Monterey Bay F.C. Positional Preview: Midfielders
by Eli Corona & Steven Vargo
Continuing on, a breakdown of the midfield heading into year two. The controllers at the center of the pitch have all returned from the Club’s inaugural season with hopes of either retaining or gaining important minutes in 2023.
For the new season, the midfield unit consists of the defensively-minded Mobi Fehr, a well-rounded pair in James Murphy and Arun Basuljevic, the attacking maestro Sam Gleadle and the energetic Adrian Rebollar. On the outside of the midfield, Simon Dawkins and Walmer Martínez provide an attacking threat with the ability to track back defensively. As the team settled and found its form last season, the most common midfield setup included Murphy, Fehr and Gleadle, accompanied by Dawkins and Martínez in the wide positions. Fans can expect to see a similar set up going into the new campaign, but look for Head Coach Frank Yallop to experiment with different midfield combinations throughout the year.
Arun Basuljevic
Coming off of an injury-plagued first season with the Union, Basuljevic is looking to bounce back in year two. In his 18 appearances last season, Basuljevic made eight starts and created seven chances. Look for him to build on those numbers in 2023 following an injury-free preseason.
Simon Dawkins
Dawkins undoubtedly offers the most experience on the team, and it was felt each and every time he stepped on the pitch for the Crisp and Kelp in 2022. His underlying statistics from last season proved invaluable to the squad, and showcase his ability to be a lethal attacking force in the coming term.
Mobi Fehr
Fehr’s defensive prowess saw him drop back the deepest of anyone in the midfield on average last season. He even made spot starts at centerback in a couple of emergency situations. Fehr led the team in blocks with 45, led the midfield in clearances with 38, and scored the game-winning goal in the Club’s most impressive road victory to date against the eventual Eastern Conference Champions Louisville City FC at Lynn Family Stadium. Fehr is the Crisp and Kelp’s trustworthy safety blanket and will continue to be so in 2023.
Sam Gleadle
Gleadle’s mid-to-late season form for the Union was extraordinary, tallying a total of six goals and two assists in the second half of the season. Gleadle represented Monterey Bay in three-consecutive USL Championship Teams of the Week last season, and his dangerous ability to finish in front of goal stamped his name among the league’s best. His eight goals in 2022 were tied for a team-high, and fans can be excited about the prospects of Gleadle continuing his run of form for the entirety of the new campaign.
Walmer Martínez
Martínez’ ability to pick out a pass combined with his positional flexibility will prove crucial in the midfield as the season progresses and opposing teams adapt their playstyles. The Santa Cruz native scored the first goal in Cardinale Stadium history last May and has two goals already this preseason. Martínez will look to capitalize on his fine first season in his home on the Monterey Bay and become a regular goal scorer for the Crisp and Kelp in 2023. If this preseason has been any indication, the El Salvadorian international is gearing up for a big campaign.
James Murphy
Murphy emerged as a midfield stalwart over the previous season, racking up over 2,500 minutes played. He was deployed in a variety of positions, varying from partnering with Fehr in a more defensive position, to higher up the pitch in a central attacking role. Murphy’s contributions in 2022 were consistent – he maintained an 87.3% pass completion mark and averaged 13.6 duels won per 90 minutes. Murphy is expected to be a focal point in the center of the midfield this season.
Adrian Rebollar
A surprise breakout in 2022, Rebollar will look to continue to impress and dazzle fans with his hard working style of play, silky dribbling and ever-present energy. The Watsonville native maintained a solid 3.79 dribbles completed per 90 minutes over the course of his first professional season and scored in his debut match off the bench in the Crisp and Kelp’s first-ever regular season outing. Now, Rebollar will look to build on his five goal contributions from last term in the upcoming season.
The Club created previews for each position group going into 2023. Each breakdown can be read here:
