What's the best combination in the middle to add an offensive spark?

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by Eleven Bravo, Feb 12, 2013.

  1. yankeeRoyal

    yankeeRoyal Member+

    Feb 12, 2006
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    Bahia Salvador
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sorry I don't understand. You're not saying that there are particular formations that are quick passing.....are you? I can understand formations that are "attacking" but formations that "do not lead to possession"?
     
  2. yankeeRoyal

    yankeeRoyal Member+

    Feb 12, 2006
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    Bahia Salvador
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The next time you think there is an "easily predictable" match.......let me know ahead of time. I'll watch closely. :) Cheers
     
  3. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    It's an interesting question.

    My answer would be to consider the biggest attacking contributors.

    The biggest contributors have been FJohnson, Herc, Dempsey, Jones, and Bradley.

    Next get rid of the 4123 as the backline is getting badly exposed defensively.

    Be sure to use a destroyer.

    Variations would be 4411 hybrid. Dempsey plays cuts inside. The deep mids shift to his side covering defensively. Johes gets his dream position as the 10. We all know he wants it. FJohnson plays touchline providing width both ways. Basically it's the Fulham attack when Dempsey was there. Dempsey and FJohnson could be flipped of course.

    ----------------Herc
    ----Dempsey-----Jones------FJohnson
    --------------Edu-----Bradley

    4411 with Dempsey at center. Jones or Bradley would need to sit. 'X' could be Shea, Chandler, or EJohnson depending on form and selections elsewhere.

    ---------------------Herc
    -------------------Dempsey
    -----X------------------------------FJohnson
    ---------------Edu------Bradley

    One final option would be geared towards getting something Altidore by pairing with an all-action forward like Herc. The deep mids would shift to cover for Dempsey. Herc provides defensive running from the forward spot.

    --------------------Herc-------Altidore
    -----Dempsey----------------------------FJohnson
    --------------------------------Bradley
    --------------------Edu

    The team using 4411/451 has put in solid performances against Italy, Mexico, Belgium, France, Canada, and Guatemala not giving up more than 1 goal in any of the matches.
     
  4. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I've always been a Bradley fan and thought he shud have been used more forward. Hwvr, over time I have come to criticize 2 aspects of game. He doesnt play the 6 well, he needs to play left or right, not both, and he doesnt read what is going on behind him when he gets too far forward. I suppose that is why Di Carlo hardly ever allowed him in the attacking end at Chievo. He is best suited to play with somebody like Edu in a Sandro-Dembele combination behind 4 forwards with strict instructions on when to go forward.
     
  5. yankeeRoyal

    yankeeRoyal Member+

    Feb 12, 2006
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    Bahia Salvador
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Eureka!! we should use the 4411/451 !!
    Unless.......we have also had weak performances using this formation.....and unless we haven't had some solid performances using the 4231 or the 433.
     
  6. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    The 4231 was just a Tottenham style 4411 where both wide players in the '3' are fully responsible for defending the flanks.

    The 433 used against Brazil, Scotland, Russia, and Honduras and the 41212 used against Slovenia on the other hand has shipped 11 goals.
     
    Excellency repped this.
  7. yankeeRoyal

    yankeeRoyal Member+

    Feb 12, 2006
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    Bahia Salvador
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sounds good to me. 4411? I'm on board.
     
  8. jclampit

    jclampit Member

    Apr 12, 2002
    Wasn't this our final GC lineup last time? Seemed to work well enough on offense, at least.

    [​IMG]

    If we adopted it today, using JK's preferred (and available) players, what would it look like?

    I guess Jozy takes Landon's spot and Clint or maybe Herc take Freddy's spot? EJ out wide. And since he reads and listens to BS, and wants to live up to his talk proactiveness and attacking being in both American and German DNA...maybe he'll play Benny/Sasha/Zusi/Gatt/whoever out wide as well (Clint if Herc takes Freddy's spot), removing the DM position behind our two B2B guys. ("Guys, I've got this new proactive system. I call it leeren Eimer.") Johnson and Chandler at FB, Gonzo and Cameron in the middle.

    Ideally, Landon and Brek are available, pushing EJ and Benny/whoever to the bench. Maybe Boca comes in, Cameron moves out wide, and Chandler sits.

    Something like...

    ..............Jozy.............
    ..............Clint..............
    Brek.......................LD
    ........JJ....Mikey..........
    ...........back 4..............
    ...........Timmay...........

    With lots of freedom for LD and Clint to switch.

    Sounds like it has a shot at being better, to me, than what we've seen. I'd love to see me some DMB too, for Brek or as a sub. (For those that have watched him regularly at Puebla, has he really lost *that* much speed?)
     
  9. Skevin

    Skevin Member+

    Aug 9, 2009
    Colorado
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Czechia
    The 4-3-3 just doesn't work with the current personnel unless Jurgen starts someone like Kljestan or Adu in a proper attacking mid position. What would probably work the best right now is either the 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1.

    One major issue right now is Donovan. If Donovan is included in the starting XI, we now have 3 players whose best position is striker (Jozy, Clint and Landon). If we want them all playing then we have to copy the formation Spurs play or a 4-2-3-1.

    -----------Altidore--------------
    --Shea---Dempsey--Donovan--
    -------Bradley--Jones-----------
     
    Excellency and jclampit repped this.
  10. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    that was a L 2-4 IIRC.
     
  11. Sam Hamwich

    Sam Hamwich Member+

    Jul 11, 2006
    Well, we can lose looking like crap, playing badly and working towards nothing or
    we can lose playing good football as we work towards a
    more fluid attack.

    Liverpool are getting beat but they are clearly working towards something, are fun
    To watch and with a few additions might just be top 4 next year.
     
  12. TheHoustonHoyaFan

    Oct 14, 2011
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Schalke 04
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    or we could win during WCQ which is what we need to do. We finished group round 4W-1L-1T. We have lost our first match in the hex and have 9 more to play. Lets figure out the best way to win the 5 matches at home and get a point in 2 of the remaining 4 road match and advance.
     
  13. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Frankly, the only reason I had Dempsey on top was because he is a heck of a finisher, he really doesn't quiet fit on most formations, he is not that fast, not a great defender, not a consistent passer, he doesn't seem to have great stamina either but he can get you a goal, specially early on when he is still fresh.
     
  14. deuteronomy

    deuteronomy Member+

    Angkor Siem Reap FC
    United States
    Aug 12, 2008
    at the pitch
    Club:
    Siem Reap Angkor FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, we need some more attackers.

    1. Hopefully LD comes back.
    2. Shea (other than LD) is probably our best winger in the pool.
    3. I think it may be time to drop Jones (not sure it's going to work with him and Bradley)
    4. I still believe our pool throws out best in a 4-4-2, but considering the 4-4-1-1 idea.

    ------------------------Jozy--------------------
    ---------------------Dempsey-------------------
    Shea---------------Bradley---------------Donovan
    -------------------=======------------------------------
    --------------------Edu------------------------------
    ----------------------back four-------------------------
     
  15. TheNearPost

    TheNearPost Member+

    May 21, 2010
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    I wouldn't say predictable in terms of score line, but more in terms of flow and how/where key battles will be. Anything can happen, of course, but there are factors that you can know will go a certain way.
     
  16. soccerusa517

    soccerusa517 Member+

    Jun 23, 2009
    Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  17. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    I watched the first 30 min of that game on YouTube a few nights ago. It really was not working all that well. Mexico fell asleep on Donovan's goal and it was the best sequence the US had since Landon's Brazil'09 score but Mexico was running all over the US.

    So, the answer is - play the talent you have. No Xavi, no Iniesta, no problem. Find something that works. And if it's flank&cross, then so be it.
     
  18. yankeeRoyal

    yankeeRoyal Member+

    Feb 12, 2006
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    Bahia Salvador
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Let me know. I'm planning on watching Spurs v Lyon tomorrow, if that one is "predictable" I'd love to know in advance what to expect.
     
  19. yankeeRoyal

    yankeeRoyal Member+

    Feb 12, 2006
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    Bahia Salvador
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The new 2012-13 buzzword. Everyone is talking about width. Next year, we'll surely hear about "length"......and maybe "girth"
     
  20. soccerusa517

    soccerusa517 Member+

    Jun 23, 2009
    Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Stamina.
     
  21. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    Viagra (hey, I am not 25 anymore)
     
  22. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Width matters
     
  23. yankeeRoyal

    yankeeRoyal Member+

    Feb 12, 2006
    Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    Bahia Salvador
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nutrition.
     
  24. jclampit

    jclampit Member

    Apr 12, 2002
    Alan Gordon it is, then. Glad we settled that. :)

    (I miss Landon.)
     
  25. TheNearPost

    TheNearPost Member+

    May 21, 2010
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Exactly, actually :) I gave Juergen massive props for that call up. I never predicted Alan would be the one sending in the cross, but he deserves massive credit for at least having the tactical acumen to realize his opponent's strategy and act accordingly.
     

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