USL Western Conference Best XI - Week 12

This week was all about one name: Didier Drogba. The legendary player made his first USL appearance for Phoenix Rising over the weekend in a 2-1 win. More importantly, he made his first ICS Team of the Week appearance as Phoenix set a record for most appearances by a single team.

Goalkeeper: Andrew Tarbell – Reno 1868 FC, 2189 pts

Tarbell logged two victories, including one shutout, in a week that saw him record seven saves in a multi-game week as Reno continued their run to break away from the pack.

Defender: Michael Harris – Oklahoma City Energy, 2366 pts

Harris picked up one shutout, an assist, eight clearances, and five clearances in two games as Oklahoma City picked up four points in a week.

Defender: Brent Richards – Reno 1868 FC, 2751 pts

Richards was a part of two victories for Reno, scoring a goal and logging a total of eight interceptions as Reno continues to make the case that is is more than a dark horse in the Western Conference.

Defender: Amadou Dia – Phoenix Rising, 3031 pts

Despite allowing a goal, Dia notched an assist and had an amazing defensive day which included seven tackles and five clearances as Phoenix took down a visiting Vancouver side.

Midfielder: Jorginho James – Rio Grande Valley Toros, 2863 pts

James scored on his only shot, won seven duels, and made six clearances in a victory against Seattle as the Toros continued their hunt for playoff position.

Midfielder: Mark Gonzalez – Swope Park Rangers, 2866 pts

Gonzalez was the definition of a super sub against Tulsa, logging two goals in second half stoppage time to propel Swope Park to victory.

Midfielder: Shaun Wright-Phillips – Phoenix Rising, 3348 pts

Wright-Phillips scored one goal on four total shots, and created three chances as Phoenix took a home victory against the Whitecaps.

Forward: Didier Drogba – Phoenix Rising, 3751 pts

The man, the myth, the legend. Drogba exploded onto the USL scene with an assist and a goal with eight total shots as Phoenix won their first game with the world-renowned striker on the pitch.

Forward: Dane Kelly – Reno 1868 FC, 3820 pts

Kelly logged his 59^th and 60^th USL goals as Reno won two games in a week. With ten total shots taken over two games, Kelly remains a constant threat to any team.

Forward: Wojciech Wojcik – Oklahoma City Energy, 3888 pts

Before leaving with an injury, Wojcik scored a brace on only four total shots, including the go ahead goal against Phoenix in a midweek game.

Forward: Kevaughn Frater – Colorado Springs Switchbacks, 4131 pts – Player of the week

Frater scored two goals in a victory over Los Dos, including a game winner in the final moments of the match as the Switchbacks continue their habits of being able to pull a rabbit out of the hat in the closing seconds of a match.

Honorable Mentions:

Goalkeeper: Moise Pouaty – Colorado Springs Switchbacks, 1900 pts

Defender: Kyle Hyland – Oklahoma City Energy, 2084 pts

Midfielder: Andrew Brody – Real Monarchs SLC, 2643 pts

Forward: Sebastian Velasquez – Real Monarchs SLC, 3123 pts

Thoughts:

There was another first this week as both San Antonio FC and Real Monarchs SLC failed to send any players to the Team of the Week for the first time all season. With Real Monarchs having a bye week in week 13, it will be up to San Antonio to regain control of the big dogs.

Will the two teams that have ran away with the USL West Elo rankings return to their normal spot commanding the standings for the Team of the Week ratings, or will the chasing teams like Reno and Phoenix continue to usurp the positions for the Team of the Week? Let us know your predictions!