Part 3 in our team-by-team preview where we try to answer these questions: how could they succeed, and how could they stumble?
Central Valley Fuego FC
While the Richmond Kickers ran away with the table towards the end of the 2022 season, the next seven clubs in the standings were only separated by six points. Unfortunately, only the next five can make the playoffs, leaving Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC and Central Valley Fuego FC just outside of the bubble.
In the off-season, the club lost their top goal scorer, Christian Chaney to free agency, as he signed with Forward Madison. The striker made 27 appearances, about half from the bench. 9 of his 10 goals came in the 13 matches where he was in the starting 11, and four came in September and October, where he started seven of the final eight matches.
But just as quickly, Fuego scooped up José Carrera-García, who captained the Chattanooga Red Wolves to the league finals and put up 4 goals and 9 assists (plus another assist in the playoffs), on a high-octane offense that scored the second-most goals in the league.
How Central Valley Fuego FC could succeed in 2023
JCG lights a fire under the remaining core
The club retained 2022 captain Jordan Chavez, and as mentioned above, added JCG. While we don’t yet know who gets the armband in 2023, these are two solid options. Experience with the team vs. experience winning and making a deep playoff run.
Regardless of captaincy, JCG’s expected impact can’t be understated. Anchoring the central offensive midfield, he’ll have options in Villyan Bijev and Cherif Dieye, and perhaps even Alex Cerritos. If this dynamic clicks and the club can not only make up for Chaney’s lost goals but add a few more, it may be what they need to sneak into the playoffs.
How Central Valley Fuego could stumble in 2023
It’s another year of the same old inconsistency
Let’s say the JCG experiment works out, but not to the extent needed. Say, Bijev and Dieye end up only good for 7 and 5 goals apiece. Or Cerritos doesn’t develop. Fuego FC would likely see another year full of inconsistency. Draws that should have been won, losses that should have been drawn.
Defensively, the club gave up 40 goals in 2022. But this was the same given up by league champions Tormenta FC. Maybe USL Championship veteran Razak Cromwell will help here in reducing that number? The left-back has not played since a two-year stint with Birmingham Legion FC that ended at the conclusion of the 2020 season. Given this uncertainty, the club definitely needs to make up for it with more goals and climb out of a negative differential.
But then again, USL League One is where grinding out just enough wins makes the playoffs.
After diving into the roster, we’re firmly in wait-and-see mode for Fuego FC, and no longer panicked. Over 32 matches, a team that can grind out 12 wins and 8 draws may end up right smack in the middle of contention for the 5th or 6th playoff spot. But given the disproportionate talent adds of some of the other teams expected to finish higher, Fuego FC will need to prove itself as the season starts.