The USL Championship’s division-centric schedule in 2021 has resulted in a lot of déjà vu matches in quick succession for the Riverhounds.
They’re at it again with a second trip to face the Charleston Battery in less than a month, and while this match — 7:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN+ — won’t have its start time moved by a tropical storm, many other facets of the game could be very similar to the 1-1 draw the sides played on July 7.
This week’s 3 Things leans heavily on that recent history, as the Hounds attempt to win their fourth in a row and grab a league-best sixth road win on the season.
1.) Beware the long-ball counter
If coach Bob Lilley were to write a column for his team called One Thing, this would be the one thing until further notice.
As good as the Hounds’ second half against Hartford was, they trailed in the match being beaten by a long ball over the defense to Derek Dodson. As it so happened, that was the same way Charleston put the Hounds in a hole in the first meeting, as Geobel Pérez got behind the defense down the left flank and gave the Battery a 1-0 lead inside of 10 minutes.
Much as Lilley has bemoaned getting beaten by “youth soccer” or “grade school” plays, until the Hounds show they can stop it, other teams are going to roll the dice on the long ball. The Hounds need to recognize when the long ball might be on for the Battery and either hold the line together or drop when there is a threat.
2.) Apply the finishing touch
Early in the season, hitting the 24×8-foot rectangle was a bit of a challenge for the Hounds. Through the first eight games, the team had just 23 shots on goal, but in the next eight, the Hounds recorded 42 shots on goal — going 6-1-1 in the process.
But now that they’re hitting the frame, it’s time to do a better job avoiding the guy standing in front of it.
Taking nothing away from spectacular performances by Charlotte’s Brandon Miller and Hartford’s Jeff Caldwell, amongst others, the Hounds have had too many chances that should be tucked into a corner of the net and, instead, are hit near the goalkeeper.
Louis Pérez’s finish for the final goal against Hartford was a prime example of patience and picking out the open part of the goal, and all the Hounds forwards need to show a little more of that composure to boost the team’s conversion rate. With a few more goals at opportune moments, the Hounds right now could be leading all of USL, and not just the Atlantic Division in the standings.
3.) Debating Dixon’s deployment
Alex Dixon’s scoring form over the past two matches — three goals and an assist — makes for an interesting discussion on how to use the player who is, in title, a forward.
Lilley has used Dixon as a right-side wing back to begin the past two matches. In the 3-1 win at New York, that was a perfect decision, as Dixon’s speed provided cover tracking back, and he was still able to get forward and be a threat.
However, against Hartford, Dixon was exposed in a few moments defensively, and his continued offensive output didn’t shine through until after a formation change put him higher up the field.
Without question, Dixon has been one of the Hounds’ most influential attackers throughout the season. But from game to game, the way he is most effective can vary, and it’s up to the coaches to push the right buttons to keep Dixon’s hot streak rolling.
