9/19 - Matchday 26

1. What is Peyton Miller's best position?

Peyton Miller is one of the best young talents in the MLS. He's already played over 50 MLS matches and he's only 18 years old. Throughout these 50+ appearances, Miller has featured at a variety of positions: he can pretty much play anywhere on both flanks. The majority of his minutes have come as an attacking left back, but this season he's lined up primarily on the left wing for New England. In either role, he is terrific. What makes Miller effective is his elite quickness and intuition for making runs. Miller is one of the fastest players in the league, and he uses this pace to put the opposing backline under constant pressure. For such a young player, he has a great understanding of when to make his runs. Whether he is providing an overlap from deep or threatening space in behind, Miller's timing of his movement combined with his unmatched speed makes him such a valuable asset for the Revolution.

This season, Peyton Miller has mostly been used as a winger, even though he projects to be a fullback long term. Simply put, Miller completes New England's attack. In Carles Gil and Jack Harrsion, the Revs have two high level chance creators. Miller does a great job getting into dangerous positions, trusting that his incredibly talented teammates will find him. Perhaps more important is the effect Miller's verticality has on the opposition's defensive structure. They need to back off to respect Miller's runs, affording New England's playmakers more time and space on the ball. Striker Dor Turgeman is the perfect complement to this attack, as he has a great nose for goal and also provides verticality, which is key for a team with multiple players who always want the ball to feet. Miller's been a perfect fit on the left side of this attack which has looked much improved in the second half of the season.

But is left wing Peyton Miller's best spot on this New England team? In Marko Mitrovic's 4-2-3-1 system, one of the defensive midfielders has license to join into the attack. This is typically Alhassan Yusuf's role, as he is really good at finding open spaces in and around the box. However, he recently sustained a hamstring injury, bringing Jackson Yueill in to deputize in that role. Yueill has been good but doesn't have the same instincts in the final third. This is where the recent acquisition of Daniel Gazdag could prove crucial for the Revs. In his limited minutes with his new club, he's been slotted in at the left wing, which would be a great fit with Miller behind him at left back. If Yueill's positioning is a little more conservative, Gazdag has the green light to find soft spots in the box. This allows Miller to keep the width on the left side. Miller is more than capable of impacting the game on both sides of the ball from the left back spot with his endless energy. In theory, this setup works for Mitrovic, who will have to adapt with Yusuf and Harrison reportedly set to miss 6 weeks. Early season standout Luca Langoni is close to match fitness, so this will give a potential replacement on the right side of attack for the Revolution. It will be interesting to see what Peyton Miller's preferred role is for the remainder of the season for the Revolution.

2. How do Austin's inverted wingbacks fit their system?

Austin FC have been a much better team under interim manager Davy Arnaud. The Verde & Black showed well for themselves in Leagues Cup, and are now on a 6 match unbeaten run. Arnaud has adopted a 3-4-2-1 system which looks to maximize the strengths of their personnel, putting key players like Facundo Torres and Guilherme Biro into their best spots on the field. During Austin's summer surge, Jon Gallagher and Joseph Rosales have locked down the wingback positions for Arnaud. However, it's Rosales who plays on the right and Gallagher who plays on the left. This is counterintuitive because the vast majority of wingbacks are used to provide the width. This is not in Rosales and Gallagher's nature when they are put in these spots, as they look to cut onto their dominant foot, taking them inside. The concern with this tactic is the attacking midfielders also look to come central, leaving no reliable option to stretch the field in the wide areas for Austin. That said, with Austin now just one point behind a playoff berth, the inverted wingbacks have clearly been effective for the Verde & Black.

Austin's recent success has largely come on the road, with three straight victories away from Q2 Stadium. In these matches, Austin have largely adopted a pragmatic approach which aligns with their choice of wingbacks. As Rosales and Gallagher aren't tasked with constantly getting high and wide in possession, they can assume more withdrawn positions. This solidifies Austin's rest defense. It also allows the wingbacks, and Rosales in particular, to tuck into the center of the park. Rosales began the 2026 season playing as a central midfielder for Austin, so he is more than comfortable in this area. When he slides alongside the holding midfielder, the eight can release and join into the attack. Gallagher, on the other hand, is a more vertical option at wingback. This has been evident on Austin's travels, with Gallagher making great runs on the counter attacks which have proved very profitable for the Verde & Black. Another nuance to this system is the freedom given to the outside center backs. Guilherme Biro and Mikkel Desler are the first choices at these spots, and as natural fullbacks, they have the option to make an overlapping run during sequences of sustained possession. Biro has shown a propensity to be adventurous in the attacking third, and is very dangerous when he gets into advanced areas. This is a buildup pattern Arnaud could use at home, where Austin look to be more proactive. Austin's inverted wingbacks have been good for Austin, who look to continue their good form in a crucial Copa Tejas matchup in Dallas on Saturday.

3. Can DC United frustrate Charlotte FC and end home stand with momentum?

DC United haven't made the playoffs since 2019, collecting two wooden spoons in that span, including last season. This year, under new coach René Weiler, DC United have been a much harder team to play against. This hard working, defensive identity has helped raise their floor, and they have put themselves in position to challenge for a spot in the playoffs this season. One aspect of this identity is that they do not want to have possession of the ball: DC averages roughly 37% possession, which is the lowest across the MLS. Even at home, DC is content to take their moments and play on the counter while relying on their defensive shape. In their last 3 games, all at home, they have remained under 40% possession, but have picked up one win and two draws in that span. While staying unbeaten is good, it is important for DC United to pick up all three points at Audi Field. DC United has the most amount of draws in the league, and their inability to convert these stalemates into all three points is a big reason why they are on the outside looking in.

DC United's opponent in this one will be a Charlotte FC side that is looking to secure a home playoff position. Since the arrival of Allan Saint-Maximin, The Crown's attack has come to life. His creativity has helped get Toklomati back in form, but perhaps more important has been Liel Abada's improvement. Combine that with one of the most underrated midfielders in the league, Pep Biel, and they have suddenly been explosive in attack. However, with some injuries across the frontline for Charlotte, it might have to be a reserve, such as promising youngster Rodolfo Aloko, who is going to break through this stingy DC United defense. Captain Lucas Bartlett has formed a solid partnership with Australian Kai Rowles that has been crucial to this team's success. They will need to be excellent in order to slow down this Charlotte FC side, who will surely have more of the ball, in order to end this 4 game home streak on a high note.