Best lineup?

I think it's hard to argue with a 3-0 drubbing of the defending champions. However, this is Schellas we are talking about, and his opinion of players goes way beyond what we see on the pitch on gameday. I imagine we will see some further tinkering in these early weeks. Here are my oustanding questions:

Is Shea is better than Benitez as a left back?

Can Jacobsen keep up that level play over several games?

Who was more effective on the right side, Chavez or Avila?



So I think we are settled on the following:

Milton, Ferriera, Castillo, Hernadez, John, Ugo, Loyd, Hartman

 

Assuming Chavez is out and Benitez back, I wonder if Castillo could move to the right and Brek higher left.

 

After re-watching the game this morning, I was thinking the same thing. Shea at left back may be the best option if Hyndman is intent on having him in the defense and with Castillo looking so dangerous at left mid. Shea may be more dangerous overlapping from back there. Much like what Pearce brought from the right last year. The defense was so much better organized with Ugo and John at CB's. I'm reallys starting to like Loyd as well.

The offensive pressure was suffocating for Colorado. I liked what I saw out of Jacobson, but it may be a coin flip between him and Alexander. Chavez was dangerous early on, and it was nice to see Avila look like himself again. And what can you say about number 10? Good God. Loved seeing him imposing his will.

One last thought in regard to the post directly above. If Benitez is back and starting on the left, and Castillo looking effective and comfortable on the left, could Shea move up to the DM spot instead of Jacobson and Alexander? It gets him in that central location, but possible a little more involved in the attack. Just a thought.

 

No way....not gonna happen....he does not have the discipline or the soccer IQ to play that position.

 

Lineup-wise, I think Friday was pretty close to our best. I think we have three solid left-sided players in Shea, Benitez and now Castillo.

Formation-wise, I think we need to move to a 4-4-2 soon to get them all on the field together. Of course, we first need to find ourselves a rangy DM (or platoon) who can give Daniel some rest as well as be our DM of the future.

[LINEUP-4-4-2]Luna, Castillo, Shea, Ferreira, Hernandez, Chavez, Benitez, John, Ugo, Loyd, Hart[/LINEUP-4-4-2]

The idea of Castillo roaming and finding spaces wide and slightly beneath a centrally-positioned Luna (or Milton), getting the opportunity to run at central defenders, sliding behind and punishing outside backs who choose to push forward against us after receiving threaded passes from Ferreira...goals like Castillo to David for his first goal on Friday could become common as well. Menacing.

 

I like Jacobson more than Alexander in that central position. Jacobson worked harder to make himself available for the ball last Friday than Alexander has so far this season. Alexander looked more to make runs forward for a through ball -- what we need from that position is someone to link DH and the back line with the attackers, which Jacobson seems more adept at based on Friday night.

 

I don't see it. Ferriera just isn't as effective when you make him come back that deep into the midfield. We went to the MLS Cup and he won the MVP as the advanced midfielder/withdrawn forward in a 4-1-4-1....I don't know why anyone would to change that just to get both Shea and Benitez on the pitch. Let Shea and Benitez fight it out for the LB position. With extra games in the CCL coming up, it's not so horrible to have depth. Yeah, it will suck for Shea if he can't get regular minutes, but that isn't the primary motivating factor on deciding the lineup.

 

I tend to agree, I just want to see if he can keep up the work rate over the course of several games. But I definetly see him having the mentality to be more effective in that role right now.

 

After beating the defending champs who were previously unbeaten, there does not need to be any changes to formation or in who plays.

 

Ding! Ding! Ding!

 

In a loan striker lineup I think you need to be able to stretch a back line with speed. I wouldn't mind seeing Brek/Jair on the left, either or at back/mf and push Castillo up to the lone striker to see if he can create a little more space for DF to work his magic, as a back line will have to respect the speed Castillo has.

 

I think he can stretch a backline just as easily from the wing....not only that, I think it allows him to get behind defenses easier. Look at that one opportunity later in the game where Ferriera picks him out from a good 30 yards from goal with what can only be described as a "sick" pass. He got behind everyone, and if his first touch didn't get a little bit away from him that was the 4th goal. Do that once or twice in a game and now the outside back is playing off of Castillo, which extends the backline and gives more space for Ferriera and Milton to break down the middle. I like his speed on the outside, I wouldn't think of moving him out of there for the time being.

 

All things being equal, Mr. Benitez has lost his job. We've seen SH sit people before simply based on missing a start (whether red card suspension or injury). I'd be happy to see the same lineup....

 

I dunno....Being that us fans are now appeased after he shook that winless monkey from the back of his (butta) leather; I can see how SH could start tinkering some more considering who we play.

This would be ok by me so long as it involves the 442 as anymore tinkering in the current system seems like a waste of 2-3 points.

 

Your isolation of Friday night is apropos. Not only was it one game, but it was a game we got a very good team on a very off-night.. AND with two of their stars out.

Quite frankly, this team is ripe for some pretty brutal ups-and-downs, and that in direct opposition to the 19-game streak last season.

Sometimes balance isn't all that attractive.

 

I was thinking this until Friday. Milton was working hard and actually made us more dangerous.

I say they both get solid time until one obviously beats the other out or we decide on a formation that best fits one or the other.

 

The consensus on the board is correct. Leave well enough alone. The guys that kicked ass should stay.

As for the where to play Brek question.... USSF seems to want us to develop the center back of the future. I think left outside back is a good compromise. And, in lesser competitions and training situations he can gradually get squeezed back to the middle. But, we obviously cannot sabotage our season in order to develop him as a center back.

Jair is good too. This is a long season and having flexibility and depth in a CCC and LHC year will be important. Brek can also play that midfield position when Castillo leaves for international call ups. My concern, is that Brek is going to get some call ups in very short order if he makes some strides on his basic defending abilities.

As for the Jacobson / Alexander question, I think momentarily the job is AJ's. And, my rationale is the apparent freeing up of DF with the second true holding mid. Some games, or game situations, 2 holding mids may be too conservative. In those cases Alexander can be a variable.

As for the Avila/Chavez question, Chavez is my hands down obvious starter. I don't know why Avila cannot give us a good start, but frequently delivers as a super sub. Maybe Avila is our soccer version of the "microwave"?

The position that I think leaves the most room for 2nd guessing, is the lone striker. I am not impressed with anyone yet. I'd say let the best man in practice earn the spot every week. And, if it isn't happening for them in a game, make the early substitution.

I think you leave alone the back four, , Hartman, DH, Chavez, DF, and Castillo are chiseled in stone on the starting lineup. Jackson picked a very poor time to get put in the doghouse. But, I think he has time to redeem himself after a long while.

Luna, Chavez, Avila, Alexander, Jacobson, Benitez, Jackson, Milton, and if the Çuban guy comes on board all make a healthy mix of guys competing for time.

 

^ good post.

Agree with everyone, can't change a winning XI, but I hope Luna earns Milton's spot sometime this year.

 

A kid that can play lone striker should be priority number one in next year's draft. I like Karo Okiomah and Will Bates.

 

Forget the draft. I'd try to get in that Escobar fella from Cali

 

That kid looked good, but he's not a target striker... unless you think someone built like Eric Avila can play the lone striker.

 

Not that easy.....It took our Delta Force 4-5 years to get him.