Cavalry FC have been the most exciting team to watch in 2023, following up from a wonderful winter of off-season recruitment. The Cavs remain at the top of the table as the 2023 season comes to a close, and after their win against HFX this week, are the first team to claim a spot in the 2023 Playoffs. Here is our tactical analysis of Tommy Wheeldon Jr.'s Cavalry FC in 2023.
While it wasn't the most explosive semi-final match inside the CPL Playoffs, Forge and Cavalry met for an intriguing tactical battle of wits inside the semi-final first leg, settling for a 1-1 draw. Here is our match analysis of the first-leg encounter between Cavalry and Forge, and what both teams may look to do ahead of the second-leg.
Cavalry FC started the season without a bang. They went winless in their first three matches, scoring just two goals, as Joe Mason and Myer Bevan failed to fully live up to the hype up front. After a change in system from 3-4-3 to 4-2-3-1, Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s team started to see more stuttering success, and the team achieved greater fluidity across the board. At exactly the right moment, Wheeldon Jr. introduced Aribim Pepple into the lineup, and soon afterward, Cavarly hit top gear. The 19-year-old has been in incredible form in the past month, scoring 6 goals in 7 matches en route to being named the CPL’s Player of the Month for June. His stuttering form in front of goal has even reportedly earned himself a move to England, the details of which are still being finalized. Here is our analysis of Pepple and his impending move.
Victor Loturi has been a stalwart and a mainstay in Wheeldon Jr.'s plans, featuring in eight matches as a central midfielder, and even two filling in as an out-and-out right-back in the face of injuries. Coming out of the Calgary youth ranks and Wheeldon Jr.'s old Calgary Foothills, Loturi has been destined to stardom since making his professional debut in 2019. Since making two appearances that season, the box-to-box midfielder has only grown in his role and importance for the Cavs, and has now caught the attention of Ross County in the Scottish Premiership. So with that, we take a look at why Victor Loturi has caught the eye this season, and predict how he will fare in Scotland.
Even despite missing important players and shifting key figureheads out of position, Cavalry fought their way to a 1-0 victory on Saturday against HFX Wanderers. The only goal came from a set-piece (as we're becoming accustomed to when these teams play), courtesy of a wonderfully coordinated routine to steal the victory away. So with that, we break down the set-piece that resulted in Cavalry's 1-0 win over HFX, and the important steps to replicating the routine with your team.
I can't remember another game in my lifetime where four goals, in fact - 100% of the goals, came from set-pieces. I love analyzing team structures and shapes in traditional match analyses, and I could tell you all about Cavalry's almost 3-3-1-3-esque build-up or Halifax's stern 4-3-1-2 press. But ultimately, this game was decided by free kicks and corners. While that may be seen by some as "boring", on this occasion, all four of the goals resulted off the back of both tactical and psychological mistakes, more than worth breaking down in detail. So with that, here is our Match Analysis of Halifax's 2-2 draw with Cavalry, and our case study on how not to defend set-pieces.
This season in the Canadian Premier League, Rhys Desmond will be bringing you the tactical minutiae behind every single match, team, and moment. Here is our tactical review of the Canadian Premier League's fifth round of fixtures!
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