This Saturday Phoenix Rising FC returns to action against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks. After an early bye week in the season, Phoenix will face their second opponent in the inaugural Four Corners Cup. I reached out to Mark Turner a writer and podcaster with the Back Chat Show, as well as a contributor at Last Word on Soccer. I wanted to get his take on the Switchbacks as well as their supporters’ perception on the Phoenix Rising.

What was the 2018 season highlight for you?

When it ended! 2018 was a so-so year, certainly better than 2017, but still with relatively little to get excited about. The roster size and depth of quality needed to be addressed. This year, the recruitment and the affiliation with the Rapids – and the results so far this season – seem to suggest that it has been.

There have been a lot of new additions to the club. Which one excites you the most? Out of the returning players, who was vital to success this season?

I’m going to cheat a bit on this answer! As you mentioned, have been A LOT of new additions, so it’s hard to hone in on just a couple. As far as new players go, Alex Molano has the potential to be the attacking CM that we’ve been missing since Luke Vercollone was marginalized and eventually retired. As for returning players – and here’s where I bend the rules – I’d put them in to two sub-categories; returning from last season, and returning to the club after being away for a couple of seasons.

Returning from last season – Jordan Schweitzer and Shane Malcolm. Both are essential to us maintaining possession of the ball and doing something creative with it in the final third.

Returning to the club after absence, Mike Seth and Rony Argueta. Argueta is a stud, one of the most consistent midfield performers in the West. Seth is, like Molano, a piece we’ve missed really ever since he left at the end of the 2016 season; a true ‘number 9’ (although he wear 10!), who can bully defenders physically, hold up the ball for team mates, and get on the end of opportunities himself.

What are the biggest area of concern for you?

I’m not a fan of rotating goalkeepers. We’ve had three different ones in our first three games, although some of those decisions were dictated by injury to our regular #1 Steward Ceus. I’m also concerned that in both of our home games, there hasn’t been much in the way of transitional pace from middle to final third. So much of our attacking game has been played in front of opposition team defenders, underscored by the fantastic 25 yarder that Romero scored v San Antonio. We can’t be relying on those. On the road, strangely, we looked more mobile, routinely getting in behind LA’s defense. I hope we see more of that home and away moving forwards.

What parts of the Switchbacks play should Phoenix Rising be most concerned with?

It depends which Switchbacks team shows up – both in terms of personnel and attitude! With the Rapids affiliation now, we have access to more quality than ever before, and consequently our roster has the potential to be more fluid from game to game. That said, our coach Steve Trittschuh is pretty pragmatic and tends to be loyal to those guys who show up game to game, so I don’t think they’ll be many surprises in the starting 11 at least. Attitude wise, we hope to see more of the team that played with a more cavalier attacking approach to that which we saw v Galaxy II (where the Switchbacks recorded an impressive 4-1 road victory). If they attack Phoenix with that same degree of fearlessness, watch out for Shane Malcolm, Saeed Robinson, and a certain Mr. Romero to trouble your defense and keeper.

What is the overall view of Phoenix Rising FC by the fanbase in Colorado Springs?

I’m not sure? I think there’s a lot of respect these for what your club has achieved in just 2 seasons, and aspirationally what you’re driving towards. I don’t think there’s any fear in playing you, though. Our games have tended to be a roll of the dice on any given day, so as much as we respect your roster, we fancy our chances.

Colorado Springs seems to be a team on a the rise after a rough couple of seasons. They have taken 6 points out of three games and had some impressive wins away at Los Angeles Galaxy II and at home to San Antonio. It is worth remembering that Phoenix did claim two victories last season over Colorado. A 4-0 win at home with all four goals coming after a 65th minute red card to Colorado Springs fullback, Jordan Burt, and a 1-2 win away in a game that saw 5 players booked.

I’m expecting a better defense performance from Phoenix Rising this week and would believe we’ll see a hard fought 1-0 win. Mark is predicting a more open affair resulting in a 3-2 victory for the Switchbacks.

For more about the Switchbacks and the Four Corners Cup, check out Matt’s article at “Across the Pitch, an American Show about English Soccer!“

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