Should we go to four in the back?

[macheath]

Well, never too soon to think about next year (************ it all). So, should we go to four in the back? The three-man back line leaves a lot of space on the flanks, and we're getting hammered with crosses into the center. This is compounded by Rimando's problems in the air, of course, but we're leaving a lot of space out there, and we're paying the price--Catolica, tonight, etc. We jam up the midfield, but people are figuring that out, and maybe we need to stretch the back line out more? Of course, if defenders would stop watching the ball and start marking open attackers, that would help...

[Publius]

I'm no genius at tactics but I've been particularly unhappy with Nowak's insistence on the 3-5-2. First, I think it forces us to leave at least one qualified starter on the bench (Erpen vs. Boswell) or otherwise to play a solid central defender out of position (Petke).

I think that Boswell and Erpen are quite promising players with lots of potential. On the other hand, I'm not wildly thrilled about either Prideaux or Namoff on the defensive flanks. They just don't have enough speed and can get turned easily, leaving a lone central defender and a shorter than average keeper to deal with the resulting cross into the box.

[bofahey]

My personal view is that we need to be capable of using different tactics against different teams, and in different situations. We also need to be mixing in bench players occassionally in first team games so that our key players aren't burned out in October, and so that our subs are used to first team action when they are suddenly called upon to play (like Bobby was today).

But this requires flexibility and a long-term outlook (as opposed to always playing for today) from the coach, and Nowak seems to have very little as far as I can tell.

The 3-5-2 still works as our main formation, but I'd like there be to be some variety (as there seemed to be for a short period in the summer when we had that weird lopsided 4-3-3 or whatever the heck it was at times).

[MrFancy]

The 3-5-2 still works as our main formation, but I'd like there be to be some variety (as there seemed to be for a short period in the summer when we had that weird lopsided 4-3-3 or whatever the heck it was at times).

Agree completely. I like the 3-5-2, but when we're having a game when we can't control the middle of the field we need to be able to switch.

[Section106]

Yes. I don't like the 352. I've played as a defender in both the 442 and 352 and I feel that the 352 really limits your defenders chances of getting involved in the attack. Here is what I'd like to see next year.

--------------Perkins(or some reasonable facsimile)----------------
-----Namoff-----------Facu---------Boswell-----------Gros-------
-----Olsen-------------------Carroll-------------------Adu--------
-----------------------------Gomez------------------------------
------------------Filomeno-----------------Moreno---------------

Gros has the ability to play touchline to touchline and in the 442 Freddy isn't such a defensive liability. If Gomez runs out of gas bring in Tino to play outside and move Freddy into the AM spot. Boswell stays at home and Facu gets to disrupt plays and move up the field.

[dtduffy]

I'd like to see more of a 4-3-3 at times with

Namoff-Erpen-Boswell-(any of Gros, Wilson or Prideaux)
--Olsen--Carroll-Simms
any two out of Gomez-Moreno-Quaranta-Adu (as creating attackers)
either Eskandarian or Filomeno or someone new as a pure striker

If Gros doesn't work as a back he can rotate into a defensive midfield role with Olsen and Simms

[MeridianFC]

You could put a gun to Nowak's head and he wouldn't do 4 at the back.

[Section106]

You could put a gun to Nowak's head and he wouldn't do 4 at the back.


I know. Sad. I think he really needs to sit down and assess the personnel on this team.

[cyberthoth]

--------------Perkins(or some reasonable facsimile)----------------
-----Namoff-----------Facu---------Boswell-----------Gros-------
-----Olsen-------------------Carroll-------------------Adu--------
-----------------------------Gomez------------------------------
------------------Filomeno-----------------Moreno---------------

Gros has the ability to play touchline to touchline and in the 442 Freddy isn't such a defensive liability. If Gomez runs out of gas bring in Tino to play outside and move Freddy into the AM spot. Boswell stays at home and Facu gets to disrupt plays and move up the field.

I like it though I don't see how you can leave Santino out. I think Olsen needs to move back to RB anyway...move him there and replace with Tino.

[Sanguine]

Yes. I don't like the 352. I've played as a defender in both the 442 and 352 and I feel that the 352 really limits your defenders chances of getting involved in the attack. Here is what I'd like to see next year.

--------------Perkins(or some reasonable facsimile)----------------
-----Namoff-----------Facu---------Boswell-----------Gros-------
-----Olsen-------------------Carroll-------------------Adu--------
-----------------------------Gomez------------------------------
------------------Filomeno-----------------Moreno---------------

Gros has the ability to play touchline to touchline and in the 442 Freddy isn't such a defensive liability. If Gomez runs out of gas bring in Tino to play outside and move Freddy into the AM spot. Boswell stays at home and Facu gets to disrupt plays and move up the field.

put that midfield in a box and it's perfect.

Olsen - Carroll
Adu --- Gomez

[galperin]

You could put a gun to Nowak's head and he wouldn't do 4 at the back.And that is partly what killed us against the Fire

[superdave]

The problem is, DC has accumulated a bunch of center backs and no fullbacks. So there will have to be alot of trades to get the personnel in sync with the system. Except for Wilson at left back, do we even have any MLS Cup quality fullbacks on the roster? (And Wilson's a stretch.)

Yes, the tactic invites crosses. The problem is how we deal with those crosses. When DC is dominating the midfield, things are going great, and nobody notices the weaknesses. But when we aren't...Rimando is NOT the GK you want playing behind a 3-5-2.

I wonder...in your typical MLS match, DC can and does dominate the midfield. But this might explain the fairly consistent embarassing flameouts in tournaments. Teams are better, so it's harder for DC to dominate the midfield, and teams are more prepared, because winning ONE MATCH is so much more important it's worth focusing on countertactics for DC's opponents.

For all the Freddy to New York talk, I'd rather see Freddy and Rimando (a good GK for a 4-4-2) package deal to a team that has a front-running forward and a keeper who is strong on crosses. Hopefully some team with the right personnel will be jammed up against the cap and be looking to deal.

Frankly, LA needs a better midfield, and Freddy and Rimando and some make-weight depth for Hartman and Gomez might work. Of course, I'm assuming Esky doesn't recover, or at least we can't count on him. And, let's face it, Moreno isn't getting any younger, he's due for an injury, so we'll need cover up front.

[NicktheGreek]

Nothing at all wrong with a 4 man back line, 2 tall solid defenders in the middle (think Pope/LLamosa- like) and 2 blazing fast wings (I think Gros rather than Agoos). Maybe not against every team, but often enough so that Nowak's "top secret" line up won't be so totally predictable game after game. Alot would have to do with Rimando. Because of his size can he play behind some bigger backs?

[GoDC]

I would hope that any well coached team would have some alternative formations that could be used if the opponent or the game dictate that.

Now, should DC United be included in this category????

[BigKris]

I think we've got 4-4-2 personnel. It allows us to get both Boz and Erpen on the field, and also allows us to get both Freddy and Gomito on the field. Something like this:

-------------???---------------
--???---Boz----Erpen----???---
-------Carroll--Olsen----------
-------Gomez--Adu-----------
-------Esky---Jaimie----------

That leaves us three spots to fill, notably the wingers. I'd bet that someone on the team (Gros, Wilson, etc) can step up to claim one of those two spots; then we need to work some kind of trade or deal to get the other.

[superdave]

I think we've got 4-4-2 personnel. It allows us to get both Boz and Erpen on the field, and also allows us to get both Freddy and Gomit on the field. Something like this:

-------------???---------------
--???---Boz----Erpen----???---
I'm not sure if you're joking, but those sets of "???" flanking the central defenders is the problem. WE DON'T HAVE ANY FULLBACKS. (Except Wilson...and I'm not sure he's the quality we really want.) MLS fullbacks, in general, are pretty poor. American fullbacks are pretty poor. That's why Eddie Lewis started at left fullback against Mexico, and why Albright is our best backup to Steve Cherundolo.

And if your fullbacks aren't contributing to the attack in a 4-4-2, and Carroll is one of your mids, you're trying to attack with 5 players, and that doesn't work, not in modern soccer.

Quaranta is a pretty valuable commodity, and maybe he can spring loose a right fullback from a team that needs something in the attack. Otherwise, I just don't see a 4-4-2 as any kind of option.

This team was built for the 3-5-2, to the extreme.

[TOTC]

YES!

We got too exposed in the back too many times.

We need a Bocanegra at the left. We need something in the draft. A stud. An Onyewu. SOMETHING!

[eltico]

Namoff is a right back. A very very poor man's Steve Cherundolo, but a right back nonetheless.

In a 4-4-2, Erpen and Boswell clearly man the middle, Namoff goes out wide on the right, and, unless Nowak thinks Wilson is the answer on the left or manages to make Prideaux twice the player he is now, there's a big gaping hole there.

[DoctorD]

superdave - with all due respect, the problem is that we do NOT have the necessary personnel, especially the outside midfielders. Consider the guys who have played on the outside this year and rank them by "hustle":

Gros
Wilson
Dema
Olsen
Quaranta
Adu

Now rank them by ball skills - the list is almost perfectly inverted.

Adu
Quaranta
Olsen
Dema~Gros
Wilson (has ball skills but makes poor decisions)

Our outside backs routinely push way up into the attack, which leaves the back very exposed (see Catolica goal #1) if the midfielders aren't playing any defence.

Carroll has developed nicely as a D-mid. The more I think about it, we could take our current personnel and play a very effective 4-4-2.

[elconejito]

what happens to depth if we go with 4 in the back?

Stokes (pleased dont laugh) should be back next year, and I hearsay that hes better in a 442 than a 352, but if wilson plays left back, then our only other defensive cover is prideaux unless i'm missing somebody...