because he’s also an athletic, technically sound forward, rather than a classic lumbering target man.
Example #1 – A tough finish that he makes look easy:
Have a Jake Rudel goal gif: https://t.co/3ZExURMX0g
— DCFCFC – The Podcast (@DCFCFC) April 5, 2018
Example #2 – A clever turn and run, en route to an assist:
Rudel assist. Killer turn and skins a defender before laying it off.https://t.co/NmtH8Nw5LF
— DCFCFC – The Podcast (@DCFCFC) April 5, 2018
At St. Mary’s (CA), he tallied 6 goals this past season, and was named First Team All-WCC. Despite the tiny sample size I’m working with, he looks like he has the talent to be a contributor, and could turn out to be an underrated pickup.
The hands-down winner for best name among the newcomers is Brogan Shrimpton. His 2017 college season can only be described as prolific – in 19 appearances for Davenport (as a teammate of CB Stephen Carroll), he scored 19! goals, and was named First Team All-GLIAC.
Over the past few summers, Shrimpton has turned out for the Muskegon Risers. There’s surprisingly little information on how those summers went, save a few articles from 2015, but this video shows a couple of his goals:
It’s tough to project where he’ll fit into City’s attack, but anyone who scores a goal a game for a quality program like Davenport obviously has some ability and shouldn’t be counted out.
The final member of the strike force, Trevor Amann, is almost a complete unknown. His college bio lists some impressive accomplishments – 8 goals, 6 assists, First Team All-RMAC as a sophomore this past fall – but the only easily obtainable video of him is this high school highlight reel.
UPDATE: Thanks to TK for finding some Amann college highlight videos: Video #1 Video #2
Since he goes to Colorado School of Mines, one of the top engineering schools in the country, I can safely assume he’s pretty smart. Beyond that, I have no idea where to project him. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
One Reason to Be Excited 🙂
The depth and variety of players at forward is better than City’s had here in years. Shawn Lawson is probably the best all-around option, and I expect him to start early on, but Rafa Mentzingen is a player who MUST be on the field as much as possible – if not up top then on one of the wings. Moorman and Rudel bring more size to the position and could team up with one of the smaller forwards if Ben Pirmann decides to go with a two-striker formation, and Shrimpton and Amann bring small-school goal scoring pedigree.
One Reason to Worry 🙁
I can’t think of one that wouldn’t sound nitpickingly pessimistic. City brings back its top scorer from last year and grabs another guy who was also in the hunt for the NPSL Midwest Golden Boot. I’ll save my worrying for something else.
Player to Watch 😎
Rafa Mentzingen. The best case scenario is that he turns out to be a combination of Tyrone Mondi and Will Mellors-Blair. Worst case is he’s one of City’s better attackers and challenges for the team lead in goals.
Header Photos: Robert Sherman/Lansing United/Detroit City FC
