Has Arena ever used the box midfield? [Archive]

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giffenbone

13 Mar 2006, 07:37 PM

I could have missed it, but I just can't remember a game where Arena has gone with a box midfield. I remember the diamond midfield plenty of times...but SO many people on here seem to think he'll go with the box midfield, and I just don't remember him using it.

-------x-------
--x---------x-- diamond
-------x-------

----x-----x----
--------------- box
---x-------x---

Please correct me if I'm wrong though and point out the specific game where he did use a box midfield.

Also, what are your opinions on what you think Arena will do with the midfield situation for the WC...not what you would do?

FC Tallavana

13 Mar 2006, 07:39 PM

Wasn't the 1-0 win over Mexico in Dallas a couple years ago a box?

NBlue

13 Mar 2006, 07:42 PM

Wasn't the 1-0 win over Mexico in Dallas a couple years ago a box?

umm, yes. I would say it was box a la Alba.

russ

13 Mar 2006, 07:45 PM

IIRC,the away qualie at T&T was a box.

Also,even when we're in a diamond,it's a "skinny" diamond,allowing the outside backs to advance deeply,on one or both sides.

Atouk

13 Mar 2006, 07:59 PM

When we played Poland in Chicago in summer '04, the starting midfield was Donovan, Beasley, Zavagnin, and Mastroeni. Wasn't that the set-up then? I can't remember.

Starting XI that day: Howard; Convey, Bocanegra, Pope, Cherundolo; Beasley, Mastroeni, Zavagnin, Donovan; Wolff, McBride.

Winds350

13 Mar 2006, 08:01 PM

IIRC,the away qualie at T&T was a box.

Also,even when we're in a diamond,it's a "skinny" diamond,allowing the outside backs to advance deeply,on one or both sides.

Home T&T, maybe? Ralston, Reyna, JOB, Convey for that one. Although that could have been a flat four. I seem to remember JOB and Reyna both up near the T&T box. Could have been after T&T went down to 10.

Away T&T was Mastro, Beasley, Lewis, Donovan, which I remember as a diamond.

How about Mexico in Columbus? Was that a box (trapezoid) or a 1-3? Ralston, Reyna, Armas, Beasley.

And it's become a skinny diamond due to a lack of a wide RM. When Ralston and Beasley are the wide mids, they tend to play it near the touch line, Ralston more than Beasley. Convey I remember as playing wide as well.

russ

13 Mar 2006, 08:02 PM

The skinny diamond occurred also in 2001,whenever earnie stewart played RM.

giffenbone

13 Mar 2006, 08:08 PM

Home T&T, maybe? Ralston, Reyna, JOB, Convey for that one. Although that could have been a flat four. I seem to remember JOB and Reyna both up near the T&T box. Could have been after T&T went down to 10.

Away T&T was Mastro, Beasley, Lewis, Donovan, which I remember as a diamond.

How about Mexico in Columbus? Was that a box (trapezoid) or a 1-3? Ralston, Reyna, Armas, Beasley.

And it's become a skinny diamond due to a lack of a wide RM. When Ralston and Beasley are the wide mids, they tend to play it near the touch line, Ralston more than Beasley. Convey I remember as playing wide as well.

Home T&T qual - not sure
Away T&T qual - diamond
Home Mexico - it was a 1-3, Ralston was wide right for sure. Or it was 4 across with the wingers playing up a bit. But definitely not a box. Someone pop in the tape and tell me the formation they give at the beginning. My tape of the game is at home.

As for the skinny diamond...that's not a box!

Do you all think we will use a box in the WC? Or what kind of midfield for each game?

NBlue

13 Mar 2006, 08:16 PM

Home T&T qual - not sure
Away T&T qual - diamond
Home Mexico - it was a 1-3, Ralston was wide right for sure. Or it was 4 across with the wingers playing up a bit. But definitely not a box. Someone pop in the tape and tell me the formation they give at the beginning. My tape of the game is at home.

As for the skinny diamond...that's not a box!

Do you all think we will use a box in the WC? Or what kind of midfield for each game?

The 2003 Friendly against Mexico was, without doubt, a box. I actually bet we play a box against Germany next week -- as for the world cup, who can tell with BA -- he is tough to predict. I suppose it is possible against Italy but I doubt it against the Czech Repbulic or Ghana.

Casper

13 Mar 2006, 08:19 PM

We've played a spectacular amount of box midfield. Between '00 and '04, I think we played it more often than not, with the notable exception of the World Cup. It was more of a trapezoid when Stewart was on the field than a straight up box, but we've played it a ton, even if the lineup had an obvious right mid. Any game where Donovan was "listed" at right mid was also a box. Any game when Clint Dempsey is on the right - we'll kind of be playing a box, even if it's Beasley on the left.

PALE568

13 Mar 2006, 08:21 PM

06/20/04 vs Grenada Box Formation:
Armas/Reyna behind Donovan Beasley http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_73877.html

07/11/04 vs Poland Box Formation
Zavag/Mastro behind DMB & Landon
http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_80671.html

09.04.04 vs Sallies Box
Zavag/Reyna behind DMB & Landon
http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_101692.html

I'm sure there's more - pre-Hex this was the formation, barring injuries.

PALE568

13 Mar 2006, 08:28 PM

Do you all think we will use a box in the WC? Or what kind of midfield for each game?

It'll depend on the opposition & who we have ready & healthy. An interesting research assignment would be name the # of times between 2002-2006 WCs that JOB, Reyna, Mastro, DMB, Lewis, and Donovan were all available for selection. How Bruce handled that game MIGHT give you some insight. Still, things change through the years (eg: Lewis's migration to the back line)

You can pretty much call our back line (particularly if Lewis settles in) & you can more or less guess at our fwds (particularly if EJ find his form) but midfield with everyone healthy is tougher to figure.

Assuming JOB remains injured and Lewis stays at fullback, my guess is:

Donovan
Beasley Reyna (inside right)
Mastro

Dempsey & Convey are your subs on the wings.

Scoobs

13 Mar 2006, 08:31 PM

sidefootsitter

13 Mar 2006, 08:32 PM

... Home Mexico - it was a 1-3, Ralston was wide right for sure. Still a box. You can play it wide on top, which makes it more of a trapezoid, also.

Bruce would love to field JOB and Reyna at the base with Beasley/Convey and Dempsey wide and with Donovan on top with McBride but it's been hampered by JOB's unavalailability.

SABuffalo786

13 Mar 2006, 08:34 PM

Everyone was absolutely raving about the box midfield after we completely dominated Mexico in Dallas a couple years back.

I think it was Donovan, Beasley, Mastroeni, and Zavagnin.

PALE568

13 Mar 2006, 08:38 PM

Everyone was absolutely raving about the box midfield after we completely dominated Mexico in Dallas a couple years back.

I think it was Donovan, Beasley, Mastroeni, and Zavagnin.

Yeah, wasn't that the game where Landon switched once and for all to midfield? I think that was a FSC (actually FSW) broadcast & Chris Sullivan kept banging on about how this was Landon's natural position. I remember thinking that game was a revelation.

Could be misremembering...there sure are a lot filler between the WCs...

Winds350

13 Mar 2006, 08:51 PM

Everyone was absolutely raving about the box midfield after we completely dominated Mexico in Dallas a couple years back.

I think it was Donovan, Beasley, Mastroeni, and Zavagnin.

Midfield of Donovan, Beasley, Armas, and Zavagnin, with Mastro as a CB. Sounds like a box.

Pope got the goal off a save of a Twellman header. Sanchez had a pretty good game for Mexico, as I recall.

Li mu bei

13 Mar 2006, 09:00 PM

Yeah, wasn't that the game where Landon switched once and for all to midfield? I think that was a FSC (actually FSW) broadcast & Chris Sullivan kept banging on about how this was Landon's natural position. I remember thinking that game was a revelation.

Could be misremembering...there sure are a lot filler between the WCs...

It was beautiful; the best I've seen us play. I think it was only 1 or 2 nothing, but we dominated the game in every way.

That was the first time I realized that Convey was a baller. Regardless, there was so much chemistry among the young guys that it was amazing.

In addition to the stepover, Hejduk showed that he is capable of the occaisional meg. ;)

Li mu bei

13 Mar 2006, 09:17 PM

Yeah, wasn't that the game where Landon switched once and for all to midfield? I think that was a FSC (actually FSW) broadcast & Chris Sullivan kept banging on about how this was Landon's natural position. I remember thinking that game was a revelation.

Could be misremembering...there sure are a lot filler between the WCs...

Mastroeini, Donovan, Beasley, Convey, Twellman, and Casey were playing.

I don't think Zavagnin or Armas played at all.

The game I think we're talking about was in Dallas. There was a game in Houston against Mexico (we tied 0-0) a few months before the Dallas game.

NBlue

13 Mar 2006, 09:18 PM

Yeah, wasn't that the game where Landon switched once and for all to midfield? I think that was a FSC (actually FSW) broadcast & Chris Sullivan kept banging on about how this was Landon's natural position. I remember thinking that game was a revelation.

Could be misremembering...there sure are a lot filler between the WCs...

Exactly as I recall it -- I have never seen us play as well as we played that night. Shocking that with both Armas and KZ in the game we could, amazingly, play beautiful.