Practice Observations: Twofer February 4th, 2008, 10 AM and 3 PM, PHP #1 By: Buzz Carrick http://www.3rddegree.net/
So sayeth The Coach: and... Is Rocha the attacking mid he's talking about, in your opinion? Toja? My mother? Where is this #10 depth?
Damn, I've gone posty... Ok, so barring the signing of another striker, you don't ascribe to the theory that Averez may be placed up front? Pardon my stupidity. My depth of soccer knowledge comes from FIFA 08.
he could be the 2 in the 3-5-2, or the 3 in the 3-4-3, or even the amid in the 3-5-2. morrow is a squad rotator, nothing is set in stone.
Really? Hrmmm...from what little I saw of him, I would say he is the closest thing I've seen on this roster to an AM. Maybe that's more a statement on the roster, but some of the passes I saw him make seemed to offer glimpses of hope that he could one day take over playmaking duties. I thought he was AM in the WC last year? Isn't he a bit slow to be out wide? I do recall that he still needs a little practice on the shots from outside the 18....
Dax played the deeper linking role Danny Szetela played on the U20s. Rongen picked Danny over Dax basically. he is a quite good passer. he could play up there, But I think he's better deeper.
A lot of teams these days are playing without a real #10. They are preferring the deep lying playmaker. I think Dax can definetly fit that role. But he's not ready to have the keys handed to him. Not on a championship caliber team, and that should be our standard. I'm not sure how a deep lying playmaker fits into a 3-5-2, though. I think it probably fits a 3-4-3 better.
yes, the one on the far left of the photo I think. Hard to tell in such a small pic. this is him next to Javier Alvial.
Question that has been nagging me for Buzz etc. Why does training camp start 2 months before the opening game? I don't think Euro teams start that early and other pro sports are much less. It just seems an inordinate amount of time to prepare. If they waited 2 more weeks would it matter?
For what it's worth, Novak is playing Wallace at left back, Dax at central mid, and Alvarez at left mid in a 4-4-2. Nobody on this team is a traditional number 10. If we aren't looking to pick one up, I think we are probably not looking at a 3-5-2 this season. 3-4-2 with a box midfield?
well the theory goes that the first month is about fitness and the second is about getting in gear tactically for the season. But yes it's to long. I think teams train that long cause that's when MLS let's them train. Since they are paying the players during that time they might as well train. They would train all winter if MLS would let them.
Just think, surprise the other team with a 5th mid to start the second half while they wilt in the heat! Brilliant!