Projected lineups and formations for '14 season

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by Boloni86, Dec 13, 2013.

  1. Eastern Bear

    Eastern Bear Member+

    Feb 27, 1999
    Great Falls, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    I read in Goff's latest that Olsen has talked to DeLeon about playing in the middle. Does this mean Arnaud to the outside RM? I like the idea and DeLeon seemed very pleased. The squad still needs an above average MLS left back.
    -----------------------EJ
    ---------Espindola
    ---Pontius----DeLeon-----Arnaud
    ----------------Kitchen
    NewLB--Parke--Boswell--Franklin
    ---------------Hamid
     
  2. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll have to reread that, but I thought it was more of a situation where DeLeon said he would like to play there more because he's more involved in the game and that he would like to talk to Olsen about it. As in it came from the player and his desires and not the coach.
     
  3. Hedbal

    Hedbal Member+

    Jul 31, 2000
    DC
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I remember seeing DeLeon in the middle on occasion and he wasn't half bad. But I don't think he is the answer.
     
  4. fatbastard

    fatbastard Member+

    Aug 1, 2003
    Lincoln (ish), Va
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ultimately I like Martin in (or toward) the middle, he's possibly our most composed midfielder. That could be because he's too young to know better and we'll soon coach that tendency out of him ;)
    But DeLeon is not a bad guy to sit in there in a pinch.
     
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  5. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Andy Najar sends his regards.
     
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  6. GumbyG

    GumbyG Member+

    DC United
    Mar 22, 2007
    Chesapeake, VA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wish he'd send himself. Airmail.
     
  7. John L

    John L Member+

    Sep 20, 2003
    Alexandria, VA
    Actually, I was thinking of a very dominant outside Fullback who could cover the wings and flanks while also supporting the middle up to the Center line. Najar's offensive talents would be wasted in that position.
     
  8. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    True, cause he can do more than that. When he left us, he could basically play as many as 6 positions at least remotely competently. (in descending effectiveness)
    RB
    RM
    RW
    CM
    DM
    RF

    I'd be happy with him playing just the three you mentioned.
     
  9. Marco10

    Marco10 Member+

    Sep 9, 2002
    #309 Marco10, Jan 29, 2014
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2014
    Haha! Touche!
    Yes, he's a bit of a concern of course. But I see him as a decently athletic and physical defender who should be able to hang with his guy for the most part. He's not horrible, just maybe a bit naïve, so hopefully some Boswell coaching and some specific guidance from the coaching staff and he becomes "not a liability" at least.

    I think people under-estimate Parke. He's a solid pro who can man mark reasonably well and is smart enough to be in the right position and not to get caught out constantly. Any defender can get pulled out of position from time to time, so to say he's more prone to it than any other MLS defender is I think unjust. As is his lack of athleticism. He's not Olave, but he's not immobile either. He can hold his own athletically in MLS and let's face it, speed is always going to be the trump card and win against most defenders in this league. Few rosters have a truly good matchup against a burner.

    Also, almost no team doesn't have a weak link somewhere in their starting IX. If we upgraded Attakora at the expense of getting difference maker in midfield, I don't think this team is better off. That's debatable of course, but that is my thinking. Obviously if you can do both, well I'm good with that too. My thinking is we're only going to get one more guy. We'll see.
     
  10. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar

    I wonder if Olsen is just going to simply abandon all midfield width. That would explain why we're going into camp so thin on wingers.

    It's not the worst idea in the world. It's a very progressive philosophy you see a lot in Europe these days. Basically the width is provided by very attacking fullbacks. The defense is bolstered by an extra defensive midfielder ... so you invest more in protecting the center.

    As for the attack instead of traditional wingers you overload the attacking midfield zone with 3 players who constantly interchange and drift wide and back to center and always make runs to wherever space presents itself. And of course it culminates with one central target striker.
     
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  11. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    De Leon may be good for that role, but Im not so sure about Pontius. Too one dimensional.
     
  12. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If we play teams with a starting IX, we might actually win more than three games this season. ;)
     
  13. Marco10

    Marco10 Member+

    Sep 9, 2002
    Don't be too sure! I'm not sure we'd have been much better playing against 9 this past season! :(
     
  14. GumbyG

    GumbyG Member+

    DC United
    Mar 22, 2007
    Chesapeake, VA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maybe if we had played a III-IV-III, things would have been different.
     
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  15. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The problem to me is we don't have the players to play with any width, from anywhere-- except maybe with 3 forwards. I don't think we have the FB, starting or depth, to play the way you describe.
     
  16. GumbyG

    GumbyG Member+

    DC United
    Mar 22, 2007
    Chesapeake, VA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree it's a problem, but for different reasons. The formations here (including mine) are really more of a reflection of our desire to see DC do something new than anything else. But I'd say we have better fullbacks for width than any other position. Franklin and Korb should provide at least moderately effective wing play, and we're supposedly looking for another starter in this mold (at least I would be, given EJ up front). Kemp fits much better in a 352, and we have Porter and Robinson as backups on the other side. The real problem is the speed of the back 3, which might require players more like Korb and Franklin to play those positions - unless you're relying on the DM(s) to follow runners, and the backs to step up. I'm not sure if that kind of coordination is possible or desirable.

    So maybe it depends more on the ability of what we're thinking of as the centerback corps to handle the speed and guile of the opposition, given our roster options? You would probably have to kiss a high line goodbye.
     
  17. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree. With the way Korb hustles, I would love for nothing else than for him to come out this year with a wicked cross. If he could learn to cross fairly well, say, as good as Hejduck or better, his career in MLS would be set until he loses his wheels.

    And it would be a MAJOR benefit to this team.

    Of course, the other question is why we don't go get that player...

    edit: to just say that if it were me, I'd be outside in the snow whipping in 100 crosses a day with each foot. I remember reading about Diaz Arce staying for hours after practice-- does anybody seriously do this?
     
  18. morrissey

    morrissey Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 18, 2000
    West Los Angeles, Calif
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Messi - Messi stays after practice and works on his own (free kicks, etc.). Ronaldo does as well (well maybe not fat Ronaldo).
     
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  19. NASI GORENG

    NASI GORENG Member+

    Feb 19, 2013
    fairfax
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Nigeria
    plenty of players do

    the question is: do any United players stay back?

    and, if so, what are they working on?
     
  20. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    Ha ... I was watching a Ligue 1 match recently and the announcers were talking about how an entire team decided to forego their recent winter break and come back to practice a week early surprising and forcing the coaches to cancel their plans and come back to practice too. Forget which team ...
     
  21. morrissey

    morrissey Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 18, 2000
    West Los Angeles, Calif
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Buffet.

    [​IMG]
     
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  22. NASI GORENG

    NASI GORENG Member+

    Feb 19, 2013
    fairfax
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Nigeria
  23. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    OK scratch whatever lineup I posted earlier ... I'm gonna go with the one with NDL on bench

    Between this pic and the pics of the guys in Indonesia that looked like they had cholera makes me more concerned for their general well being than actually winning games.
     
  24. morrissey

    morrissey Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 18, 2000
    West Los Angeles, Calif
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    DC couldn't afford the COD.

    James
     
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  25. griffin1108

    griffin1108 BigSoccer Supporter

    Dec 5, 2003
    Virginia
    I think that picture of NDL is from last year -- Goff said he was working on some 'dreads this year.
     

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