Before analyzing what Logan Gdula’s return means for FCC, it’s worth revisiting the club’s current situation at fullback prior to his recall.
Mathieu Deplagne has played every match – either at right or left back – out of necessity. Justin Hoyte has played on the outside, too, but Interim Head Coach Yoann Damet’s generally used the Englishman as a center back because of his vision and stability with his footwork.
The other two fullbacks – Greg Garza and Alvas Powell – are unavailable because of injury and international duty, respectively. With them gone, Caleb Stanko and Fatai Alashe, who are both central midfielders, had to play right back. And Alashe picked up an injury in last Saturday’s game against LA.
It’s not ideal, but it’s reality.
On Tuesday morning, Damet spoke with reporters about the players being utilized out of their natural positions (Stanko and Alashe) and said discussions among the coaching staff varied between Cincinnati maintaining its usual 4-3-3 or developing a new short-term system that’s more suited with the current personnel.
“I ask myself and the staff if we want to change everything for that or if we want to keep some automatism within the system we have for the full group, rather than for one player in position,” Damet said.
Individual players adjusting is right long-term decision, even if it disrupted short-term performances and results, Stanko told Laurel Pfahler of The Athletic.
“The coaches are making the right choice thinking at the big picture,” Stanko said. “Fatai and I are able to play in other positions, where other guys can’t, and I would rather just change one player if I was coach than to change the whole system.”
And that’s where Gdula’s recall comes in.
Gdula was high on FC Cincinnati’s 2019 MLS SuperDraft “draft board” back in January. When the defender from Wake Forest was available at No. 13, the expansion side jumped at the opportunity.
He’s a fullback with speed getting forward, good footwork on the ball and can defend well when Cincinnati are out of possession. But when the season started, he was still seeking minutes at the professional level, which weren’t guaranteed with Garza, Powell, Deplagne and Hoyte ahead of him. Things have changed, of course.
Because of numbers and personnel available, it’s almost certain Gdula will be in the Orange and Blue’s 18 on Saturday afternoon at Minnesota United FC.
Considering the club only fielded 17 players in the loss to LA – the only time FCC haven’t fielded 18 in a league match in club history – Gdula will help fill an available spot on the game day roster. And with the current gap in depth at right back, there’s a chance the rookie could occupy that, too, and make an MLS debut in Minnesota.
