As he should be, certainly in formations like Friday, and certainly when he's got Yedlin behind him. With Zusi or someone else, it might not work as well. The announcers correctly stated that he's a great 5th attacker, but when he's one of the top 2-3 options on the team Arriola is not quite as valuable. Still really good, but he thrives more as one of many strong attackers. That's true about many players, but just reminds us how much we need a solid striker to for him to work off of. Acosta and Steiber are great options with him. We just need one more guy up there to open spaces for Arriola and finish his attacks.
I gave him his due earlier, great game where everything clicked. The Canaleros gave the ball away like Santa Claus on Christmas and that made everyone who did a very good job look like a superman. Nonetheless he's our guy and after this season he is the light at the end of the tunnel for suffering United fans.
After the first two goals, Arriiola later led a 3v3 fast break down the center and slid the ball nicely to Altidore - who botched it. He's a lot more than merely a "great 5th attacker".
The point wasn't that he's the 5th best, but that when he's a main focal point, he's not as great at that. When he's an option among many that are dangerous, he's a lot more effective. For DC, when mullins is finishing Arriola is really dangerous. When mullins isn't, arriola isn't as hard to defend.
I disagree, which is why I brought it up. Acosta can look really really good even if no one is helping him. Arriola has yet to do that for DC United and it's hard for me to imagine him creating goals just on his own. He's a complementary player, whereas someone like Acosta isn't as much.
Having Acosta and Steiber make Acosta's job a bit easier. He can't be as ganged up on. Not having an actual striker makes all three's job harder. They have to cut in and head to goal which immediately negates the space they create in the midfield and makes it easier for defenders to collapse into a more compact space.
I think Arriola is good and hopefully will get better. He plays more like a wide midfielder than an inside forward because his left foot isn't all that strong when he cuts inside from the right and he's not much of a goal scoring threat. Ben's current tactics call for at least one inside forward that can get into the box and finish. If Stieber can be that finisher, I think we're OK. You really only need one inside forward that can get you 8-10 goals. Another 8-10 from Acosta and then you have your lone striker who loads up with 15+. Remember, this is the formation that gives you Ronaldo and Mesi's crazy goal scoring numbers. Both of those guys are really playing as inside forwards. The 4-2-3-1 is made for the inside forward.
Ronaldo and Messi could wear Red frocks and march in a straight line and would still score goals like crazy, It's the player not the formation
We’re bitching in the other team thread. I’m sure the FO is crying about the inevitable loss of value of Arriola and income from the World Cup attendance and interest bump evaporating though.
And the even-more-likely departure of Bill Hamid, now that the "guaranteed starter" situation is less critical to him.
Hamid will move if the offer is right for him. The DC United FO would not know what to do with the income from the World Cup attendance and interest bump. They are so short staffed that the cleaning lady has more of a clue.
There's a lot for Hamid to think about in the coming months, but last night certainly didn't help matters. Short of the experience of playing in Europe or some massive payday, there really isn't much of an incentive for Hamid to go to Europe now. There's no WC squad to aspire to, and there's no stage in which to showcase your talents leading up to the tournament. And while playing in Europe is an experience in and of itself, it really doesn't mean much now that the US won't play a competitive game for at least two years.
Just look at their numbers when each played centrally vs out wide. The numbers don’t lie. The formation put them in situations where they would have more goal scoring touches.
Turns out, Ronaldo and Messi are two of a kind. So as long as we can convince them to come play here, problem solved! Or, we can use a formation that best promotes a common understanding and effective distribution of roles and responsibilities among our non-Messi-type players. But I do think you're on to something with marching in straight lines. It worked for the Brits, right? "Why the hell are they all marching in a line? Jaime, do you see this? They OMIGOSH THEY JUST SCORED ON US!!!"
I watch Messi more often than Ronaldo and he never seems to be where he started after a bit of play. They adjust and readjust to what works best. No, I may have the concept of a formation wrong but these guys play fluidly and a glance at the heat maps (how do the do that??) for these guys bears it out. Formation is in my mind is static like b-17's trying to bomb Germany or stupid Brit soldiers marching in a line through the woods Gumby I think one of us or both missed the other's sarcasm re the straight line.