FC Cincinnati may embrace its first-place status, but it's not resting on any laurels

No one at Futbol Club Cincinnati is arranging a trophy presentation now that the club sits atop the United Soccer League Eastern Conference standings for the first time in history. In fact, reminding head coach Alan Koch and his players of their position barely resulted in a smile.

"It's May," Koch said.

Which means this: Leading the conference through eight matches might be a morale booster, but it's hardly anything more, especially in a 34-game league season. Even players have said wins at this stage in the season are satisfying, but progressing as a club and developing an identity that carries now through October is more important.

FC Cincinnati has 17 points in eight games. Rival club Louisville City FC sits second with 16 points, but with a game in hand. Until the teams' rematch May 26, there could be jockeying for the top of the conference approaching the summer.

And while first place is a new terrain for Cincinnati supporters, it’s not for its players. Michael Lahoud, Richie Ryan and Blake Smith were all part of a Miami FC squad that earned a 15-point gap atop the North American Soccer League in 2017.

In practice Thursday, Lahoud, who joined Cincinnati last month, said first place can generate two characteristics.

“You can fear it or you can embrace it,” he said. “You’re no longer competing with other teams in fear of losing first place because you’re delaying the inevitable. Now the standards have to be up. The personal standards, the responsibility. There’s responsibility and sacrifices we do week in and week out. Every detail matters.”

FC Cincinnati practices this week were intense. Koch using 19 players in last week’s three-game, nine-point stretch proved there’s not only talent in the first team but even legitimate competition for players to make the bench.

In turn, that atmosphere has led to Cincinnati embracing its new role, where it imposes its playing style and approach on opponents.

Against Atlanta United 2 this past Saturday at Nippert Stadium, the Cincinnati offense waltzed its way to a 4-2 romp. Even in conceding goals, which stemmed from counter attacks after pushing players forward, there weren't fears the club’s attacking venom would lose its sting.

On Thursday, Koch said he’s told his players to play with confidence and with a “freedom of expression.” Mistakes will happen, but the second-year coach is more worried about his club’s response to them. It appears that mentality is seeping into players.

Defensively, FC Cincinnati has kept a stout backline that’s earned three clean sheets and remained firm in crucial road wins in Charleston, Ottawa and twice in Indianapolis. Come Saturday night at the Charlotte Independence, that expectation will continue, as Cincinnati is unbeaten on the road in 2018.

The midfield’s fluidity and interchanging positions this past week noticeably troubled opponents, allowing Cincinnati to dictate the flow and rhythm of the game. All of this directly feeds into an attack that scored 10 goals last week after only five in the first five games.

“Who’s gonna score for us? It could be anybody, really,” Koch said. “Whoever’s on the field, whoever’s an attacking threat. That’s what we want to be. We don’t want to be one dimensional and rely on one player to go and score. We want to make sure we have a bunch of players who are attacking threats. I feel we have that.”

How long the creative, attacking style remains will be seen in the coming weeks.

Playing the 12th-place Independence on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., Cincinnati has a quick turnaround, hosting fourth-tier Detroit City FC on Wednesday night at Gettler Stadium in the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Assuming FC Cincinnati advances, it’d play another cup match a week later, in addition to hosting North Carolina FC next Saturday, before Louisville again May 26.

If there was a clear message from training this week, it was that the conference leaders are focused more on continued development and growth than worried about defending first place.

“It’s a burden,” Lahoud said. “Being in first place is literally a burden and a responsibility. We either shy away from it and live out of fear of losing it, or we take a seat at the table and we’re there to be counted. I fully expect us to do the latter and embrace it.”