Try a 4-5-1 against NE?

[Stan Collins]

This depends first on having four healthy defenders not named Kenny Arena, but maybe we should use a 4-5-1 against NE. This is sort of a redux of the "If Adu starts, Who Sits?' Thread, but with a spin:

1 - If this week is the indicator, Adu should start, and it shouldn't be Gomez who sits.

2 - Adu is not really a forward.

3 - We have gotten only 1 goal and 0 assists all year out of our forwards other than Moreno (if you don't count Adu).

4 - The concensus seems to be that our formation Saturday was good against a hapless Crew team, but wouldn't fly against NE, which puts its chances away.
--

I anticpate the counterargument to my solution is that we have no wingbacks, except maybe Stokes, who was hurt last week and probably not a starter for us when everyone's healthy. OK, so don't play a flat-back-4. Play a 3-man plus a sweeper.

Given these positions, I'd like to see something like:

-------------------GK--------------------
-----------------Boswell-----------------
--Namoff/Stokes--Petke--Prideaux/Stokes-
-----------------------------------------
-----Olsen---Caroll/Simms-----Gros------
------------Gomez-----Adu--------------
-----------------Moreno-----------------


This might help you erase some of the opportunistic header goals NE gets a lot of from Dempsey and Noonan, and even a lot of the crossed goals that Twellman scores, by always having a mark available for them and one rogue defender to search out what everyone else missed.

I'm not sure which of Namoff, Prideaux, Petke and Boswell (or you play Stokes if he can go and Namoff can't start, but you tell him to pretty much stay home, or make sure the others cover when he attacks) is best suited to the sweeper role (Boswell?--it would be nice for the defender to be tall and to read the game well more than to be extremely mobile), but frankly I think we have more than one guy who could cut it.

The major upside here is that by providing the defensive cover, we won't need to be so defensive in midfield, and we can handle Gomez and Adu as twin A-Mids (with Adu on the right). I don't think this is an overly defensive lineup, necessarily, if the A-Mids are instructed to go at goal when needs be (which needs will be at some point during the game, and which both pplayers can do).

Your three defensive/wing mid spots play according to how the flow of the game is developing. NE has not struck me as the kind of team to 'play possum' and go defend-and-counter on you for 85 min only to spring when you're overextended. They've been playing their opponents stright up. So if they're getting more of the ball, Gros and the other winger should be staying back more, and attacking more if the Revs don't. This creates an interesting competition for the three spots out of Olsen, Gros, Simms, Carroll, and possibly Kovalenko.

You've got Q1 and Guppy to come off your bench if the game is going more your way than you thought it might. And you could pull one of Gomez or Adu for Kovalenko if things are going bad.

[spidergoose]

I find your ideas intriguing and i wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

[Daniel le Rouge]

Why do people insist that we somehow MUST play with four defenders? Everything will be Ok if only we can get four defenders on the pitch.

Here's a wild idea:

Instead of redesigning our system from the ground up right after a successful outing, why don't we stick with what works, and just do it better?

Revolutionary thought, I know. :rolleyes:

[Stan Collins]

I find your ideas intriguing and i wish to subscribe to your newsletter. Sarcastic or not? :)

Seriously, this is probably about the first time I've tried to construct a full lineup, so I could be missing something, even though if I say so myself I am capable of making strategic observations.

[spidergoose]

Sarcastic or not? :)

Seriously, this is probably about the first time I've tried to construct a full lineup, so I could be missing something, even though if I say so myself I am capable of making strategic observations.

Not sarcastic.

PS- Holy crap FC Dallas/DC United? Get out of my sight.

[BigKris]

When Arena used a 4-5-1 against Mexico, Eddie Johnson was starved of the ball. Several posters on BS said afterwards that this is one of the problems with the 4-5-1, especially for a group not used to playing it, is that you choke off service to your lone striker and it's hard to get him in the match. What are your thoughts on this? Are you concerned that we won't be able to get Moreno the ball?

[spidergoose]

I'm not too concerned with that, feeding Moreno the ball is what Gomez does. Also, the US isn't used to playing with 5 midfielders, we are.

[jason1551]

I'd rather see a 3-6-1 (assuming Eski is still less than 100%, otherwise we stick with what we had last week):

------Moreno------
--------Adu-------
Gros---Gomez---Q1
--Carroll---Simms--Olsen
Petke--Boswell--Prideaux

Adu or Q1 push forward when Gomez has the ball, but otherwise can run at the other team's defense. Gros and Q1 run the flanks, with Olsen shifting up for Q1 when given the opportunity. All are capable of getting shots off and maintaining possession. Tell the backline and Carroll/Simms to stay back and control our third.

[BigKris]

Jason, double-check your formation - that's a 3-6-1-1. Only works if you don't play a Goalie, which I don't recommend ;)

[Stan Collins]

Hey, I'm a season ticket holder and a bigger fan with each year, but that'll never stop me from being a Dallas-born Texan.

I don't think defenses would be able to key in too much on Moreno because Gomez and Adu are both defenders whose shot you must respect more than the average mid. Just like you'd be a fool to key in on Noonan and Twellman if it came at the expense of Dempsey.

As to the 3-6-1, it's a little scary due to the smear of Sampson ;). Other than that, it depends on how effective you think Q1 would be. He might be all right in the role you've got him, but if Namoff is healthy I tend to think he's more entitled to a field position (unless he doesn't practice well or something).

{Edit: I missed the 3-6-1-1 part, too, so don't feel too bad.}

[sch2383]

I think Esky is about to start scoring again. I noticed in the replay that his workrate was much higher, closer to last year's level which is always a good sign. He is a fighter out there and we all know that he can finish his chances. Once he nets his first one, more are sure to follow.

I also disagree with changing the formation, the team is used to the 3-5-2, lets keep it up and as long as both Gomez and Adu are tracking back on D, it really isn't that big of a problem.

[Stan Collins]

I think Esky is about to start scoring again. I noticed in the replay that his workrate was much higher, closer to last year's level which is always a good sign. He is a fighter out there and we all know that he can finish his chances. Once he nets his first one, more are sure to follow. Long term, I agree that he will pick it up again. It's just a question of whether it will be this week, and whether we can afford to have all of Moreno, Eki, Adu and Gomez out there without suffering on defense to what is right now the best offensive team in the league (if not the best all-around team in the league), the one that burned us for four goals at home.

I also disagree with changing the formation, the team is used to the 3-5-2, lets keep it up and as long as both Gomez and Adu are tracking back on D, it really isn't that big of a problem. My observation there is that neither of these guys does it by nature, so there's reason to question whether they can do it well enough to stop NE. You're right that sometimes changing formations can be uncomfortable, but all things considered, I'm not sure I'd let that stop me.

[BigKris]

I'm still not convinced that Moreno can be a lone forward. He likes to drop back into the midfield to get the ball quite a bit; if he does that as the "1" in a 4-5-1, we're suddenly playing a 4-6-0.

[jason1551]

Jason, double-check your formation - that's a 3-6-1-1. Only works if you don't play a Goalie, which I don't recommend ;)
You're right. It would be awesome if we could get away with that, but not likely. Take out Q1 and make it a 3-6-1. Have Q1 roam the sidelines, shouting at Dempsey to distract him. Have him shout that Dempsey swings like a girl.

[Stan Collins]

I'm still not convinced that Moreno can be a lone forward. He likes to drop back into the midfield to get the ball quite a bit; if he does that as the "1" in a 4-5-1, we're suddenly playing a 4-6-0. you make a point, and I can't deny it. My hope is that the 4-5-1 would give enough midfield coverage that Moreno would realize he has no need to drop back. If that either doesn't work or Jaime can't figure it out, we are playing a 4-6-0 and effectively playing for the 0-0 draw, a strategy I detest, even against a nice NE team.

Every formation has drawbacks, though, and I think the drawback of playing two forwards is that right now it seems like that means putting at least 1 unproductive player out there, when you could otherwise have 11 productive ones.

[BigKris]

Every formation has drawbacks

OK, this we can agree on. However, some formations have more drawbacks than others. One drawback in particular that I would point out is, any formation that your team isn't familiar with will make it harder to find teammates, understand assignments, and generally get the most out of players. Players play at their best when they can act without hesitation.

I vote that we not take a chance with a new, unproven formation. Let's stick with what we've got -- a formation, don't forget, that resulted in three goals in the last game.

[Stan Collins]

OK, this we can agree on. However, some formations have more drawbacks than others. One drawback in particular that I would point out is, any formation that your team isn't familiar with will make it harder to find teammates, understand assignments, and generally get the most out of players. Players play at their best when they can act without hesitation. Oh, I agree with you that far. I don't think I would let it stop me from trying, but I do see your point.

Here's Clint Dempsey's scouting report on his team from Grant Wahl awesome column: Most of our goals -- and all of mine -- have come from crosses. We're getting the ball wide and having good service into the box. Without my team I definitely wouldn't have been scoring those goals.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/05/09/power.rankings/index.html

I worry about miscommunication coming from our back line. But not as much as I worry about not having enough guys to cover Dempsey, Noonan, Twellman, and the Joseph/Dorman/Leonard type who will sneak in when you're focused on those guys.