Projected lineups and formations for '14 season

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

  1. griffin1108

    griffin1108 BigSoccer Supporter

    Dec 5, 2003
    Virginia
    What is interesting, at least at this point, is there are options for all of the forward positions. If Silva is off his form, Deleon could slide inside and Pontius take his place with Neal in reserve. Alternatively, Munoz could fill the Silva role. Arnaud can be replaced by Deleon or Porter. The wild card will be Seaton/Doyle and how they can replace EJ during World Cup.
     
  2. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    Ben Olsen recent use of the diamond, is very discouraging, so ill pass.
     
  3. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    An aggressive, consistent Defense Leon, makes the 433 a good option.
    Mother wise...
     
  4. 6 ft. Leprechaun

    Dec 9, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why? It tends to suit our squad more than any other formation.
     
  5. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    Olsens most recent use was a terrible experience. We never could win, or keep the ball. The midfield wad always over run, and there was no Balance. If Arnaud and De Leon are narrow defensively, I like it better.

    I also think De Leon will not be able to impose himself from there. He will be sound too much running on defense.

    I also am skeptical about Silva.
     
  6. nobletea

    nobletea Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 29, 2004
    HarCo
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I haven't watched the team play, but this doesn't look very diamond to me at all.

    it looks like a 4-1-3-2 with a triangle that has Kitchen at the point.

    Thats very different from a diamond.

    But we'll see. I do think the offense is going to need some tweaking to really work, unless someone goes lights out on scoring, it will be goals by committee. If it's goals at all.
     
  7. Heist

    Heist Member+

    Jun 15, 2001
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Given how long its taking him to rehab, I wonder how long it'll take him to win a starting spot this year... or if he's able to do it all. Porter is no starter, but if Arnaud can start effectively with Franklin overlapping and Pontius and Porter can be our guys off the bench (along with Doyle/Seaton as different options at forward), I think the team has the ability to score some goals. Similar to Porter, Korb is no starter, but he's a legitimate MLS backup. I'm a little worried about backup CBs actually if Birnbaum is slow to progress, I'm not sure I like the idea of Attakora or Shanosky playing. But, I also haven't seen a lot of them so perhaps they're adequate backups. Definitely like our goalie situation. Willis may be one of the best backups in the league. One place we might not have real depth is behind Kitchen. Can Arnaud play there if necessary? Or this new trialist? Neal? Who am I forgetting...?
     
  8. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Jeffrey can handle it.
     
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  9. 6 ft. Leprechaun

    Dec 9, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    While I haven't seen much of the games or how the players have been deployed, on paper, the diamond (which implies a narrow midfield imo) seems to fit. DC has a few box-to-box guys (Jeffrey/DeLeon/Arnaud/Neal) that can play in the LCM/RCM positions. If the starters are Arnaud and DeLeon, I think that suits them best. Neither one prefers to hug the touchline. They can both see a pass and execute as well as add some bite on the defensive end. This last part will help shield Kitchen who is still growing into his DM boots. A position that I think he can excel at in this league.

    To me the only point of weakness is that tip of the diamond where a Silva or Munoz would fit. I'm skeptical of either of them being able to consistently and effectively play there. However, I see the supply to the forwards essentially shared between the outside fullbacks and the 2 b2b players and whoever is in the ACM position.
     
  10. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    I agree completely with the above points.

    Its Silva that bothers me. I'm also tired if people trying to find or force the next good DC United no. 10 on us.

    Its more a preference, but I'm tired of looking for an attacking mid. Lets move onto to more team oriented football instead of relying on one striker to score all our goals, amd one attacking mid to dictate and manipulate all the pieces around him.

    I think its easy to plan against, and contain unless you have Riquelme or El Diablo v2.0 ( this the name I've given the mystical no. 10 that people have been craving ).


    What I do like about the diamond is that we have two mobile forwards who will be hard to keep track of. If the service is right, I'd have no problem.

    If Silva doesn't work out, what then?
     
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  11. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Silva played more CM than AM against Houston, and it took a little time but it started to work. He was willing to put in the work on the defensive side of the ball which was great to see. I like the potential because he can be the piece that links defense to offense that's been missing, imo. Espindola gets a lot of space to roam, and from what I've seen that's what he's going to do anyway so that's good.
    If Silva can't do the job, I would guess Lewis Neal would be the next man up, and DeLeon is an option also.
     
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  12. benni...

    benni... BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 23, 2004
    Chocolate City
    Lets hope so
     
  13. Bootsy Collins

    Bootsy Collins Player of the Year

    Oct 18, 2004
    Capitol Hill
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The problem I have with the lineup remains the Parke-Boswell problem, which can be phrased quite simply this way: with EJ having to receive the ball at the midfield stripe all the time, how is he going to score all those goals we're counting on?
     
  14. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The quick counter. I don't know if you saw the Houston match, but that's what they were having success with in the second half before the subs came on. Christian in particular was playing Corey Ashe-style in Houston's half and Silva was a big part of turning defense to offense. When United sags so much, their fullbacks get way forward, and MLS being what it is, they eventually lose the ball and if United can do what I've been begging them to do and get the ball into that vacated space left by the fullbacks, they can counter all day.

    Preseason, I know, but it's a valid strategy and above all, it's a strategy, period.
     
  15. Bootsy Collins

    Bootsy Collins Player of the Year

    Oct 18, 2004
    Capitol Hill
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Whether I like that strategy or agree with its possible effectiveness, the above is a very important point. I don't know who it was that mentioned around here that for the last several years, it's been well nigh impossible to figure out what, exactly, we were trying to do on offense. Were we a counter team? A possession team? Did we plan to score on second balls? You don't want to be pigeonholed into only attacking one way, because you're easier to defend against that way; but we never seemed to have a plan or a strategy on offense, ever.
     
  16. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, my feelings exactly. I think quite a few people have expressed that frustration. Now I'd like to see any real/imagined progress continue and become a pattern, instead of some one off they lucked into for a bit of one game, which is entirely possible. I just want to see some idea of strategy and then an attempt to execute it.
     
  17. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm just going to take a minute to sing the praises of Christian. This is the guy. He's going to balance the field and make United twice as dangerous in attack. In a world where left backs are so hard to come by, it's hard to understand how could he end up being third string on a team in the low end of La Liga, so there's something there that isn't so hot, but I haven't seen it yet. Defensively, he's quick and in position. He had a nasty tackle and he has to be careful with that, but as long as he toes that line I think it's great to be a little nasty. But offensively, I think we're really going to enjoy watching him. His runs are to the right spot at the right time, it's such a difference. He's going to make Silva, DeLeon, whoever, so much better. His crosses were inconsistent, but he got in more in 20 minutes than United would in 5 games last year. This is a big deal.
     
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  18. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    I'd echo the same sentiment on the right side. This is the best fullback situation we've had in years ...
     
  19. John L

    John L Member+

    Sep 20, 2003
    Alexandria, VA
    The problem is the team (and many others in the lower levels) couldn't meet the payroll
     
  20. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes, very true, but I'm not sure Franklin is as sophisticated a player as Christian, but he looks terrific all the same.
     
  21. DCUSA

    DCUSA Member+

    Jan 14, 2006
    Virginia
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That doesn't explain why he was the third stringer, though. Or does it? Wouldn't they play him until they could let him go if he was the best player available? Something's not clear to me.
     
  22. jason1551

    jason1551 Member+

    Apr 9, 2003
    Columbus, GA
    Club:
    DC United
    New coach came in and he was basically demoted. Happens all the time in Europe.
     
  23. Don't Tread on Me

    Aug 11, 2010
    Charleston, South Carolina
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Had fun at the CCC. Was shithammered so my input may be less than valuable but...

    I like Franklin. Our recent teams have had the most success when a fullback can overlap and outnumber opposing defenders (NAJAR). Arnaud was pretty wide but he was acting as the fulcrum on the right to enable Franklin and Espindola. Deleon was getting forward more and so Christian sat behind him. It makes sense tactically.

    That being said, I don't think DC had a shot on goal until Houston took their first team out. Same old Olsenball to some degree.
     
  24. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    Reading through Almeria fan comments, it seems many of them thought he was the best left back on the team. I'd say about half the comments were in that vein. The other half had criticisms based on some specific early season performances that may have directly cost the team. But even those commenters who had that view didn't say that he was a bad player in general or a bad personality. Just maybe he didn't adapt quickly enough to the sharp rise in quality after promotion ... but then again La Liga has infinitely better competition than what he's likely to face in MLS.
     
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  25. 6 ft. Leprechaun

    Dec 9, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Olsen tries others in his spot? Summer transfer window?
     

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