Is Cyle Larin’s Best Backup Option Currently with Orlando City B?

Orlando City has struggled to find quality play behind Cyle Larin this season, with his 2,110 minutes played coming in second only to goalkeeper Joe Bendik. We’ve seen him appear to tire out in stretches, and a consistent solution hasn’t appeared from the senior team.

Carlos Rivas played out of his mind for a game, but we haven’t seen much of him as a striker in MLS. His play on the left, while fleetingly exciting, largely left us wanting more. Julio Baptista seems at his best coming on to face tired legs, but has yet to claim a role as his own, scoring three times in over 10 hours of time on the pitch.

Is the answer with Orlando City B?

Michael Cox has been pouring in the goals in Melbourne, scoring 11 on 44 shots, good for a 25% conversion rate. Kid Fantastic is sporting a 22% rate at the Major League Soccer level, finding himself fifth in the league with 14 goals.

A 24-year-old Canadian, Cox stands 6-foot-2, weighing in at around 190 pounds of goal-scoring fury. Terrorizing the USL as its seventh-leading scorer, he's been converting on the service provided by dynamic midfield presence Pierre Da Silva at a rate that leaves us wondering what he could do at the end of Kaká's passes.

Watch the way he boxes out the defender inside the box, making himself an easy target while proving his strength in dominating his position before leaving the defender in the dust with his turn.

The talent discrepancy between the USL and MLS is a notable one, and shouldn't be overlooked when envisioning what Cox can do at the next level. But his size, strength, quickness, and poise to bury game-winning goals all make him an intriguing option for a team struggling to find depth to rely on.

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