EDITORIAL – James Musa and Sam Fink lead Saint Louis FC in minutes this season. Musa, the team’s captain, has started all six league matches and playing all 540 minutes. His right hand man (literally), has played just 17 fewer minutes. Together, the center back pair anchors a defense that has let in just five goals this season, good for third best in USL.
Defensive cohesiveness has been a theme in the 2015 pro soccer season in America. From Jason Kreis‘s quotes last week, to the various expansion teams in USL getting off to slow starts, defensive familiarity and organization has been a key issue for expansion clubs. Failing to keep their shape has often led to conceding.
In an interview with Last Word On Sports, Saint Louis FC General Manager Jeremy Alumbaugh said “center back is not an easy spot to jump in and play with someone you’ve only played with for six weeks.” Musa is a New Zealand international who hadn’t played in the US prior to 2015. Fink grew up Edwardsville, IL and played four years at Wake Forest. While other USL teams have defenders who played with or against each other or even saw each other in college or academy games, Musa and Fink had no familiarity prior to this season.
Like the rest of the team, they’re chemistry has gotten better with each match. Their on field relationship is one of the strongest on the team because they’ve had the most time together. Musa’s experience has proven invaluable both as a center back and as the team’s captain.
In a post game interview Fink said “he’s a storied player with a lot of experience. To have him lead us every game is a special experience. It’s just getting better every game.”
Musa was a Fulham academy product. He turned pro at 18 and has played professionally in New Zealand, Australian, and England. He has played at various levels with the New Zealand youth national team and has been capped with the All Whites at the senior level. He is one of the younger players on Saint Louis FC but also one of the most experienced.
Musa’s experience has helped him emerge as a leader in the locker room and along the back line. With each game under his belt, he becomes more confident and more vocal as a skipper. That rubs off on his team and has an impact on their performance.
While maybe not a leader, Fink has also made tremendous strides. He played his final college game last November and immediately became a starter in his first professional season, despite being one of the youngest players on the team. That is a testament to what he has done in training. He has handled being a starter very well. The eye test would suggest he is a second or a third year professional, not a rookie.
While Musa and Fink have improved their chemistry and have grown individually, their technical skills have also improved. “They’ve made improvements in their box defending habits. They’re a little better at getting matched up in the box, winning some headers,” said Alumbaugh, with an emphasis on physicality. With new teammates and a possession style of play, organization is critical. Their early season chemistry has shortened that learning curve. Emergency defending when the defensive shape is lost is a potential point of weakness. It is a positive sign to see both of them improve in the area where they could be most vulnerable.
Alumbaugh closed saying that playing center back is about the relationship with your partner and being ‘nasty’ when the moment calls for it. From the beginning of the season, the relationship seemed to be there and it has only gotten better with time. “At some point in a game, a center back has to win a nasty tackle, win a header he’s not supposed to, or block a shot,” said the General Manager. Musa and Fink are now improving in the two critical facets of being a center back.
Combine these traits with solid goal keeping and a lucky pair of cleats, and the foundation is there. The defense is third best in the league and is only getting better. One game at a time, one brick at a time, Musa and Fink are constructing the Gateway Great Wall.
Main Photo courtesy of Mark Guthrel, team photographer for St Louis FC.
