I got beaten down here on BS before the first game when I said I didn't think Boniek in the center was the answer. I stand by that opinion. He has less time and room to maneuver in the center. And he gets overly involved defensively.
He is getting swarmed in the midfield. He has worked hard, but every time he turns away from one defender there is another coming at him. For me, this is the concern. I'm not overly distraught that we have lost 3 in a row, but I am concerned that the league has evolved tactically and we are not keeping up. Many MLS teams have implemented a 5-man midfield this season, mirroring the trend in Europe. Right now we are overmatched and overwhelmed in the midfield. We could not play through the midfield this weekend. Only way to get the ball forward was ineffective long balls or the instances where Barnes dropped deep to pick up the ball. Problem with the latter was once Barnes (and sometimes Driver & Garcia) started moving forward with the ball, there was nobody to get it to.
I was telling myself the same thing on Sat. DM. I'm a traditionalist, an old footy coach here in Texas and it is diamond 4-4-2 with a dedicated #10 and combative Stopper at #6. However, the 5 man midfield really has taken over the modern game and certainly in specific leagues like ours here in MLS.
Interesting in that somehow the 5-man midfield NOW arrives in MLS... ... when teams in Europe have used it for YEARS NOW. The 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1 have been used in Spain for a DECADE. Fiorentina uses a 3-5-2 quite a bit and they are 4th in Serie A.
So in other words this would be the Ideal Starting 11 if 4-5-1??: Kofi - Taylor - Brunner - Corey Clark - Warren (Carrasco) Boni Davis (Driver) Barnes (Cascio) Bruin (Cummings) If 3-5-2??: Kofi - Brunner - Corey Clark Warren (Carrasco) Boni Davis (Driver) Barnes (Cascio) Bruin -Cummings (Sherrod, JJ)
You (inadvertently) highlight the problem the Dynamo have in a tactical switch. I'd like to go 4-2-3-1 or the Christmas tree (4-3-2-1). However, who is that lone striker? Only guy on the roster who comes close to fitting the ideal characteristics of a lone striker is Sherrod. Somehow I don't see us handing over the reins to a rookie 2nd round draft pick. 3-5-2 could work and the Dynamo did play such a system in the pre-season twice. Worth a shot at home, don't know about on the road. Why Brunner, though? Horst is twice the player Brunner is. Brunner is destined to be a lifelong MLS backup. Nice guy, but not strong, poor in the air, generally not a great defender.
In a 3-5-2 you need one or two mids who can span the whole field to have 4-5 in the back when the other team attacks. Creavalle would fit. The other, Clark? Having Rico and Warren makes Houston a good candidate for a 4-2-3-1, but yes, Bruin wouldn't cut it as lone striker. Also, me thinks those three behind the striker have to be younger and faster than what we have.
Going a bit young in key areas but, (and fully fit) -----------------Sherrod ----------Driver-----Cummings ---Davis---Warren C.---Rico---Boni -----Cochran-----Horst------Kofi ------------------Deric
He runs at people/makes off the ball runs that open up our attacking 1/3 He takes on defenders. He finishes when given the look. Is he Ryan Giggs, no, do we have much options going forward, no. He plays within his game and looks to service balls into the area as much as possible. Which is Dom 101.
BTW - did that tackle by Rico on Goncalves result in a yellow card? IMO it was a more dangerous tackle than Horst's that was deemed a red in the last game. No consistency or standards for expectations of players and fans. Both yellow card fouls in my opinion but an argument could be made that Rico's was more violent and possibly worthy of a red.
When I saw the tackle I immediately thought it would be a straight RED! It was pretty bad and if another player would of done that to somebody in Orange we would of been pissed. In all honesty however knowing the way Rico plays he is usually pretty good at tackles - i'll say the turf had a little to do with the way he slid.
He takes on defenders and turns the ball over. Honestly, can someone point me to an assist he created in recent history? I seem to recall him having a look at the penalty spot v. Dallas but missed it. When was the last goal he scored for Houston? His last goal/assist came on May 8, 2013. In that time he has gotten about 15 or 16 games worth of minutes - mostly as a starter. I agree we don't have much options, but the sooner he sees pine the better for Houston IMHO -- ESPECIALLY if he starts on the right. Filling in when Brad is out --- fine. He may be the best option. But not anywhere else on the field or when Brad is starting.
I'd like to see Cummings play more. I think he's an intelligent player that combines well with others even though his speed has declined. He won't light the world on fire, but its not like our other options are. I would be getting frustrated if I were him and watching from the bench every game. He's gotta be feeling like there is not much he can do to earn more time.
I feel the same about Alexander Lopez. Just throw him in there for a match or two. We need to see how he will do in league play. His last match, he had an assist, and looked decent. *I understand, in Dom we trust. I just don't want to see this ugly, impotent football all season. New ideas if the old aren't working.
I was going to ask about Cummings. What is his deal? Is he 100% and can he go 75+? If so why isnt he?
@CeltTexan for President!!! I admit that Driver is struggling this season. I also have to say he is playing at the level of Bruin, Taylor and arguably a few others. Unless we go scouting to South America, all we will be able to find is our typical pool of players: recycled old Dynamo, broken down ones that other teams dont want, overhyped bad experiments who fail miserably when they arrive and rare rare bargains. After overspending on MLS greatest star Alex Lopez, i suspect we wont be going back to S America any time soon. Instead, we will see Mulrooney, Cochran, Ngwenya and Mullan come back to our team one day. So, we are stuck with players with limited abilities like ______ (insert name of your least favorite player here) Im not asking for the team to win every game, im not asking to win La Copa every year, but im demanding the Dynamo FO, owners and whoever the F* manages this team to realize that we have needed better forwards for a long time. They should watch the Galaxy vs Dynamo 2011 MLS final over and over and over and over and over again to remember that its been a long time since we have been needing forwards. Toothless attack. We have the right to expect the Dynamo to address obvious problems early in the year and not have to wait until the summer, hoping that a cheap (rent-a) deux ex machina falls out of the sky and miraculously helps us make it to the playoffs. MLS is getting better each year, we have to keep up or resign ourselves to becoming this year's New England or DC United. Or Chivas.
I expect that the teams performances will be evaluated after this road trip, and changes made if players form cannot improve.
---------------Bruin-------Cummings------------------- ----------Davis----------------------Boniek-------------- -------------------------Clark----------------------------- Ashe---------------------------------------------Sarkodie ----------Taylor---------AJ----------Horst-------------- --------------------------Hall------------------------------ What about this lineup? You could put Barnes in for Bruin if you'd like. Neither has really impressed so far.