Some insight from the DelCo Times Union beat writer from the latest practice and the team playing some 11v11: http://uniontally.blogspot.com/2013/01/mondays-training-camp-reflections.html
That's going to put a lot of pressure on Okugo to perform offensively, but oh man if it works... Really, reading the article, this will be a 4-1-2-2...with Seba just running all over the damn place. As he should be.
I think he may be confused. It should be Okugo and Carroll next to each other as two defensive mids with Michael Farfan in front of them.
I don't think either of the forward or mid lines will be static. This is just a guess on my part but setting each fwd and mid lines in a triangle and allow them to rotate to press the attack or defend. Now most likely the positions of both Casey and Carroll will be more set to their specific attributes (Casey always high and Carroll always back). Mostly it would be Marfan and Okugo pushing up or back and Mack and Seba.
So, Okugo goes from a centerback to central midfielder? Also, having one defensive mid will mean that you will only have 3 players back on defense when your fullbacks push forward. I though the argument for that was to have defensive mids to protect against the counter since you fullbacks pushed up.
that is where the rotating comes in Okugo-Marfan Marfan Okugo Okugo-Carroll-Marfan Carroll Okugo-Carroll Carroll-Marfan with one that is rotating you are not in a set position the whole time making it harder to mark. it does require an understanding by the midfielders that there needs to be adequate defensive coverage and they cannot all push at once nor all drop back at once. This was used to a point last season just Lahoud and Gomez where not fluid in it. Hopefully, and I think likely, Okugo will be better at it as he is decent with the ball at his feet. The forward line would do something similar just with Casey always being at the top.
I think the success of this formation offensively and defensively requires an understanding between the wingbacks and the box-to-box midfielders more than anything else. You won't expect a whole lot from the CBs offensively, but Hackworth pushes for wingbacks that not only contribute offensively but get all the way to the endline - some of the Farfans best plays have come off end line runs. That over extension puts a lot of pressure on the midfielders to maintain positioning. I always think of it as rotating back in basketball to cover the top of the key when someone heads down the lane. If Okugo and Marfan don't have a relationship with Garfan and Williams, we are going to get burned on the counter over and over again, then we'll get too defensive, and the 4-3-3 will sag into a 4-5-1 and defeat the purpose. We got older and more experienced up front and in the back, but the heart of this formation is resting on a collection of our younger, lightly seasoned players. Will be interesting to see how they respond this year - the 3rd year in MLS seems to be the season where players plateau or take it to a whole other level. Both Farfans are on year 3, Williams is at 3 1/2, and Okugo is starting his 4th but didn't see the field consistently until the last 2 years.
Williams and Marfan worked well together 2 years ago and usually gave defenses fits so hopefully that resurfaces. Okugo having played on the backline last year I think will help. And the twins are well twins and seem to play well off of each other whenever they are on the same side of the pitch. I think Le Toux's ability/desire to track back can also add help if/when someone gets caught upfield.
Hack says he has a Starting XI for the first half and a completely different starting XI for second half for Saturday's game.
After the OC game, I'm probably not alone in wanting this: Assumes that Carroll resumes back to normal form, and that Okugo is still better than Soumare.
McInerney instead of Le Toux please! If you're gonna have Torres and Marfan setting up chances then why not go with best finisher on the team. Other than that, I'd be happy with this lineup, although Soumare in the back and Okugo pushed up to midfield might be better.
I still don't see Jack and Torres starting over Seba, it would be more likely that Torres could replace Jack in the starting 11. Also I doubt Williams loses to Gaddis based off one preseason game. Williams long throw ins with Casey in the middle has the possibility of causing problems for opposing defenses.
It's not so much the First 11 I want to see as much as rotation I want to see in the next game. I'm not saying Gaddis should start over Sheanon as much as I want to see him get some time with the first team for the next game. Likewise, I'd rather see what Jack and Casey can provide in the next game. Preseason is a time to experiment and get players time. For that matter, I want to see if Vidal is a player for now or the future. EDIT: I guess I mixed up my threads. My lineup was more for the Columbus game.
Now it makes sense, though still not sure about Gaddis over Williams but it is preseason and the time to tinker. With Vidal and Torres in the mid the ball needs to stay low until the final 3rd, neither have any height (both around 5'5).
Since everyone was posting theirs, I thought I would post my XI. It's a little different from everybody else.
Im wishy washy on Le Toux, I really don't care if he plays or not. But what makes you think they will sit him during regular season? They went through all the drama to get him back, why not play him. Le Toux FanBoys are just as bad as Adu ones. Le Toux is a good player. Not amazing not bad. Like everyone else said (Ima go with the flow), three up top. And they all score goals.
Pairing Mac with Casey in a 4-4-2 would probably be the best combination at this point. Jack is a poacher of sorts that has a nose for the goal when he is in the box. Casey is a big player that can be used to win the ball, occupy defenders, and find space for Jack. The biggest problem I see with the forwards is that there is really no answer if the other side goes up a goal or two and parks the bus. We need a finesse finisher that is a long distance threat that can be used to draw out the bunker. Also, there is no one on the roster who is particularly good when dribbling at defenders outside of Marfan and Torres.
As I mentioned in a recent post I defer to you guys in matters as I know when I am still learning. But for my 2 cents... We scored more than ever in 2011, but more importantly we we among the best 2 in goals allowed. Our goals for were far more in the middle of the pack. With the combo of Parke, Soumare, Carroll, and Okogu, I can't imagine not using those four players as our CB's and 2 holding DM's. The rest of out also strength lies in our middle - Marfan (there have been MLS.com articles so his CAM experiment is here to stay), Torres, Lahoud, Casey, LeToux, JackMac, Hopp, Wheeler (if he can become a tall target), Hoffman if he is not bust an same with Jordan ans a CDM. The important thing is LB/RB's aside, our midfield has very little strength on the sides. Daniel, Cruz, apparantly Leo Fernandes, and anyone else? It seems as if they are all listed, those few aside, as more comfortable up the middle. Do we adjust our whole lineup for them? Wouldn't it be easier to get our forwards more comfortable up front on the left and right and play the 4-3-3, maybe even playing Cruz and Daniel and as the LW/LF and RW/RF. Many of the best in the world, scoring and setting up, are not strikers - they are forwards left or right who play little or no defense (and of course CAM's). I again defer to you guys and see what you think. But I hope that we can all agree that the foursome for defense (to get back to our Mondragon good solid D ways of our playoff year) that we need Park, Soumare, Carroll, and Okogu all in the starting XI.
At the end of that somewhat confusing post, it dawned on me that it could be broken down to this... What formation can we get Soumare, Parke, Carroll, and Okogu all in the first XI AND allow for a CAM starting position for Marfan (which like it or not is going to happen - you can argue who or what it should be, but I think we have to assume the season will at least start off like this and it seems senseless to argue the impossible or "not going to happen")? Anything other that a 4-3-3 with a triangle with 2 d-mids and a CAM (which could be flipped to allow for 2 CAM's late if losing with one holding mid) or even a 4-2-2-2 of some sort. What 4-4-2 gets those four (Soum, Parke, Carroll, Okogu) in AND Marfan at a CAM? Only way I can think is putting Okogu on one of the outside mids which seems to put him out of place.