Well matchtracker shows Aluko on the bench for this first game under the new coach. I wonder though if that is a mistake, as I thought there may be international duty for her.
Well it seems we benefit from Boston having Alex Scott and Kelly Smith called up. We win 3-2 and I wonder if the coach is trying something different. The late substitution to remove Miyama possibly caused complete MF collapse, but otherwise he kept the "heads-down" FWs Aluko and Bachmann on the bench until the 2nd half.
Mami played forward. The ladies played great. Defense was very organized, the mids kept the ball with short crips passing and the runs of hte forwards the best they have been all season. While we had the flow of the game for 85 minutes, they started launching balls into the box. First goal for them was a rebound. 2nd was a flub clearance by Solo to Lilly..who finished into an open net. You should be proud...the ladies played great and deserved the win tonight.
Great thanks, looking forward to the highlights. Certainly matchtracker made it look as though they had the lions' share of the chances. Over on the predictions forum, zero from a few dozen guesses predicted this win. Just dont let Hope see you wrote that !!
Thanks for this report, GM, sounds great. I noticed we played with a back four for the first time in a long time, which I personally would like to see tried out more often, and I'm very glad to hear you say that we looked organized and retained ball possession. Aluko is just a goal-scoring machine! And looks like Chalupny did great as well, as usual. Very proud indeed, and happy for the players, too.
The video is up on WPS for Beat's win over Boston, and even though it is just 3 or 4 minutes long, it is full of some slick play - and packed with goalmouth incidents. We do look good. Solo will want to forget that last goal. But she made a couple of good reflex saves. It is clear that Aluko never touched the ball on their 2nd goal and it should be creditted to Miyama. Aluko did put one away but also had time to miss a few sitters.
Heh -- well, no doubt "goal-scoring machine" is a bit of an exaggeration, but the other ladies in our squad aren't exactly offering her much competition at the moment. Haven't seen the game or the replays yet, so didn't realize. If Miyama created the opportunity or scored herself, then props to her. She's a great player.
It now appears from the WPS stats that Miyama was given the goal. Its actually her first WPS goal ever, as far as I recall. She did score in the all-star game. She also scored in the East Asia Cup against China - a FK laser from 40 yards. I could find a video....... Anyway, some day soon I hope she gets a FK chance for the Beat. Who is the regilar FK taker anyway ?
I recall her scoring a FK which didn't count because it was supposed to be an indirect FK... Dude I think those yards started breeding since last time you mentioned it. More like 30 yards at most... It really was an awesome shot though; the wind was blowing so strong a team mate had to pin the ball down with her hand so it wouldn't roll away from the spot. Yet I'm fully confident the ball went exactly where she planned it to. Regarding formation: Apart from Blank ATL doesn't have a natural DMF, so I think a 4-2-3-1 is out of the question (have to think about the subs too). I could imagine a 4-1-4-1, but then either Rasmussen, Aluko, or Bachmann can't play. I'd actually like to see Bachmann as an incutting winger, I also think she would pass more often if she wouldn't be playing CF. It's not like she can't pass, you know. She just doesn't do it. Aya is definitely needed on the wings, and Mami should play either AMF or second striker. Rasmussen on the non-Aya wing with Bachmann up front, or maybe Rasmussen as a second AMF alongside Mami with Bachmann on the other wing. Now since Aya and Bachmann have very different styles, this would lead to a rather asymmetrical formation, which I think is a good thing. Actually this could even be taken one step further and transformed to a 4-1-3-2, with a midfield that is tilted to the left (DMF, LMF, AMF, AMF) and an attack that is tilted to the right (CF, RWF). The right AMF, the DMF, and the RB would have to cover the gap that would result from not having a RMF, but this is a much smaller issue than playing with three CBs. This is what it could look like: Code: -Solo- -McNeill- -Ellertson- -Chalupny- -Robinson- -Blank- -Rasmussen- -Miyama- -Yamaguchi- -Bachmann- -Aluko- I know this is not a good criterion but I'm currently using this formation in PES to great effect. ^^
Yes, I agree. After giving it more thought, 4-2-3-1 is impossible for us, due to the fact that we lack even one good DMF, much less two. I thought we had players who could slot in there, but the game against FCGP has shown me a couple of things. Particularly watching Shannon Boxx play. We lacked any steel in the center of midfield. The problem is, in my opinion, that our squad is unbalanced. We desperately need a DMF, and we also need dedicated fullbacks (as the recent FCGP game also revealed). I'd say we need a head coach who knows what kind of a team he/she wants to build based on the players that we have, and what we need to build a side that is solid in all (or most) departments. In other words, start from our strongest players and see what 2-3 players we need to build a solid team. At the moment, despite having a lot of great players, the unbalanced nature of our squad will make it hard for any coach to build a consistently winning side. For instance, our dearth of wide defenders is perhaps the reason we've played much of the season with a back 3, instead of a back 4, but we don't have the midfielders to make a back 3 work.
Well I think Chalups is a pretty capable side back. I don't know whether Kerr is familiar with that position, but technically she has all the preconditions needed. It's true we lack a real CMF, but if we have a good DMF and AMF we don't need one. Actually I think a triangle of one DMF and two AMFs plays more to the strength of our players. About my formation posted above, I think it would actually be better to mirror the midfield and attack, since I recall Bachmann playing more on the left with the Swiss WNT, and Miyama can play on both wings anyway. So like this: Code: -Solo- -McNeill- -Ellertson- -Chalupny- -Robinson- -Blank- -Miyama- -Rasmussen- -Yamaguchi- -Bachmann- -Aluko- Also Kerr is too good to be left out. I'd either try her for the left back position, or rotate between her, Yamaguchi, and Rasmussen for the two AMF positions.
(I snipped your post) I think Blank can fill the dmid position based on her form when playing for STL spit...Cooper...spit Granted, she did have Boxx next to her there but to me she is the best option ATL has to sit on top of the back 4. But she hasn't seen much time at all for ATL. It puzzles me but I haven't seen the practices. I completely agree that the composition of the players is unbalanced. The new coach for next season will definitely need to address that problem. Of course, it was fairly unbalanced from the very start--w/ precious little in the way of defense and no holding mid to speak of. The trade to bring McNeill in b/f the season started helped. But the coaching staff (I'll assume that the GM gave the coaching staff control over player selection) did not make proper choices for complementary pieces. And was particularly inept in building a cohesive unit & improving individual player skill/tactics.
Yes, I agree -- our main lack is in defense and the DMF position. We're a very attack-heavy squad. Trying to fit Aluko, Bachmann, Mami, Ocampo (who seem to be our designated forwards), etc. all into one side would give anyone a selection headache -- as well as Rasmussen, Miyama, Kerr, and Chalupny, who all look better going forward than defensively. I don't think one can fit more than half of those players into a single side, and still have it work. Yet it's a shame to have to leave them on the bench. As for playing Chalupny as a right-back might be possible, but it seems to negate her strengths. She's one of most creative forces going forward. But then again, see above -- we can't fit everybody. So, if she's better than the next right-back, then it might be worth a try. As for that formation you put up, And G, maybe it's because the fonts on my computer are different, but I can't quite make it out. I get the back line, and the fact that Blank is in the DMF role, which all makes perfect sense. In front of her are two AMF's (Mami and Rasmussen?) and Miyama is playing on the right MF position, Bachmann in a left forward role, and Aluko up top? I understand it's asymmetrical, but it also seems like this would be an attack-heavy side that would have a hard time controlling the midfield and the wings. No doubt I am missing something, though.
There were several interviews prior to the season getting started where the coaching staff talked about playing "exciting" soccer and "attacking" soccer which I read to mean, we'll just try to out score everyone. But WPS is a rather strong league defensively and if you can't stop people, you're going to get run over.
I think it's important in any 4-x-x formation to have at least one side back who goes forward a lot. Now this is only possible if the side back in question is supported by a side midfielder who knows when to track back to defend, so I thought it would be only logical to deploy Chalupny as a side back on Miyama's wing. Of course since Miyama is both-footed and both-winged, and Chalupny too I think, it all comes down to where Bachmann plays best. Exactly. I put it in Code: tags so it should look the same way for everyone. [quote="Snail_ATL, post: 21725940"] I understand it's asymmetrical, but it also seems like this would be an attack-heavy side that would have a hard time controlling the midfield and the wings. No doubt I am missing something, though.[/quote] You can also think of it as a 4-4-2 diamond where the left midfielder is positioned more to the center in an AMF position, and the left CF is in a more LWF position. Midfield control shouldn't be an issue, especially with the kind of players available. The only problem I see would be defending the left wing, which would need to be covered by the LB, the DMF, and the left AMF. And then you would still have the LWF somewhere up front, prohibiting the opponent's RB from joining an attack. Of course you could always put the left AMF into a more wide position, but the main purpose of that role would not be to whip in crosses from the touchline, but rather playmaking and delivering through passes, especially to the LWF, so it's technically an AMF, not a LMF. I put Rasmussen as that left AMF because I think Yamaguchi plays better if she's in the middle behind the strikers with a side midfielder to support her. Rasmussen should be able to do without much support from a side midfielder or attacking side back, since of course the left back will have to play much more defensively than the right back.
Blank is plenty good enough to be one of the better defensive midfielders in the league. It's no coincidence, that IMO, many of the team's better performances came with her in the lineup. Of course, now she can't get off the bench, so go figure.
Quite possible. I've seen precious little of her, but she's seemed quite decent when I have seen her. And G, that all makes pretty good sense. I'm not 100% sure our players can put it into practice, though. Making a formation like that work would require more discipline and tactical awareness than we've displayed recently. The most disheartening thing about our loss to FCGP was that we just didn't seem to have any kind of plan or system. Not only did we not have a plan B, we didn't seem to have a plan A, even. I never felt like the players had a clear understanding of what they were supposed to do, nor did I get the sense that the coach was trying to give them that sense. Our one goal and most of our other clear-cut chances came from mistakes made by FCGP, not our side playing well and logically creating openings. We certainly displayed a lot of spirit, but that wasn't enough. I can understand our limited funds and budget, etc., but I do feel that we are understaffed. Even if we have great players, we need good coaching and the head coach needs good assistants. At the moment I am wondering if a 4-1-4-1 might be the simplest way for us to defend better and control the midfield. I'm not too worried about fitting Bachmann into the side. She doesn't seem fit, for one thing, and she still needs more time to grow, IMHO, before she earns a starting place in this team. With a 4-1-4-1 you could play Blank in the DMF role, you have full cover on the wings, and one of the CM's can be more attack minded (meaning there's a place for Mami) because of the DMF presence. And Aluko up top. It's somewhat similar to your proposal, And G, but just taking out Bachmann in that LWF role. She just hasn't offered much in the games I've seen her in, and I think (my bias, no doubt) that a team should be built from the back.
The main problem I see with a 4-1-4-1 (with central and side midfielders) is that it is a rather static system and leaves less room for creative play compared to other systems. Also it heavily relies on the single CF's ability to hold the ball and make the two CMF join the attack, which Yamaguchi is actually more capable at than Aluko. Of course creative play is not really the Beat's weak point at the moment, and while I personally dislike static formations it could actually do some good right now. The other 4-1-4-1 possibility would be to not play with a RMF/CMF/CMF/LMF midfield line, but rather with four AMFs that are constantly interchanging positions. However I think that this team has currently much to little tactical awareness for that. Anyway, if you take Bachmann out, would you play Rasmussen on the wing and Kerr as the second CMF/AMF alongside Yamaguchi? Or Chalupny on the wing with Robinson and Bishop as side backs?
Yes, I can see what you're saying. I wasn't thinking of a typical 4-1-4-1, which is, as you say, a bit static. I've actually been contemplating what might be designated as 4-1-2-3. A version of 4-2-3-1 but with one defensive midfielder instead of two. One defensive midfielder, two central midfielders in front of her, then ahead of them, two players out on the wings and a single central striker. In terms of your other question, I feel that Rasmussen is the best player I've seen in attack on the left wing (better than Bachmann at the moment, but Bachmann could also play there). Aluko up top. Not sure who would be best on the right wing. It could be Ocampo. Not sure if Miyama is really suited for that kind of role. The actual personnel options will no doubt change based on who we lose/bring in once the season's over, but I think with what we have, this could be a solid way to go. So basically, like this: --------------------Solo-------------------- Zerboni---McNeill---Ellertson---Robinson -------------------Blank-------------------- ---------Chalupny------Miyama----------- Ocampo------------------------Rasmussen -------------------Aluko-------------------- It's basically another version of 4-5-1, essentially. As people have pointed out, it depends a lot on the front-woman. But I think Aluko can handle that. And the advantage is that it is stronger defensively than 4-4-2 or a standard 4-3-3 (or 3-4-3).
I am still a strong advocate of 4-2-3-1 if the forward is a true striker. Bishop and Robinson have come a long way, so if we had Robinson-McNeill-Ellertson-Bishop in the defense, it wouldn't be bad. Zerboni is great at intercepting passes, but we need a second 6'er. Rasmussen and Chalupa are great on the flanks, although Chalupa has playmaker abilities as well. We do need a striker. Solo Robinson McNeill Ellertson Bishop Zerboni ? Chalupa Heath Rasmussen ?
No. We'd need a second, a third, and ideally a fourth DMF. Honestly, with the kind of players we have, I think a 4-2-3-1 is pretty much out of the question. We have an oversupply of CFs, AMFs, and SMFs, and we lack DMFs and CMFs. I think we need to be less concerned with which formations look good on paper, but rather which formation plays to the strength of the team. That looks pretty much like the classical Barca 4-3-3 to me. I think Athletica once played a similar formation (the water fight against Boston) with Aya as one of the wing forwards (she switched sides a few times). However she played more as if she were a side midfielder, rarely incutting and advancing to the box. I also think that if you play her as a CMF, her pace and crossing skills will be largely wasted. She's a natural side midfielder, and I think it is vital to have her play that role. By the way if you pull one of the wing forwards in your formation back into a more side midfielder position, you pretty much get what I posted a few posts before.