Yes, I totally agree. I've been trying to think about what might best suit the better players we have -- but it's tough, as I do feel (as many have noted) that our squad is unbalanced at the moment. Hopefully this will be redressed in the off-season. True -- whether it's seen as a 4-3-3 style or a 4-5-1 style depends largely on whether the wide players play as wide forwards or further back. In this case, they'd probably play a bit further back. If they play further back, the lone forward can get isolated, but you have the extra player in midfield. One of the things I learned in watching this summer's world cup is that having 5 players in midfield seems to bring a big advantage, particularly when the two wide players are actually forwards with pace playing in wide attacking midfielder roles. So many teams did this. Whether this translates into WPS is another question, but I'd be interested to see it tried. Regarding Miyama, I respect your judgment. I've never seen her play in the middle (to my memory), so I can't judge whether she could play there or whether she'd be wasted there. However, I don't see her as being as much of an attacking threat as Rasmussen or Ocampo, which is why I preferred them in those positions. It seems to me that Miyama has great vision and could put in some nice through balls if placed centrally (true, she wouldn't be crossing as much), and it also seems to me that she doesn't have much pace for a wide player. However, as an alternative option, she could possibly play out wide on the right instead of Ocampo, and then Mami or someone else could play in the CMF position instead. Thank you for the kind words, and likewise!
At her Japanese club side (Yunogo Belle) where she played till 2008, she always played in a central playmaker/AMF position, usually in a 4-2-3-1, 4-3-1-2, 3-4-1-2, or 4-4-2 diamond formation. That was mostly because she was by far the best outfield player of the team and she could have the most touches and the largest impact on the game in that position - actually the whole team was pretty much built around her as the playmaker. However Atlanta is a very different case; there are enough capable AMFs around as it is, yet I see noone even close to her abilities as a side midfielder. Regarding her attacking threat: she had plenty of that back at Yunogo Belle, and the reasons why she seems to lack that in the WPS are probably related to coaching. Every WPS side she played for had designated target strikers, and she's probably practising crosses and passes more than anything else in training. Add to that that she's an unselfish player if I've ever seen one, and it's no wonder she doesn't creaty many chances for herself. Still scored more than Bachmann has so far. I've reread some of the posts in here, and I'm starting to think that a 4-1-4-1 with four AMFs that are constantly interchanging positions could actually work for this team. Aya, Mami, Chalups, Rasmussen, Kerr, Heath should all be able to play in that role, so you would have 4 starters and 2 subs, which should suffice. I'm pretty sure that one of Ocampo, Aluko, and Bachmann will leave next season, and the remaining two can compete for the CF spot. If I was the coach I'd probably sub the CF and one AMF every match around the hour mark anyway. However for this formation to work you would need a coach who actually knows what he's doing, which pretty much seems to be the biggest issue already.
So, I found an illustration of the kind of 4-1-2-3 that I mean: basically the system that Barcelona employed (as And G has pointed out) and Chelsea under Mourinho. One defensive midfielder, two box-to-box midfielders, two wingers who can play as side midfielders and wide forwards, and a central striker. When the team doesn't have the ball, you have a five-player midfield. When you do have the ball, you have great attacking options. From what you've written, And G, perhaps it would indeed be better to have Miyama on the right wing (Aluko up top, Rasmussen on the left wing), and play Mami and Chalupa in the two attack-minded CM positions. Then Blank (or someone else) as the DM. Man oh man, I would be thrilled if we could somehow get Shannon Boxx for that DM position. All throughout our 6-1 loss to FCGP, she was the one player I wanted from their team, even more than Marta. (Okay, I'd still pick Marta over her if actually given the choice, but you know what I mean.)
Well tonight Eluko + Bachmann + Rasmussen are in Europe, and yet Ocampo is benched, at least for the first half. In their place Fountain and Sesselmann are playing - and they dont look so bad. Personally I think that's worth a try, because Ocampo to me has not shown any skills. Not exactly world-beaters but Fountain came closest yet to scoring. All in all the team is playing well, even the DF line, and its a 50-50 game.
I thought Atlanta looked pretty tough tonight - given that pretty much your entire offense was missing and the Freedom were desperate for a win, I was expecting a blowout. But it was a hard-fought game.
It's a bit harsh to say Ocampo hasn't shown any skills. She did very well when we played the Freedom at home in late-July, scoring two goals (and taking them very well) in our 3-2 victory. I also thought she did reasonably well when she was brought on as a sub against FCGP -- she should've scored two then as well, but her finishing let her down. She hasn't had a great season, sure -- but then neither has the team. For minutes played, she's our leading goalscorer apart from Aluko, and way ahead of Ramona or Mami. Granted, none of our front-line have overachieved this season, but there are multiple reasons for that, no doubt... Sounds like we did all right. A 0-0 draw and a 1-0 loss isn't a horrible end to the season by any means. Hopefully we'll get some things sorted out in the off-season and be back stronger next year!
The topic of this thread is Beat Formation and Organization. There are plenty of other threads available to bitch an kvetch about particular calls from games played this past week and Hope Solo's latest twit-rade. Please stick to the topic. Thanks.
Posts referencing the game v Washington have been moved here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1544343