iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 23/09/2026

The Legion attack has suddenly leveled up, tons of good combination play and real intentionality between the lines. Probably their best performance of 2026 this afternoon against Brooklyn.

140

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 23/09/2026

People who follow League One knew that One Knox really platformed Ritchie as a ball-playing creator in the final third, and Monterey has finally figured that out. Good breakdown of Ritchie’s arc here.

062

what is happening here what are you protecting

030

Watching back some of the OC game for podcast prep...is this the worst defensive performance of like the last five years? 3.2 xG against and absolutely no sense of structure through the 90 minutes (on the details of OC's plummeting rank in the Backheeled piece: www.backheeled.com/usl-champion... )

200

Super League recap, in which Carissa Boeckmann continues to establish herself as the potential signing of the summer. 🔗 www.usltactics.com/usl-super-le...

031

Is Alfredo Midence the secret weapon for Sacramento? I make that case as I dig deep on all 25 teams in the USL Championship. Check in on Backheeled: www.backheeled.com/usl-champion...

121

...and in-box instinct like this, Roed has been so natural as a No. 9. The 25-year-old started the year looking like a gifted creator, but there's kinda nothing he can't do in the final third.

011

Sarasota's "Sander Roed is a striker now" thing is working really, really well? Between hold-up play like this...

130

Like the moments like this where Pittsburgh can use their "3+2" build base and get the Mertz/Walti pivot involved. Those two midfielders start this play low, but both advance when a diagonal is hit and become influential on the edge of the box.

No pressure on the ball, no marking in the box...crazy to see. Well-worked from Loudoun, but this is genuinely poor defending on all counts.

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 19/09/2026

Absolutely sensational backheel goal from Jaskaniec, finishing a cross-box serve from Alyssa Walker. Two impact subs making their mark for DC.

0102

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 17/09/2026

The one night I’m not watching League One, what the hell is happening here

2140

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 17/09/2026

Orlando at their best so far when they've been able to maximize Antoine Griezmann without the ball. He draws a mark here, which gives Zakaria Taifi the room to get one-on-one on the right sideline and play over the top.

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 16/09/2026

Shape change into a 3-5-2 for the very injured Sharks today, and it's done really well to spotlight Tomas Pondeca as the right wingback. He nabbed the assist on the opener, and he's done well to consistently provide service to Bachstein.

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 16/09/2026

I dare any other league to have live snakes at the match

3244

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 16/09/2026

The sheer numbers of school buses at this 11 AM Greenville game lol

2162

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 14/09/2026

Featuring a big win for Lexington SC, who are finally finding ways to activate Phillip Goodrum at the tip of their "three-box-three" spear. www.backheeled.com/usl-champion...

010

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 14/09/2026

Great build move from Dallas Trinity to go up 1-0 on DC Power in the Super League nightcap. Both center mids (Felicia Knox and Sofia Cedeno) get touches, Camryn Lancaster drops from the No. 9 spot to connect play, and it's a really technical finish from winger Onyeka Gamero to do the rest.

061

2-0 now, and Brooklyn are soaring. Great grit from forward Jessica Garziano to sustain possession through pressure, allowing Brooklyn to move sideways, find center mid Jennifer Cudjoe, and play through to Tziarra King for the finish.

Zimmerman had a near-identical look less than two minutes prior, she's giving Brooklyn the positivity they've been missing over the top.

Brooklyn FC on the board with just their second goal of the year, up 1-0 on Jacksonville. Bright start for forward Catherine Zimmerman, who's consistently making bright runs through the right channel.

140

Mac Hemmi the absolute drip king of the USL

040

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 12/09/2026

Raised an eyebrow at Pittsburgh using Perrin Barnes as the deeper left-sided player in their possessive back three, but you see the upside here: the Riverhounds force Loudoun around the edge, use Barnes' athleticism to create an interception, and let Sam Bassett do the rest from range.

132

And the high press is still doing its thing.

010

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 12/09/2026

Bit of a shape change for Madison tonight, more of a 4-2-3-1 with Segbers and Torres through the pivot. Not losing any intensity, though; love sequences like this where one of the No. 6s drops to cover up for real defensive aggression.

121

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 12/09/2026

We don’t talk enough about Knoxville having the game ball delivered in a lil car

3418

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 11/09/2026

Soony Saad, forever a legend for this goal alone.

2111

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 10/09/2026

More importantly: do we get L1 conferences if 20 teams are actually in the mix?

470

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 10/09/2026

Southern conference inshallah

6220

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 09/09/2026

Colorado Springs' heatmaps before and after the second goal are comical – Harford simply didn't give them anything until they were ready to sit in a deeper block.

041

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 09/09/2026

Hartford Athletic in the USL Cup

2153

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 09/09/2026

Terrific pressing from Hartford so far in the USL Cup semi. Great example here, where a good angle toward the sideline, waves of close-downs from Coffey/Makangila/Moreira, and consistent pursuit of backpasses completely pin Colorado Springs.

061

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 08/09/2026

One Knox are still an elite defensive team, but they're pushing for another Players' Shield because of their improvements in possession. I dig into their system and much more in this week's League One column – 5,000 words, free on Backheeled. 🔗⬇️ www.backheeled.com/usl-league-o...

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 08/09/2026

Lowery bomb in full effect. Really big swing from Tampa Bay to acquire a player with Locadia’s track record. He’s put up very good numbers in Miami, and the question is how he’ll integrate into this Rowdies lineup.

172

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 07/09/2026

Indy Eleven are evolving their attacking game, and Paco Craig's contributions from center back have helped make it happen. On Indy's up-and-down Saturday and everything else that mattered in the USL in my weekly Power Rank. 🔗⬇️ www.backheeled.com/usl-champion...

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 06/09/2026

Wicked good serve from Charles Ahl here, you can feel Pittsburgh knocking on the door in Miami. The more they're able to work through lines into Sam Bassett and activate the Ahl and Goldthorp types one-on-one, the better off the Riverhounds will be.

152

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 06/09/2026

No one else in the USL is making this pass

000

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 06/09/2026

Juan David Torres helps force a turnover like a pressing striker then drops between lines to connect play; Ihsan Sacko fills toward the 18-yard box to replace him. Already seeing the new relationships come together for Rising, just gotta execute.

100

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 05/09/2026

They just re-signed the guy with an option through 2028 for a reason!

051

John Morrissey @usltactics.com · 05/09/2026

There's DC Power via center back Claire Constant. Well-worked move through substitute right back Susanna Fitch causes trouble, and the defender is there to finish on a daring forward run.