Patrick Brennan

pbrennan@enquirer.com

You might call the next phase of Futbol Club Cincinnati's preseason the "business end" of its 2017 preparations.

Thursday marked preseason training session No. 14 for FC Cincinnati. The first two weeks of preseason have seen several new players trickle into camp upon being signed while most have been on fields at the University of Cincinnati and in Mason.

They've been getting to know each other and laying the foundation for 2017.

The club departs Saturday to continue preseason in Bradenton, Florida at IMG Academy. There, all parties involved, including fans, will get their first look at the revamped FC Cincinnati side in match play Sunday against fellow United Soccer League team, OKC Energy.

Get the latest FC Cincinnati news. Download the FC Cincinnati Soccer app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

When the team arrives in Florida, the technical staff will continue tinkering with lineups and personnel groupings.

Head coach John Harkes has 26 players – nine of which are new signees – to mix and match.

Those that standout stand the best chance of seeing the field early in the 2017 campaign.

Harkes said during a Thursday interview at the University of Cincinnati's Gettler Stadium he doesn't have a set starting XI in mind. There's much still to be settled in that respect thanks in large part to the offseason signings.

"The chemistry is excellent. It's a good group," Harkes said. "Took the core from last year, added a lot of different pieces and it gives us flexibility in terms of the way we want to play... Some great skill players that have come in and (are) pushing other players for starting spots, which is great. We want competition in training every day."

Harkes said Thursday he's leaning toward lining up in a 4-3-3 formation, although he won't fuss over the formation at this point in preseason.

"I think the Florida trip will be a good platform to try out different players at different positions, see what they're comfortable with and see what the coaches like the looks of," FC Cincinnati defender Harrison Delbridge said Thursday.

Starting Sunday, the preseason matched come fast. FC Cincinnati will play three next week before beginning prep work for a ballyhooed exhibition at Sacramento Republic FC.

Hometown fans will get the final look at their team over two friendlies against the UC men's team (March 11) and Andy Fleming's Xavier University side (March 17).

Building from the back

FC Cincinnati's made waves with the attacking players it's brought in for 2017, as well as its lofty aim of scoring 62 goals this season.

Far less has been made of the team's defensive-minded players, but they, too, have measurable goals to chase in 2017.

Cincinnati's fullbacks and defensive midfielders have quietly set targets on surpassing some of last year's numbers, including the 27 goals conceded – the fourth-fewest in league play – and the 10 shutouts.

"The boys are working on getting some goals, so the backline will work to get the number of goals we gave up last year down," Delbridge said. "Try to keep as many clean sheets as we can."

PRESEASON MATCH DAYS

• Feb. 19, versus OKC Energy (USL) @ IMG Academy, 4 p.m.

• Feb. 22, versus Chicago Fire (MLS) @ IMG Academy, 4 p.m.

• Feb. 25, versus Ottawa Fury (USL) @ IMG Academy, 4 p.m.

• March 4, at Sacramento Republic FC (USL) @ Bonney Field in Sacramento, California, 8:30 p.m. EST.

• March 11, at UC men's soccer @ Gettler Stadium, 7 p.m.

• March 17, at Xavier @ Xavier Soccer Complex, 7 p.m.

FC CINCINNATI ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Mitch Hildebrandt, Dallas Jaye, Dan Williams

Defenders: Austin Berry, Tyler Polak, Derek Luke, Harrison Delbridge, Pat McMahon, Matt Bahner

Midfielders: Eric Stevenson, Aodhan Quinn, Kadeem Dacres, Kenney Walker, Paul Nicholson, Francisco Narbon, Corben Bone, Jimmy McLaughlin, Marco Dominguez, Aaron Walker

Forwards: Andrew Wiedeman, Casey Townsend, Omar Cummings, Andy Craven, Daryl Fordyce​, Victor Mansaray, Djiby Fall.