I thought I'd start a new thread to discuss possible formations / lineups / who you think will be starters. Since I'm a high school coach, I enjoy thinking about how the team might find success with certain formations, so let's see what your formations and lineups would be based on our current team if you were the coach.
I'll start out with two possible formations and who would be in my starting lineup. 4-4-2: --------------------------------MacMath or Irwin----------------------------------- ------Harrington------O'Neil-------------Burling--------------Burch------------- --------------------------------Cronin or Pittinari----------------------------------- ------------Sarvas---------------------------------------------Serna---------------- ------------------------------------Powers------------------------------------------- ---------------------Torres-----------------------Brown---------------------------- 3-5-2: ---------------------------------MacMath or Irwin--------------------------------- ------------------Harrington-----------O'Neil-------------Burch------------------ ---------------------------Cronin-----------------Pittinari-------------------------- -------Sarvas---------------------Powers-----------------------------Serna-------- ---------------------------Torres--------------------Brown------------------------- My bench would probably have Sanchez, Hairston and Eloundou as go to players, plus some defensive depth.
For a 4-3-3 / 4-5-1 type formation, maybe this: ----------------------------MacMath or Irwin---------------------------- ----Harrington--------O'Neil----------Burling----------Burch---------- ----------------------------Cronin/Pitti----------------------------------- -------------------Sarvas-------------------Powers------------------------ --------Serna---------------------------------------------Brown--------- ------------------------------Torres--------------------------------------- After thinking about lineups, I think biggest needs are: CB / FB and FW
3-5-2 and 4-3-3 are all the rage these days. With that said if we go those routes I'd like to see: 3-5-2 ------------ Harrington--------Burling-----------O'Neill------------- --------------------------- Cronin---------------Sarvas------------------ -----Serna --------------------Powers--------------------Hairston----- ---------------------- Brown ------------------Torres--------------- Wingbacks are the key to this formation. You are going to put a ton of miles on your legs working the flanks. Serna and Hairston can do that job and probably well. They are solid defensively, have ample speed, and can provide a positive on the attack either cutting in or whipping in dangerous crosses. 4-3-3 -----Burch--------Burling--------O'Neill------Harrington------ -------------------------------- Cronin--------------------------------- ------------------Powers---------------------------Sarvas--------------- ------------ Serna --------------Torres-----------------Brown -------- Burch and Harrington will have to provide the width and be able to move up and down the flanks. They are the "wingbacks" essentially. Cronin provides the cover either protecting in front of the backline or sliding left or right to fill voids when the fullbacks attack. Sarvas and Powers are dual playmakers. Sarvas can sit a little deeper and Powers a little higher to offset their strengths. Powers in particular can make those late runs into the attacking third. Torres plays as a pivot man supplying accurate and timely passing to Serna and Brown running off him. Torres, while not a traditionally "target man", can play that role centrally as he has shown well in the distribution game. It also llows him to "trail" the play once he releases to Brown/Serna and opening him up for return passes and chances on goal.
Just a quick response for now. Not sure I would classify the 3-5-2 as "the rage". Netherlands, Costa Rica, Mexico and possibly the USA (now) play it. It solves the problem or issue of getting over-run in midield by adding a body while also not sacrificing your second forward in the attack. Which shows why JK is considering it for USMNT. Serna has not shown to me the ability to defend in the wide "wing back" position.
Inspired by Chile's lineup, something that gets the best players on the park in close to their most natural positions: -------------------Brown----------------- ---Torres-----------------------Serna--- -------------------Powers---------------- -------Sarvas--------------Pittinari----- -------------------Cronin----------------- --------------------------------------------- --------Sjoberg--O'Neill--Moor------- Sarvas and Pittinari are the shuttlers, but for a more aggressive look Hairston can easily be inserted for Cronin and Sarvas moved back. Brown and Torres can interchange and Sanchez and Alvarez can easily slot into the wing forward spots for relief. O'Neill also gets some autonomy with the ball and relieved of the most difficult marking assignments. Width and the fact the nobody almost anywhere has played anything like this recently are the big drawbacks.
Lots of Serie A teams use 3 back systems, it's starting to pop up in the EPL (ManUtd under Van Gaal, but also Liverpool and Martinez used it at Wigan), Herrera used it at America and I think other teams in the league are starting to copy that. Another challenge to running it besides having good wingbacks is that your centerbacks need to know what they're doing and be comfortable ranging a bit more widely.
Since Pablo has indicated using a 4-2-3-1, that can easily become a 4-3-3 and even shift into a 4-4-2, I will put down a new starting lineup possibility with bench players also. -----------------------------------------MacMath ---------------------------------------------- ----Hairston----------------O'Neill-------------Burling-----------Harrington---- -----------------------------Sarvas--------------Pittinari------------------------------------ -----Serna---------------------------Powers-------------------------Ramirez----------- -----------------------------------------Brown------------------------------------------------- Bench: GK - Irwin, RB/LB - Burch, CB - Sjoberg, Watts, DCM - Cronin, LM/FW - Sanchez, FW - Torres
Looks pretty good, though if we sign Doyle I'd like to see him and Brown on the field at the same time and I don't know how that would work.
I can't see Serna over Torres, KSE is eating a transfer fee and just maybe Torres attitude is so bad to support doing that, But I think KSE tries to save his value and he starts season in opening XI at the very least to showcase his skills for a sale..
Interesting. Serna has been getting looks with the Nats, yet may not be starting for his own team. Torres gets call ups from Panama and does not start. One of them may need to be moved, not sure either one can stay on the bench and still have national team hopes. Could Torres really have pissed PM off that much? Or is he really not up to the challenge of playing in MLS? Hard to say....
Given Brown's pace and willingness to run why not put Brown in Serna's spot and make Serna a late game sub?
Seems like a lot of folks here don't like him out wide but I thought he did pretty well playing wide for Oscar*. He can still do the kick and run, could run off Doyle hold up play, and in that role he's really energetic at tracking back on D. *I mean, at least compared to how well he plays as a striker. If you think he's hopeless as a striker, then he's also poor as a wide forward.
Serna was called up for his U-23 Olympic team potential, probably only his Mom and Marx see him as ready for the regular Nats. I see him as a on-going project with some wasteful habits with the ball -- as up thread a late game energy sub. We really haven't seen the 2013 Gold Cup Torres at all (maybe brief glimpses) and apparently the Panama Nats manager hasn't (lately) either.
Interesting problem, Irwin vs MacMath. Clint definately had a bad 2014 but I'd blame that on the defense in front of him. Does everyone really see MacMath as the starter?
To add what Dom said, Serna is a defensive liability. His idea of Defense is lurking near and waiting to steal ball, not positional related defending etc. He got called up sole because of Olympics and its age restrictions.
Serna may have gotten initially called up solely because of the Olympic age restrictions, but it's harder to see how those age restrictions helped him make the travelling squad for Chile (5 other U23s sent home) or the bench against Panama. Sure, it's possible Klinsmann had just tied his own hands with the initial camp roster, but it seems reasonable to believe Serna also made a positive impression in camp. For what it's worth, I'm also very skeptical that Serna is ready for any kind of international play. A consistent season as a starter and contributor in MLS would be a good first step.
I just hope he proves he is a top talent in the MLS this season by: Not disappearing for large lengths of game, plays some Defense and keeps improving on offensive side. Agree that until we get some semblense of an attack plan/ tactics, it's really hard to single out Serna or others for failures in assists or goal scoring counts. But right now, I think his best spot is 2nd half sub attacker.
I love Serna as a "super-sub". It's typical for young players cutting their professional teeth to really disappear or get lost in the speed of play of 90 minutes. It happens and in some regards it's quite expected. It's part of gaining that "experience". Serna has been much more effective in 20-45 minute stints. In those short time increments he's been able to get into the flow of the game quicker. Part of that is because the score line, time, and/or tactics dictated the job he needed to do. I would love to see Dillon permanently etch his name into the starting XI. However, I want him consistently impacting the game as a sub before handing him the keys. Options were slim last season and I felt he was kind of tossed out there without direction. It was sink or swim for him -- not entirely his fault, mind you. Overall, I think he did okay but the inconsistencies were front and center. A string of impactful super-sub outings will go along way towards gaining the trust of doing the same job over 90 minutes. I'm eager to see how that month-long camp with the US pays off. It has to give him confidence. Let's hope he was a sponge and soaked everything in.
For me the real key to this season other than huge talent increase is an offensive coach who can mold our Attack, improve off ball movement and increase the pass tempo to try and unbalance a defense. The neglect was obvious last year where RFO went down to academy to find PM some assistants.
From an article on Lopez from Feb. 12: "López, who has a much more offensive approach to the game, has been working closely with the attacking players during training and is a big reason why he was brought on board prior to the 2015 season." He's doing something with the players regarding attack, but he's not actually a coach, at least not according to his title.
Holy cow... reading this thread makes me realize just how many question marks there are for the rapids this season. I think we seriously lack wide players. Brown was mis-cast as a wide player much of last year. Torres needs to play in the middle as well. Serna seems like our only wide player. I know very, very little about a lot of the new additions but I thought I heard Pittinari was more of a creative mid. It is interesting to see so many people list him at a deep laying spot. When does Moor return? I think these are the only ideas I have on the topic. Play O'Neill at center back or D mid Play Powers somewhere in the middle of the park Play Pittinari somewhere in the middle of the park Sarvas should play in the middle of the park as well (ummm... starting to get a little crowded in there) Sanchez needs to be on the field as much as possible given his age Don't play Torres or Brown out wide unless you want them to suck Don't ever put back pass (aka LaBrocca) on the field