Think of Stoke or West Ham or old Bolton under Allardyce. They could never compete against the big clubs on style, so they had to try something that worked for them. They found the niche and stuck with it. For the US,, both Onyewu and Wynne have the Rory Delap type throw-ins. It may not be pretty for 90 min but you got to do what you got to do.
i thought that we have been moving away from the 2 DMs in front of the back 4 to provide more attack 4-1-x-x i believe any formation we use has to have 1 dedicated DM in front of our back 4 if we drop a 2nd DM there, then our attack lessens fluidity would b nice, but we dont have the players for that being a high scoring team would b nice, but we dont have the players for that either id like to continue to see a 4-1-2-3 formation x-x-x-x jones kljestan - bradley ej/gomez/altidore/dempsey/shea/gatt/donovan if Jones cant have that DM mindset, use Edu or Williams i dont think Jones and Bradley actually work together they kind of do their own thing i think Kljestan provides more possession and linking than Jones which, imo, can lead to more offense/attacking id also use our subs on our 3 attackers, and make adjustments to the formation and what result we need to finish the game can easily go from a 4-1-2-3 to a 4-1-3-2 or 4-2-3-1
formations should be used to counter an opponent with strength against strength. Then strength against weakness. It is fluid and changes during a game. It is silly to stick with xx and ooo which allows the opponent to exploit your demonstrated weakness. It is why they will attack your weaker sides and weakest link. Like forwards, who often switch sides, that should also be common throughout the defense with a clear covering tenet always in effect.
The only players that are crucial to wins and draws are: Dempsey, Altidore, Bradley, Jones, and Donovan. That plays into JK's mindset, using the fullbacks as wingers, even instead of Shea and/or Gatt, your only two wide players. Kljestan isn't important compared to Donovan in midfield, and can't fulfill our needs as his replacement, but Donovan won't be playing for us, at least in the first half of qualifiers? Donovan should be replaced by someone nearly as good as him, which we don't have. This is JK's hardest dilemma in midfield. Using Gomez and EJ as MFs isn't going to pan out, and is one of JK's blind spots, among others. Don't think honestly that Gatt will make the roster. I'm happy to be surprised. Beasley, the push-over but a qualifier veteran, could takes his spot if he continues to score and assist in Mexico? He's like 1/2-Donovan as a field player, so the choice of the other 1/2-Donovan is ? Torres, Edu, Williams. I guess that sums up the conundrum.
Yankee I know you have no use for formations and the snobbish Euro tactical jargon. But the team with the best players doesn't always win. Why is that? Good fortune sometimes, player spirit sometimes, but sometimes strategy plays a part. I've always thought we've played best when we've pushed aggressively. When we defend with vigor, attack directly with pace, and get forward with numbers. We seem to have lost that urgencey under JK. I like some of his ideas but I don't want to lose that American desire that gives us a fighting chance each and every game. Anyway I don't want to get off track so I'd do something like this.. ------------------------------- CF ---------------------------------Dempsey/Jozy/Gomez/Johnson/Boyd? ------------ Floater -=--------------------------- Winger --------Floater: Dempsey/Adu/Mix/Corona --------------------------------------/\-----------------------------Winger:LD/Gatt/Zusi ------------------------------ Attacking Mid --------------------- RushingMid: Bradley/LD ------------------ Ball Winner ------------------------------------BallWinner: Bradley/Jones ------------------------ Deep Lying PM---------------------------DeepLying PM:Jones/Torres/Holden --------/\-------------------------------------------------/\-------- ------ WB ---------- CB -------------- CB ------------- WB ------ I know Zeman was just fired by Roma, but the style he uses would fit our personal really well. It's direct, fast, and you don't need multiple wingers to make it work. CTRL + Q to Enable/Disable GoPhoto.it CTRL + Q to Enable/Disable GoPhoto.it
this is not unlike what Dortmund are playing. I would be in favor of this formation or if we must, really own the 5-3-2 / 3-5-2 combo and let the strikers play off each other. The formation you listed implies we can move the ball centrally with very quick passing and movement....in other words, can we?
If Donovan comes back; we should be able to.... using that same formation: On paper, it'd look like this: ---------Altidore-----Dempsey-----Gomez*------------- -----------------Bradley*------Donovan------------------ --------------------------Edu*---------------------------- Johnson------------------------------------------Cherundolo* ----------------Gonzalez*-----Cameron------------------ --------------------------Howard-------------------------- *Gomez could be replaced by Johnson, Gatt, Shea, Pontius or Zusi. *Bradley could be replaced by Jones *Edu could be replaced by Williams, Morales, or Beckerman. *Cherundolo could be replaced by Chandler or Parkhurst. *Gonzalez could be replaced by Bocanegra or Besler. In Practice, it'd look like this: ------TF: Altidore^>>>--------------------- -------<<<^-IF: Dempsey------------ ^>OF: Gomez ------------------< AM: Donovan >--------------- ---------------- ^v MF: Bradley-------------------- <^v Johnson---------------------------Cherundolo ^v> -------------<<<vvv DM: Edu vvv>>> --------- --------------Gonzalez---------Cameron--------- -----------------------Howard-------------------- *TF= target forward; OF = Outside Forward; IF= Inside Forward.
I really encourage anyone who hasnt watched Dortmund, perhaps the most inform CL team, to do so. They are a high paced, high pressing, very organized, centrally passing team. They have some talent, their striker can be lethal, best comparison would be F. Torres, they have the newly re-acquired Reus, and they have little fatty himself, mario Goetze, outside of them they have a team of hard working guys that play the system. If we had to pick any team to model ourselves after, this would be the one.
Yes, a style that emphasizes and depends on having multiple attackers with subliminal skill would work well for for the US. Over in this universe -
In most Hex matches against CONCACAF teams (possibly excluding the Mexico match in Azteca), I'd like to see us return to a formation that seems to play to our strengths. I'd like to stop playing guys out of position (e.g. Gomez or Eddie Johnson on the wing, Jermaine Jones in a wide role, etc.) 4-4-2: -------Altidore-------EJ/Gomez------- ---Dempsey--------------------Donovan --------------Bradley-------------------- ---------------Jones/Edu/Williams----- F.Johnson---------------------Cherundolo ----------Bocanegra--Cameron---------- ------------------Howard----------------- It is a 4-4-2 with Dempsey as a pinched in wide midfielder and Jones/Edu/Williams as the more dedicated defensive midfielder, freeing up Bradley to spray the ball around and make runs into the box. Cherundolo and Fabian Johnson provide needed width in this formation and are given freedom to overlap and get into the attack from the wings. My alternative preferred formation is a 4-2-3-1: --------------Altidore-------------------- --Dempsey----Feilhaber-------Donovan ----------Bradley------Jones------------ F.Johnson--------------------Cherundolo ----------Bocanegra--Cameron---------- ------------------Howard----------------- Feilhaber is a bit of a head scratcher selection, but I thought he looked good for the most part against Canada and has proven that he can produce for the U.S. even when he has not lit the world up on the club level. Alternatively, I would try someone like Sacha Kljestan in the role (centrally) if he is the more form selection. Mix Diskerud is another option but is more of a gamble. Or Graham Zusi. Or, I would be willing to insert DaMarcus Beasley into the LM spot and move Dempsey centrally.
With Donovan: ------------Striker-----Donovan ----Dempsey--------------------touchline mid -------------------------Bradley --------------destroyer In a 442. Dempsey cuts inside. Bradley plays as an 8. Donovan drops down for defensive cover and to help provide transition from midfield. The deep mids shift left to cover for Dempsey. The line mid provides width both ways. The destroyer can be anyone of Cameron, Edu, or Williams depending on form. The touchline mid can be FJohnson, EJohnson, Chandler, Pontius, Shea. Nothing radical. The principals are playing in familiar positions. Defensively solid.
Let's get specific. Is there a particular game that you think showcases an inferior team winning because of strategy? Many USMNT fans point to Bradley's strategy v Spain.......is this a good example?
Any predictable CL games coming up? Please let me know when there is one. Eager to know in advance the key battles and flow of the game.
Is the Dortmund "system" "high paced, high pressure, centrally passing"? I leave out your "very organized" phrase because I don't know what it means. I'll be watching Dortmund v Shaktar in two hours. Dortmund is at home so they should be entertaining but then again Shaktar could bunker.
I'm not able to catch soccer matches as frequently as I used to because of school and work now, but I imagine the Old Trafford edition of the Madrid-United tie should be pretty interesting. Sir Alex Ferguson said he was displeased with how much space his side gave up to Mourinho's, even if he did want them to drop off and deny space in behind. United did carry a fairly decent attacking threat throughout the game though. One of the obvious questions is stopping Ronaldo. Despite the goal, he actually didn't have an amazing game in the first leg. United kept him quiet for large stretches, and made it difficult for his fellow Galacticos to find him. However, United had issues dealing with Fabio Coentrao. Wayne Rooney was the man assigned to him on the right flank, but he lost him several times, one of which led to a unique save from David De Gea. The main conundrum is this - United have the lead on an away goal. Do they go for it at home and attempt to establish a bigger lead, or do they sit on their slender advantage? Ferguson already expressed displeasure with how submissive his side were in the first leg, but we all know he likes to play mind games. Still, United making this game open could play to Madrid's strengths. Even though they can control the game, as they did in the first leg, they like it when their opponent's attack and make an open game. This can open up spaces, and Madrid are probably just behind United when it comes to counter-attacking. I can't say for absolute sure, but I feel like Sir Alex probably gambles and goes for the big win. That could be a mistake, but with only an away goal protecting them, sitting back and hoping they don't concede at home may also be foolish. The best defense, in this case, might be to really press on the offensive. That said, this is a game in which the momentum could swing almost minute to minute. Should United get the first goal, Madrid would still only need a goal to be back in the game. If Madrid get the first goal, it might be a bit more difficult for United to wrest control of the match from a team and coach who know how to kill a game off.
Thanks for the effort, but frankly, it doesn't sound like this game is one of "the easily predictable" ones you have previously described. Let's wait for one that you feel confident about. Cheers.