Snapdragon Stadium felt like a fortress at the beginning of the season – it may not feel that way for many fans anymore.

San Diego FC earned only a single point out of a possible nine in their last three home matches. As an opponent, you know what you’re going to get when you play against SDFC.

The recent decline in form may be a product of a game plan that opponents are using to get results against San Diego.

Let’s dive into it!

A Young Back Line

Vancouver Whitecaps came into San Diego looking to earn three points and reestablish themselves at the top of the Western Conference. SDFC fielded the youngest backline in MLS due to injuries to Chris McVey and Paddy McNair. Manu Duah stepped into the defensive role for the first time, and Ian Pilcher led the defense at only 22 years old. Pilcher smashed home his first goal of the season in the 79th minute to level the eventual final score at 1-1.

The youngsters would get tested early when Vancouver striker, Brian White, received a through ball into space behind the defense but put his shot wide of the open net. It wouldn’t be his only bad miss of the game. In the 75th minute, White took a touch to get around goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega and missed a wide-open net and an opportunity to put his side up 2-0.

Duah’s Bright Future

Head coach Mikey Varas made the decision to start Duah in the center back position due to being in a tough spot from a player availability perspective. Injuries forced SDFC to have a total of six players available on the bench – two goalkeepers and four field players. Duah, a natural defensive midfielder, excelled in the center-back position. He was the most accurate passer (98%) and won the most duels (11) on the field.

When asked about Duah in the center back role, Mikey Varas responded with optimism. “He brings the ability to carry the ball, to make really brave, line-breaking passes, but then he has the physical attributes to help us defend the space in behind in transition. He’s still learning the principles a lot, but I think his potential as a center back is really high”, San Diego’s head coach said.

Possession Not Translating to Goals

San Diego FC once again dominated possession 62%-38% but failed to take advantage. They sit at the top in the league rankings in possession percentage. Mikey Varas was asked about why his club is having difficulty scoring goals in the last two matches. “Let’s not take it for granted how hard it is to score goals in this sport”, he responded.

It’s true – scoring goals is hard in any professional league, but Tomas Angel is also not playing at the level that Milan Iloski played. With Marcus Ingvartsen still dealing with an injury, San Diego finds itself in the same place it was before the Iloski loan – with no true number nine. In 85 minutes, Angel had a total of one shot that went off target, that’s simply unacceptable for a striker.

San Diego’s Transfer Market Needs

San Diego’s defensive woes are a troubling matter for the club at the mid-way point of the season. Jasper Loffelsend mutually parted ways with the club. McDuo are dealing with injuries, and Franco Negri hasn’t been able to find success when given the opportunities. That only left Hamady Diop as the other defensive option on the bench, although he was not used. To address the immediate need for another defender, SDFC have signed Aiden Harangi, a 19-year-old from Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.

The summer transfer window opens on Thursday, July 24 and runs through August 21st. It’s no secret that San Diego’s depleted roster is in need of reinforcements. Sporting Director Tyler Heaps made it publicly known that he has deals in place with a handful of players he is looking to bring in. He also mentioned that neither of them will be a Designated Player, alluding to the fact that they will stick with the U-22 model and bring in younger talent at a cheaper cost.

Varas prides himself on the club philosophy of training young talent and building a roster that is anchored by veterans but supported by the youth. In the upcoming transfer window, SDFC’s major needs are to reinforce the defense, sign at least another midfielder to make up for the loss of Alejandro Alvarado, and hopefully find a viable striker that can be lethal in front of goal.

Hopefully, the Summer acquisitions can help San Diego get back on track to earn points in order to keep first in the West. Before winning four in a row, SDFC went 1-1-2 in the last four matches. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, teams have found a way to stifle the high-powered offense that led San Diego to become the leading scoring team in the MLS.

The Gameplan Against SDFC

Houston came in with an immediate high press, which caught SDFC off guard and forced the defense to make continuous turnovers. Toronto dropped another player to the backline and played a low block, which made it hard for SDFC to break down. Vancouver did a little bit of both but were unlucky in front of the goal and had to settle for a point instead of taking all three home.

With plenty of footage and data available, teams are becoming smarter in their game plan when facing SDFC. Just look at the opponent passing maps from the last two games and notice how structured they are holding the ball in the low block. While San Diego have built a clear identity, teams know exactly what to expect coming into a match. Varas isn’t surprised by this, as a matter of fact, he expects it.

The philosophy is that even if opponents know what San Diego will bring, the team’s quality and execution will still be enough to prevail. The question remains on the other side – will Varas and the coaching staff be able to adapt to the new tactics used against them? A tough test awaits on Friday, as Eastern Conference powerhouse Nashville—currently second in the standings—visits San Diego.

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Dmitry Anisimov

Dmitry Anisimov is a San Diego native who played soccer up to the college level when he represented the SDSU Men’s Club Soccer team. Growing up in San Diego, Dmitry is a fan of all the home teams but he specifically couldn’t wait until San Diego got an MLS team. Once that dream became reality, Dmitry married his love for writing and the game of soccer to portray a voice of the San Diego soccer community. There is a deep-rooted love of soccer culture in San Diego and Dmitry hopes to bring it to light through his pre and post-game coverage of all things San Diego FC.