The FC Needs Bold Leadership
Chief War pig
Three matches into the 2026 season, FC Cincinnati finds itself at a crossroads.
In 270’+ of MLS play this season, FC Cincinnati has been held scoreless for all but roughly 10’. In that time, they have been held scoreless twice by teams who were expected to finish below them on the table. Despite promises by Chris Albright of a renewed focus on goal scoring and creation of high-quality goal scoring chances (or “high xG” chances), FC Cincinnati has been completely incapable of getting the ball into dangerous areas or at the feet of dangerous players.
In short, 2026 has looked a lot like 2025. Which felt a lot like 2024.
The evidence is overwhelming that the 3-5-2 formation no longer works for FC Cincinnati. The formation has failed to produce quality goal-scoring chances for over a year and a half. It is apparent to anyone with eyes that the system simply does not work without the generationally creative talent of Lucho Acosta pulling strings in the middle. As great as Evander is, his game is simply different than the previous occupant of the #10 spot on the FC’s lineup card.
What FC Cincinnati needs right now is bold and decisive leadership. They need someone without an ego, who is willing to admit that when something isn’t working, and who is willing to take the steps to change things – even this early in the season.
What they need right now is a manager like Pat Noonan.
Hop into the Wayback Machine and come with me to late February of 2022. FC Cincinnati went on the road to play Austin FC for the first match under new manager Pat Noonan.
In that game, FC Cincinnati came out in a very traditional 4-4-2. Centerbacks Tyler Blackett and Geoff Cameron were flanked by right back Ray Gaddis and left back Ronald Matarrita. A midfield of Junior Moreno, Allan Cruz, Yuya Kubo, and Lucho Acosta sat behind strikers Nick Markanich and Brandon Vazquez. A lot of familiar names in this lineup, right?
Well, the match was an absolute ass-kicking. Austin FC thumped FC Cincinnati by a score of 5-0. The offense generated no chances. The defense was shredded with ease.
A lesser manager with more patience would have chalked it up to FC Cincinnati (coming off yet another wooden spoon campaign in 2021) still figuring out how to not be FC Cincinnati.
An arrogant manager with more ego would’ve insisted his game plan was going to work and the players just needed to do more.
Pat Noonan, in a display of humility and pragmatism, decided to change.
The next week, against DC United, FC Cincinnati deployed the 3-5-2 for the first time under Noonan. Nick Hagglund joined Tyler Blackett and Geoff Cameron to form the now-traditional back three. Ray Gaddis shifted to wingback along with Alvas Powell. Moreno, Acosta, and Kubo deployed as the first three-man midfield with Vazquez and Dom Badji at striker.
Although the match was still a 0-1 loss, FC Cincinnati looked instantly better in the new formation. The next week, the FC delivered Pat Noonan his first win as a manager, and the 3-5-2 was here to stay.
Which brings us back to today. The same bold and decisive coaching decisions that saved the 2022 season are needed once again today. The time has come for FC Cincinnati to do something different on the pitch. The book is out on how to defend and attack a Lucho Acosta-less 3-5-2. Improving the wingbacks hasn’t helped. Spending big on strikers hasn’t helped. Adding an MVP-candidate attacking midfielder hasn’t helped.
Time isn’t going to fix this. Gel isn’t going to fix this.
What can fix this is Pat Noonan choosing to be the same brave pragmatist he was as a rookie head coach.
There are other ways to play soccer. A switch to the 4-3-3 might see centerbacks Miles Robinson and Nick Hagglund (or, perhaps, a returning Matt Miazga) flanked by some combination of Kyle Smith, Alvas Powell, or Teenage Hedebe as your left and right backs. The midfield of Evander, Bucha, and Obi / Gidi would stay the same. But, up top, you could have a front-line of Ramirez, Denkey, and Ender. Suddenly, your press can be led by three willing participants with plus-speed. Freed from major defensive responsibilities, Ender and Ramirez can make the kind of runs off Kevin Denkey that no one is doing currently.
We won’t know until we try. And, in order to try it, we’re going to need a manager with some moxie. We’re going to need a manager unafraid to admit when something isn’t working and willing to take decisive action to change it.
We’re going to need a manager like Pat Noonan.
