I think Bruce will probably want to start Bruno and Romney. This means odd man out for Rodriguez unless we go 3 in the back. I wonder if he’d consider Rodriguez as a d-mid or even a forward! I may be mostly alone in being a Rodrigues supporter but I think he’s too talented to leave on the bench.
Yes and no. Depends if you flat 5, invert 5, press 5 or revolve 5. All of those 5 back formations serve a diffrrent purpose.
So I read the article on how il Bruce ran NER and what formation they played. In part, his organization and direction of the team helped, but in part, they just had good players. So that element was depressing. The high level view is that they played 4-3-1-2. In attack it looked like a 2-4-4, or maybe a 2-4-3-1 if you want to get picky. The defensive formation was a 4-3-2-1, and that sometimes looked like a 4-3-3. So we may lineup one way, and then morph into different formations based on game state. We have been doing that for a while. I think that's pretty standard for the modern game. So Bruce mostly played with two strikers up top, which is what I want. (I'd settle for three strikers too!) Here's my stress point. I don't like trying to play a formation that requires exceptional players. Obviously, any system will benefit from better players, but what I fear is trying to employ a system where you need a super player to make it work. I don't like single striker formations for that reason. You need a monster striker to make that work. So I prefer a two forward system where there are more players who fit that mold available. This is just an example. I wouldn't want a system where we need a super-duper d-mid either. Good players should be able to manage the system. We shouldn't have to rely on players who are scarce and really expensive. It's just harder to make that system go, especially if your owner is a cheap bastards. Go Quakesfans!!
Of course Max Arfsten was one of the five most undervalued MLS contracts in 2024... great job blowing that one Chris Leitch and the rest of the Quakes front office Finding the Best Undervalued MLS Contracts in 2024 For 2024, the top five standout players include Andrew Privett (Charlotte FC), Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders), Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati), Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), and Lucas Bartlett (DC United). Interestingly, four of these five players were drafted through or connected to the MLS SuperDraft, highlighting its potential as a valuable platform for uncovering underappreciated talent.
Years ago, April 2018, I had a long chat with Jesse Fioranelli. He said that he wanted to work up a profile for what makes a successful player in MLS. (He messed that up badly.) But in part, he wanted to have a profile that would help guide him in choosing players. It's not a bad idea, but if your profile tells you to sign slow, unskilled players, then there's something wrong with your profile. I told him that foot speed should be a high priority, because this is a fast league with a lot of teams who press in the center of the pitch and higher. Obviously, you want a good first touch, good ball handling, good positioning, and maybe most important, good decision making. Players should know what they want to do with the ball before they get it. This chart is sort of a way of quantifying that, though it leaves out the foot speed part. Thanks! Also, how do we develop good players and then keep the bad ones and let the good ones go to other teams? WTF?! Go Quakesfans!!
When I was a little kid some other neighborhood kids put on some kind of "show" in their garage. In one of the skits, a guy shelled a peanut, and ate the shell and threw away the peanuts. I thought that was so funny at the time. Little did I know that would be the player development model for our local pro soccer team. A foreshadowing?
I still don't understand why everyone automatically thinks it the Quakes who are "letting" the "youngsters" go. I'm willing to think some the Quakes didn't want to sign, some didn't want to sign with the Quakes.
Yes it’s not always that simple and I was being mostly tongue in cheek with the “keep the shell, throw away the peanuts” thing
In the case of Max Arfsten we actually know the specific scenario and don't need to speculate... - Arfsten was signed by Quakes II in MLS Next Pro out of UC Davis in 2022 - Arfsten played well for Quakes II in 2022, one of the best players on the team by all accounts - Arsten entered the 2023 MLS SuperDraft - Arfsten was selected #14 by the Columbus Crew, the Quakes selected Daniel Munie 10th - Arfsten had a promising first season with the Crew in 2023, finishing with 2 goals 2 assists in 272m - Arfsten had 4 goals 8 assists for the Crew in 2024 in 23 starts and just under 2000 minutes, with Matt Doyle at one point speculating that he would be the best player on the Quakes What does anyone "automatically think" that you "don't understand" about any of that? Or are you just knee jerk defending the Quakes' incompetence? https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/maximilian-arfsten/stats/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_Arfsten
So in this case it would appear the Quakes "let him go" although he may have turned down a First team contract to enter the draft. Only he and the Quakes know why he chose to go through the draft. Edit: I'm not "defending" the Quakes just saying it may not always be as simple as "the Quakes let a player go"
The Quakes also traded for the pick the used to draft Munie 10th. The 11 12 and 13 picks were all traded as well. The Quakes could have drafted Arfsten themselves, either instead of Munie or in addition to Munie if they thought he was worth a hundred k or whatever for another pick. Uh.... so what makes that not clear/simple is the microscopic possibility that is based on nothing but your idle speculation and not backed up by any reporting or shred of evidence from anywhere?
As I said in THIS case it appears the Quakes thought it better to "let him go" Is there such "ample" "evidence" in all of the other cases?
Okay so you're making a point (with no supporting evidence) not about the relevant person actually being discussed here, but about some unnamed possibly hypothetical other case(s)?
It’s probable that some players wanted to go elsewhere. Maybe even certain. But also, there have been guys that we didn’t rate who went to other teams and did well. It could be that we didn’t think that player was a good fit for our “system” or “style.” Not that we have much of a defined system or style, but you could imagine someone thinking that. The other big possibility is that we can’t identify talent for shit. My interpretation is that we’re screw ups. But I’m just a negative wanker right now. Go Quakesfans!!
Max A might not have succeeded here. Sam Darnold threw five touchdowns last weekend — while no longer playing for a Jets team that drafted him third overall. #nflexplainstheworld
We did have a defined system of play. Luchi liked to play a possession, build up game. The goal was to control the game and attack on the wings. The problem was execution: our midfield was poor in transition defense and our defense made too many poor decisions. Ian had a set of play that focused more on pressing and counterattacks. Defense still made poor decisions. I agree with the talent recognition and screw up part.
Wild guess here, but if we assume a 4-3-1-2 like rice played in NER, then maybe something like this? - - - - Josef - - - - Arango - - - - - - - Hernán Pelle - - - - - - - - - - - Cristian - - - - - - - - Kaye Vitor - Romney - Wilson - Lima - - - - - - - - Daniel
Those aren't wingers, that's essentially a 4-4-2 diamond so shuttlers... An actual 4-3-1-2, that's almost like a 4-3-2-1 christmas tree formation but with two forwards instead of two attacking midfielders... but in that case Espinoza as part of the 3 would essentially be a defensive midfielder (a position where we might not even have one worthy starter let alone three). Espinoza is by far the best player in terms of chance creation and his position winger is just about as set as it can be, so moving him further back seems absurd.
Yep, I posted almost the same lineup as an option, but pointed out this may be a problem with Espinoza. In your terms, the three would be DMs which wouldn't work for him. However, if he has more ability to go forward and your roll defense to one side or other, then it could work.
That's a good point. How about this? Almost the dreaded empty bucket here. - - - - Josef - - - - Arango Hernán - - - - - - - - Cristian - - - - - Kaye - - Niko Vitor - Romney - Wilson - Lima - - - - - - - - Daniel Also, I want lots of us to post potential lineups. We should be kicking these ideas around, also, it should be fun for the next few days before we get an idea of what Bruce is actually going to do. Go Quakesfans!!
We would lose every game 4-3, but it sure would be entertaining! We might lose the midfield battle though. I'd wager that Pellegrino is coming off the bench, and we have one more proper midfielder in the lineup.
I think Harkes will start over Niko but otherwise it's not out of the question that we do something like that.