Since Albright and Noonan’s first season in charge, the FCC has been dependent on significant offensive contributions from at least one fullback. Firstly, the team was somewhat lucky that Álvaro Barreal was an elite player at the position and then replicated the Argentine winger-to-fullback conversion with Luca Orellano. However, in 2025 the team missed out. Lukas Engel is a pretty good football player, but he is not a dynamic attacking force. Ditto DeAndre Yedlin. Both are now in Utah and will likely play as outside center backs, not wing backs.
So Albright went back to what worked. Ender Echenique joined the team during the summer window as an U22 signing and showed his attacking ability as a right wing-back, even if he wasn’t the best defender.
Bryan Ramirez, the winter signing of the Orange and Blue, plays on the left, opposite Echenique. Unlike others, Ramirez has previously played fullback, although he has also operated further upfield for LDU Quito. In terms of expectations, Ramirez has put up solid attacking and progression numbers in the Ecuadorian Liga Pro and the Copa Libertadores, but as always how he will adapt to MLS remains a bit of a mystery.
If Albright and company got the wingback evaluations right, a stagnant offense should be significantly more dangerous in 2026.
Fuzzier defensive responses
However, 2025 FC Cincinnati’s problems weren’t just in possession. There are similar, if not bigger, questions surrounding defense heading into 2026. For context, the FCC went from conceding 41.17 xGA in 2024 to 56.76 xGA in 2025 according to American Soccer Analysis data. Even with that difference, the team somehow conceded eight FEWER goals in 2025, partly because Roman Celentano was a solid shot-stopper, but mostly because the ball just missed the goal. However, alarm bells should be ringing about the team’s ability to prevent goals in 2026 given last year’s defensive performance.
A few things stand out in terms of differences between the two seasons. In 2025, the Orange and Blue allowed their opponents more possession in the final third and pressed less, two things they did quite well in 2024 on their way to an elite defensive season.
#MLS #Previews #American #Soccer #Analysis