There has been plenty of shine around the North Carolina Courage after back-to-back impressive wins, backed by a retooled 3-4-3 setup. Ashley Sanchez has a pair of match-winners, Ryan Williams was deservedly nominated for an NWSL Player of the Week, the list goes on.

One player who has flown a bit under the radar, at least to the outside world, is German international Feli Rauch, whose play on the left side of this new shape has been a major reason the Courage have climbed five spots in the league standings in two weeks.

Sanchez and Williams have been a powerhouse combination down the right flank, combining for three goals and one assist across the two wins. Against the Royals, 48.4% of the Courage’s attacks came down that right flank, compared to 32.1% on the left. Having a balanced attack is crucial, and even if not a perfect 50/50, the Courage’s match against Utah was a marked improvement.

“It's something we've been focusing on a lot over the last few weeks. Utah was probably our best performance at playing down the left-hand side. We are making sure that we're not just getting it on one side and being so predictable. The last game, for sure, was our best performance at playing and having balance,” Courage assistant coach Victoria Boardman said.

Despite fewer attacking opportunities, Rauch has been extremely effective on and off the ball in the new tactical setup. Against the Royals, Rauch completed 100% of her passes, won all three of her tackles and four of seven duels, while creating two chances.

“Getting her in a higher position and getting her to play forward has been something that we've been focusing on. You’ve seen that in the last few games, she's been able to receive and play forward, but also reset it and change the picture when we need to. It’s good because she has that capability to be an attacking threat as well. It's been good to see,” Boardman said.

Rauch has also been able to effectively drive into the box and be a far-post option for Williams’ services from the right, nearly scoring against the Royals if not for an excellent save.

“I love to be on the wing because I just get to go up and down the line, which is something I enjoy doing. … Ryan’s crosses are amazing, so I’m trying to be there. She’s quite fast, so it’s kind of hard to catch her sometimes, but it’s fun,” Rauch said.

In the Courage’s 4-2-3-1 formation, Rauch often tucked inside as an extra midfielder and allowed the No. 6 on that side to float high and wide. In the new-look 3-4-3, Rauch is that attacking width. It’s a position and role she is highly familiar with from her time in Europe.

“I’m really enjoying it right now. We have the players to play both systems, but I feel like this system, in our circumstances, suits us very well. I feel comfortable being on the wing again because it’s more of what I’m used to, and I feel like that’s when I can help the team more. I am enjoying it a lot, but also the wins that come with it,” Rauch said.

After the Courage’s thrilling win over Kansas City, Head Coach Sean Nahas clarified that the new formation was not a departure from the Courage’s overarching philosophy, but an intentional focus on putting players in the most advantageous areas within their system. Rauch echoed the sentiment.

“It’s also hard for the opponent to press us because it’s more natural and fluid with the position changes. We create a lot of overloads, which is sometimes hard for the opponent to press. I feel like that gives us a lot of comfort,” Rauch said.

Rauch is the focal point of that left-sided attack but isn’t the only player providing a spark on the “weak” side. Shinomi Koyama started in the No. 10 against the Royals and was incredibly efficient.

Shinomi completed 100% of her passes and created a chance, while winning the second ball in the lead-up to the game-sealing own goal just before halftime.

It was the first time Shinomi had started a match for the Courage in that 10 position, but it isn’t an unfamiliar area for the Japanese U-20 star. In the Courage’s 4-2-3-1 system, Shinomi was the left-sided No. 6 who would float high and wide as Rauch tucked into the midfield. Shinomi was a consistent creator in that spot, creating eight chances in 187 minutes before her start on Saturday, so her effectiveness in a more attacking role is no surprise – it just came in more dangerous areas.

Following the Utah win, Nahas highlighted Shinomi’s best moments as the ones where Manaka Matsukubo dropped in to combine with Shinomi and create overloads. The pair has a long history of playing together with the Japan youth national teams, including Japan’s silver medal performance at the U-20 World Cup last Fall.

Riley Jackson, another U-20 international star, completes the left-side midfield triangle, holding down the center of the park alongside captain Denise O’Sullivan. The pair have a lot of ground to cover in midfield and need to be in lockstep to do so.

“I love playing with Sully. She’s a beast. She’s a really good role model for me. I think our connection has gotten a lot better over the past couple of games. Against Utah, it really showed that we’re capable of combining it all together,” Jackson said.

Against the Royals, Jackson created one chance, completed 87.9% of her passes, and won four out of five duels.

“I like the new formation because we can pick up spaces facing forward a little bit more. There’s less rotation, so I can pick up the ball in spaces I want to receive to play forward. That’s been my focus a little bit in the last couple of games, just to play forward more and get more involved in the attack,” Jackson said.

Now in her second full season as a professional, Jackson said she feels like a whole new player.

“I’m just really enjoying this year. Last year, I was a little bit tense in the way I was playing. Being in a new environment, it was a little bit stressful. I was a first-year pro. I wanted to perform. This year, I know what I’m capable of and I’m just shoulders down, trying to relax, have fun, and get settled in. It’s a process. The first couple games of this season I was still finding my footing but now I’m relaxed, having fun, and enjoying the process. It’s been great,” Jackson said.

As the trio of Rauch, Jackson, and Shinomi continue to develop chemistry and familiarity with each other in the new formation, those combinations will only get better. That familiarity is something both Boardman and Rauch highlighted the importance of.

“They’re all fantastic, technical players. It is now just about building those relationships. We’ve had quite a few changes, so it’s nice for those three to build those relationships and know each other’s tendencies. Those three are technical footballers, they’ll be able to find each other. It’s just about having that consistency playing together,” Boardman said.

Williams and Sanchez have deservedly been grabbing the headlines in the Courage’s wins; they have been excellent. But both matches were complete team efforts, and the quiet effectiveness of the Courage’s weak side played no small role in those results.