USL Phoenix Rising FC

Preview: With Season on the Horizon, Fine Tuning Begins

Published on March 25, 2016 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


Arizona United Soccer Club head coach Frank Yallop gathered the team together prior to training on Thursday morning and the message was clear: he cannot wait to start the 2016 season.

"I'm very excited for the game this weekend," Yallop said. "And not just this. I'm excited for this season. I think we have a good group of characters. Now we need to prove that on the field and win games."

United opens the season this Saturday, March 26, on the road against Los Angeles Galaxy II. The match begins at 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed live via USL's Match Center.

The shift from preseason to regular season mode was clear on the training grounds this week. Gone are the more fitness-based training sessions, where the players must push themselves physically to reach game shape. Now sessions are more tactical in nature as players concentrate on preparing their bodies for the next match.

"Practice is run in a way where it's not as intense, especially the last couple of days before a match," said defender Julian Ringhof. "But the mindset has to be sharp. Physically it may not be as demanding a practice, but the mindset has to be demanding."

The team stuck to the basics: defensive shape, pressing, breakout attacking with pace, and finishing were just some of the things they worked on Thursday morning.

"We've put in a lot of work," said forward Gibson Bardsley. "Now I think it's just everybody getting on the field and doing what we know how to do well: playing soccer."

Arizona comes into the match with recent success against Galaxy II. Last season, the club went 3-0-0 in their match ups. Two of those matches were on the road.

This will be the first of a five-match road trip to begin the season for United. But Yallop isn't concerned about how the team will perform or about setting a tone for the road trip. He's said he's confident about the overall performances being good. It will be the little things he hopes make a difference.

"It's not switching off at the wrong times, it's being clinical in front of goal, it's being dogged and tough and really urgent in our box when we defend," Yallop said. "We'll move the ball well and we'll create some chances. I'm not worried about it because of the players we have."

Scouting Report: Los Dos are the defending USL Western Conference champions and they have every intention of getting right back to the USL final. Despite losing three of their players to the big club (they could still play for Los Dos on loan) the club returns 11 players from their trophy-winning season.

Previous meetings: Arizona United currently has a three-match winning streak against Los Dos. Last season, United won all three matches by a score of 2-1. The last time United fell to Los Dos: August 9, 2014.

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