Charlie Hatch | chatch@enquirer.com

The Enquirer/Mark Wert

Sam Greene/The Enquirer

As Futbol Club Cincinnati returns to United Soccer League play this weekend, head coach Alan Koch reiterated the starting lineup and the substitution pattern are still open competition.

After FC Cincinnati beat the Charleston Battery 1-0 on March 17, the club began a two-week bye that ends with a trip to play league newcomers Indy Eleven on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Of course, Cincinnati beat the Columbus Crew SC reserves 4-2 in a closed scrimmage this past Sunday. And in that match, Koch deployed players who didn't start against Charleston in the first half, while using the starters in the second half. But even though that groupings have seemed rigid recently, Koch said nothing is certain.

"I literally just said to the guys, 'What happens on March 17 doesn’t necessarily dictate how things go on March 31,' " Koch said Friday. "I said I’d be a bit foolish if I just assumed, ‘Oh, we played a game on March 17, let’s just roll that group out. Let’s not work on anything for two weeks and then we’ll just go and get the same outcome.' We have to continue to push ourselves."

Granted, that could mean the same lineup and substitution pattern are used, though mobility on the depth chart should lead to more competition to get into the team, and as a result, theoretically a more competitive FC Cincinnati against its opponent.

Considering the club recorded a clean sheet against Charleston, a team it has never beaten previously, it wouldn't be surprising to see Evan Newton at goalkeeper and a backline of (from right to left) Justin Hoyte, Dekel Keinan, Forrest Lasso and Blake Smith. That said, Matt Bahner and Josu can be used as full backs, while the center backs can be swapped with Paddy Barrett or Sem de Wit.

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From there, the midfield and forwards could offer a little more fluidity within the lineup. During practice Tuesday at Nippert Stadium, Koch and his coaching staff used a variety of partnerships. That's something that's taken place since the team began its preseason training in January.

"We’ve got two weeks between Charleston and Indy," Koch said. "We need to get better, particularly at this time of the season. So we’ll figure it out."

The Enquirer/Sam Greene

While the season is one match into a 34-game campaign, one noticeable difference for FC Cincinnati to this point is the amount of depth within the squad.

In the club's inaugural season, former coach John Harkes opted for virtually the same lineup on a weekly basis. Even the subs were predictable. Cincinnati finished third in the USL Eastern Conference that season.

Last year generally saw the same players used in the 18 players (11 on the field, seven substitutes), but used in a multitude of options. Some players never endured position battles that could've led to decreased minutes. The team finished sixth.

Through FC Cincinnati's nine preseason games and the Columbus match, position battles have been one of the club's most apparent features, even if the season is still young.