So, a couple of interesting tidbits from the first preseason game. According to the graphic on the screen, we lined up in a 4-1-2-2-1 (you can see the graphic at the 3:05 mark of this video: ) It looked like this: ---------------Dykstra-------------- Franklin - Parke - Boswell - Kemp ----------------Kitchen------------- ---------Silva---------Arnaud------ ---Porter------------------DeLeon- ----------------Doyle--------------- I originally didn't think this was how we really lined up (it was just some random TFC guys attempt to take the line-up card and put them in a place), but a comment made by Chad Ashton in his match analysis makes me think we actually did line up this way. Ashton Match Anaylsis: http://www.dcunited.com/news/2014/02/february-5-2014-match-analysis-with-chad-ashton Ashton references "the triangle of Bobby, Jeff, and Perry" which makes me think that's exactly how they lined up and were trying to play. And instead of one playmaker in there, there's basically two (Silvia and Arnaud). So if this was the preferred formation, could it look something like this: ---------------Hamid-------------- Franklin - Parke - Boswell - Korb ----------------Kitchen------------- ---------Silva---------Arnaud------ ---DeLeon------------------Pontius- -------------------EJ--------------- Competition for spots: Hamid pushed by Willis/Dykstra Franklin pushed by Korb. Parke/Boswell pushed by Birnbaum Korb pushed by Kemp Kitchen pushed by Jeffrey Silvia pushed by Martin and DeLeon and Jeffrey Arnaud pushed by Neal, Martin and Jeffrey and DeLeon DeLeon pushed by Porter, Francois, and Pontius Pontius pushed by Espindola, Porter, Francois, and DeLeon EJ pushed by Doyle, Seaton, Espindola, and Townsend It's interesting... With that said, though, Olsen clearly isn't wedded to anything because he states in his comments that he is going to continue to "tinker" with the formation as other players get healthy and that they are not locked into "a starting 11" or a "formation". Olsen's comments in this video: http://www.dcunited.com/news/2014/02/february-5-2014-match-highlights-dc-united-vs-toronto-fc
I thought it looked more like: Franklin---Parke----Boswell----Kemp -----------------Kitchen---------------- Porter---------Arnaud-----------DeLeon ----------------Silva------------------- ---------------Doyle-------------------- Like a 4-5-1. I didn't like the spacing between Silva and Doyle, it seemed they wanted to occupy the same space. Doyle was invisible and Arnaud was routinely bypassed. I don't mind that, though, they don't know what they're doing together, I can't expect that to happen yet. I did think the triangle of Parke, Boswell and Kitchen did well together, staying compact. Kitchen looked comfortable in that role, basically glued to the back line and getting the ball of his foot quickly. Parke had a nice game, I thought, he showed some decent wheels when it looked like a TFC player was through, Parke caught him and tackled it away.
Well, it can be splitting hairs between a 451 and a 433, depending the instructions to the players or the flow of the game, but it seems like the right idea except for one thing--- there's no width to that team? I didn't see the game, but did anyone see us working the attack from the flanks?
I couldn't see the far side of the field at all due to the fog, I mean literally you couldn't see past the middle of the field, but Franklin got forward once or twice but basically it looked a lot like last year as far as the right mid didn't do much but hang out waiting for a pass from the fullbacks/Kitchen.
The 433 can be about width. Out of the three players up top, 2 of them usually start out on the touch line early in the build up, stretching the width of the opposing defense as much as possible. As the play progresses, they can move more in-field or tailor their diagonal runs torwards the central channels. The fullback comes up on the overlap to keep that width.
And with the signing of what appears to be an attack minded left back today, I'm encouraged that we may be moving in that direction.
I think this signing is a pretty strong indication that we go 4 in the back. -----------------------------------Hamid Franklin---------------Boswell-------------Parke-------------------Christian ----------------------Kitchen------------------Arnaud ------------------------------------Silva ------------Espindola------------Johnson---------------------Pontius De Leon seems to be the odd man out, but how often will we have all our attackers healthy. He'll have opportunities to slot in for Espindola, Pontius or Silva. I'm convinced that this team will not rely on any midfield width. Width will be provided by fullbacks and wide forwards. The midfield will be tasked with protecting the middle. I think with 3 guys (Kitchen, Arnaud and Silva) crowding the middle it'll be very hard for opponents to truly dominate us like in the past. I guess the question is whether there's enough there to support the attack.
Also interesting to note that the roster is at 31 now. That guarantees at least one player being let go. My guess is that Shanosky is basically playing this preseason to save his DCU career. He has to be on the chopping block. He's probably in direct competition with the unsigned rookies. If he gets beaten out by Golden or Barnes then it's probably goodbye Shanosky.
Actually, I would put Townsend on the block first, followed by the third and fourth round picks, then Shanosky. However, if Shanosky underwhelms, then he goes behind Townsend. Townsend is as good as gone, and I would expect DCU to try to move him somewhere for a third or fourth round pick if possible.
I bet 2 of those 3 don't make the team. All of them are in a numbers crunch, but Golden has the fortune of being left footed and being able to play center back. I also wish I knew what United's situation is regarding international slots. There's Espindola, Francois, Neal, Christian, Munoz, Attakora, Porter, Seaton (?). That's a lot. Porter, Neal or Munoz could be in the cross hairs if they need to get under a certain number. Munoz is probably safe because they traded the slot to pick him and it would be the height of boneheadedness to cut him because they ran out of slots!
Good point ... forgot about Townsend. Goes to show how far off the radar he is. He has to be gone unless he really impresses in camp. At this point I'd feel better with Seaton ahead of him in the striker depth chart. I wonder if Olsen is going to squeeze us down to a 28 man roster. May not be the wisest with Champions League this year.
Yeah I thought Munoz is safe too. In addition to the fact that we sacrificed to get him, now we have a 2nd Spaniard on the team. Might make sense to keep them together so they can acclimate better. Neal would seem to be another one obviously playing for a roster spot, I just don't see Olsen cutting him. Olsen has always praised him and frankly he is a good bargain. While he is a mediocre player, he has come up in big games and is very versatile and can cover multiple holes. As for Porter you would think based on talent he'd be another playing for a spot, I just don't see him leaving. We are so thin at wide midfield depth we can't afford to. Even if you don't play a particularly wide midfield formation, you have to have a guy somewhere on the bench who can at least give you that option if you need it
We just need to know how many international slots the team has, because if they only have six or less, someone's gotta go. Or they trade for a slot. I tried to see if there was a team with 3 or 4 extra international slots that might be interested in giving Townsend a shot, but no in either case.
I'm pretty sure I pointed this out to you before, but Neal and Seaton do not take international roster slots. Right now we have 6 slots and, apparently 6 internationals -- though it's fair to say that neither Munoz nor Porter are assured spots. I say apparently, because I believe that Espindola could well have a green card by now. He's been here long enough, anyway. Golden has a couple of advantages, being left-footed and able to play CB or LB. However, he's up against it in terms of numbers. They're not gonna carry 9 defenders unless they all look really good. Kemp, on the other hand? I'm not sure he has a place on the team. His flexibility helps, but he didn't look very good at LB or LW last year. He needs a heckuva camp to hold his slot. Barnes seems unlikely to make the side -- so that gets us down to 30, but I don't think we'll carry 30 going into the season. One or two, perhaps even 3 others won't make it. Munoz, Golden and Kemp have real work to do as they don't fill any obvious needs right now. Either Kemp or Munoz will probably make it, but not both. Golden, if he shows promise, might be kept for the future. But, others like Porter and Townsend can't feel entirely safe.
At least we have options I'm in the camp that we traded something for Munoz, so we must have done so with some certainty about the player's ability, and we're likely to invest in his development until proven mistaken. Golden apparently did OK getting forward, but really screwed the pooch on defense. From the prelimnaries, he sounds like a less experienced, more gangly Kemp. With acquiring Christian, I'd say three players in that mold are too many to carry. That still leaves us shallow at outside back, but having both Kemp and Golden doesn't improve that situation. Townsend's shown more promise IMO than his field time last year would suggest (he might have some small value in a trade), and Barnes was at least complimented for his work in the central triangle in the second half of the TFC scrimmage. So Kemp or Golden would be the most likely to go, I think, and Golden moreso of the two. Barnes is just as likely out regardless, as we've got at least 4 players that can probably best him at his preferred position, one of whom is his age or younger. If he stays, it's because we're willing to carry him for giggles and see where it goes, until we need another slot. I say this in total ignorance - I didn't watch the TFC game, but that's nominally true of everyone who sat through the Youtube video.
You may have, but I don't have 100% retention unfortunately. Anyway, thanks for the info, of course I just googled Lewis Neal green card and see he was granted one in February of last year. That was just me being lazy.
You make a good point about Munoz. I'd just add that the team used a first round pick on Kemp last year, so they've invested that much, which normally seems to be a bigger deal than the int'l slot we traded to draft Munoz in the second round. I'm just not sure the team would keep both. Kemp has the advantage of being a fullback, but the team isn't too shallow there now. Korb can back up either side, and we've got Robinson at RB, unless he's sent to Richmond. If that happens, then Kemp has the better chance to hang on over Munoz, if only because he's nominally a FB. Of course, both could hang on, especially if Golden and Barnes don't make the cut.
Agreed, and I'm kinda assuming the latter two don't make the cut. Munoz has skill on the ball in small spaces, a new Spanish teammate, and a pedigree that gives some additional assurance of quality and experience. The other trialists don't. The midfield is awash with random specialists - he fits right in as someone with unique qualities (which means he's an option over other players in a given game, if he proves viable). Interresting, too, that he was trotted out at left forward just ahead of acquiring a wing-running Spanish left back.
Well this very well might be what we're looking at for the home opener ... ---------------------------------------HAMID FRANKLIN------------BOSWELL-------------PARKE-------------CHRISTIAN ---------------------------------------KITCHEN -------------ARNAUD---------------SILVA---------------DELEON ------------------------JOHNSON------------ESPINDOLA Not sure if anything changes with a fit Pontius. Chris can obviously slot in anywhere across that 3 man attacking midfield line ... or he could slot in for Espindola. I gotta say I actually like this lineup. I like Arnaud pinching in offering a little cover to Kitchen and inviting Franklin to overlap. I like Espindola playing underneath EJ. What I really want to see over the next few weeks is whether Silva can grow into this role and start directing the game a little more. He's going to have more options ahead of him compared to last year so I really want to see him become a more reliable provider.
As you said, Pontius can fit in anywhere in midfield or up top - This gives us some quality depth, which we'll need
I also like the lineup. I don't know if it will be better than Arnaud playing next to Kitchen, a different winger and Silva on the bench, but I think it will be better and it's definitely a progression tactically. Both forwards are happy to make themselves available for outlets and Espindola in particular is in constant motion, it seems. At least Olsen is giving talented players like Kitchen and Silva a chance to excel, he's not holding their hand anymore. Silva will have to play both sides of the ball or it won't work, and Kitchen has to cover a lot of ground, particularly for advanced fullbacks, or it won't work. The team will never know what the players can/can't do until they've been given a chance to shine. I really like the potential. It kind of reminds me of Mexico when they were on fire, there was the back five whose job it was to shut down the opponent and get the ball to the quintet of attackers, who were interchanging and playing off each other at speed. Mexico was less about slow build and possession than maybe ever and it suited the players like Dos Santos, Barrera and Guardado. I hope United can find that kind of groove.