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Austin FC 2023: System of a Down (Year)

Choose your preferred pop culture lede: 1. I’m just sitting in my seat and waiting for some goals! (to change these games) 2. Josh Wolff definitely has a method, but is it a system or anything resembling a process ? During the 2023 season, the Austin FC online realm was full of discussion about Josh Wolff and his “system”, “style” and any other term that essentially stands in for “how this team is working together to try to score goals.” To make sure we are all starting from the same point, I will give my basic understanding of the Wolff/Austin FC system: The goal is to disorganized the opponent with the ball, while maintain high levels of possession and using that possession to create high-value chances at shots on goal. Austin has also attempted to maximize set pieces, frequently utilizing short corners and long throws, but that’s not what we’re discussing right now. The above-mentioned discourse included, and still includes, discussions of whether the style of play and focus on po...

Austin FC in 2023: I Liked The 2022 One Better. Why Did They Change It?

I’ve seen a lot of discussion around Austin FC that focuses on differences between 2022 and 2023. The roster is not significantly different from last year though the differences have increased throughout the year.   When I think of soccer, I think of it in terms of stats and tactics, maybe to my own detriment. As such, I wondered what demonstrable, measurable ways the team has changed from the previous season to the current one. A lot the national discussion surrounding Austin in 2022 was xG over performance, something I was well aware of, being the kind of person that keeps FotMob open while I’m watching most matches. The tactics have been relatively similar to my eye, with even the occasional difference in shape still including the same principles of play including maintaining possession, keeping a high defensive line and playing a lot of passes sideways, all in the name of Disorganizing The Opponent With The Ball. I’ll leave further analysis of tactical differences to someone wi...