Some of us have been discussing strategy and tactics over in the preseason thread. We tried one of these threads last year, and I think we should do it again. Watching the college cup this year, I noticed that all of the top four teams kept the ball mostly on the ground. They all played possession soccer. That was great, and it gives me hope for the future of MLS. This season, I want to see our Quakes play more possession. Shorter, more controlled passing, on the ground. I want to see our guys keep the ball. If we have it, the other guys can't score. I have my own preferences about who starts, and what positions each guy plays, and the formation and all of that, but my number one, overwhelming most fervent desire is to see OUR Quakes play a more possession oriented game. Let's try to keep this about strategy and tactics, and not get all caught up in formations and who starts, though those are clearly related issues. Diamond midfield, 4-5-1, 3-5-2, empty bucket midfield, these are all good strategy and tactics issues. The fact that player X had a crap match is a bit off topic. OK, let's argue. GO QUAKES!!! - Mark
Ball goes to our defenders. Defenders smash the ball forward aimlessly. Forwards fail to control the ball. Ball goes back to the other team. Repeat as necessary.
This is how we play all too often, and it's crap. One of the things l like about Ward and Beta is that they look to combine with other players and they seem to be better at it than most of our defenders who just hoof it long. Oh, and put Ike in that category too! Ike in central d alone could make for improved possession play. Lenhart should be a better target forward than RJ (not saying much, I know). But that should help. Amp is a possession player. Jimenez has been playing in Costa Rica, so I have hopes that he's a possession guy and that he's good enough to make the roster. (Easier now that it's expanded.) Convey is a possession player. So are Cronin and Ring, though they still have a ways to go in development. Gjoey looks to combine with other players first, rather than go on Alvarez-like runs by himself. I'm wondering if Frank is really thinking about playing a 4-3-3 more often this season? And does this mean more or less coordination through the midfield? He might just be thinking that he hasn't got a good a-mid now, and with three forwards it should be easier for the defenders to find one with a long pass. This could lead to massively ugly soccer. On the other hand, I just watch some Mexican teams playing 4-3-3 and they were pretty stylish. Of course, their average skill level is way better than ours too. I need beer. GO QUAKES!!! - Mark
Ike scored a goal in the recent pre-season game against the Galaxy. Towards the end of our last game of last season I was really hoping that Yallop would put Ike Opara in at the seventy-fifth or eightieth minute as a forward because he seemed to be our second biggest offensive threat at the beginniong of the 2010 season, playing as a defender. If we are playing a 4-4-2 and trailing late in a game it may be worth sending Ike up as a forward for the last 10 minutes, relinquishing him of defensive duties. I think he is capable of scoring from the run of play too, not just on free kicks and corner kicks. I am convinced if he is up front receiving crosses and not worrying about running back he can become a real attacking threat. He may well be our second biggest threat up front this year and we do have five strong defenders for a totatal of four spots. Call me crazy but I think that in order to get our best team on the field he shoud even be looked at as being in the pool as a starting forward. I think we really can tap into his nose for goal by letting him loose to play up front more often.
I'm not a long ball fan either but I'd rather win ugly than play attractive and lose. Of course playing attractive and winning would be the best...(see quakes 01-05)
I think what you're getting at is that we need more scoring threats than just the Wonderful Wondo. I agree with that. At the end of last season, Ike was still hurt and not available, but I take your point. So I'm happy to hear that our guys have been playing a 4-3-3 at least some of the time. This way, if we're down late in a game and need a goal, we can pull a midfielder for a forward and not totally lose our shape, because our guys will be familiar with this formation. Sure, but Frank is so wedded to four in the back, that he's not going to move Ike up front without pulling a midfielder for a defender. He might, and I think it might help. But really, if you're behind, you want to put on a fresh striker, pulling someone who is tired. Maybe pull two someones and throw on two new strikers for some speed, hunger, and quality finishing. Oh, Lenhart had six goals and two assists last season. For us, Wondo with 18, followed by Ike with 3 and Arturo with 3. We need one or more players in the 6 to 10 goals category. I'd settle for a couple of guys with five each. How's that? I think that we need to do something to find another quality striker. I hope to see Lenhart really become a scoring threat up top, but if he's not, and soon, then we'd better try someone else, like RJ, TonyD, Sealy, Trialist, or maybe Trialist! My view is that Wondo is our only proven forward. GOOOOOOO QUAAAAAAAAKES!!!!!! - Mark
I would imagine young Omar could burn tired defenders...could he combine an improved soccer mind and finishing with that speed?
Eventually, but he needs some work. As it stands now, we can start Lenhart and Wondo. Lenhart is going to wear down a defense over the length of a game. He's a handful to deal with. Late in a match, if we still need a goal, we could pull a defender (only if someone slips some acid into Frank's water bottle) and put on another forward, or another attacking middie. Amp has a lot of speed, we could throw him on late. If we start Donatelli at right mid, then we could bring on Gjoey late, and he's pretty quick. Perhaps one of the forwards that we are trying out has some speed? One hopes, yeah? Orgill, Everson, McLoughlin, Baca? That's enough forwards to try out, the question is, are these guys any good? Or are they just college guys, USL refugees, and the like? Here's hoping that one of them is actually good (and not a crazed hot-head). GO QUAKES!! - Mark
Very interesting article - it confirms that the 4-3-3 is something that they are going to use, even if not exclusively. Also, it confirms what I had expected, it's really a 4-1-4-1 or even a 4-1-1-3-1 variation of a 4-3-3 where two of the guys in the "second 3" are very offensive focused. So it looks something like this: Nominal 4-3-3 formation: Convey/Johnson/other -------Lenhart/Johnson -------- Gjertsen/other Cronin --------- Wondo ------------Stephenson ------------defense ---------- But it really plays like this: ---------- Target Forward (Lehnhart/Johnson/ Sealy?) Convey/Johnson/other --- Wondo ----------- Gjertsen/other ---------- Stephenson/Baca/Dawkins/Sealy? ----------- ------------------- Cronin ------------------ Corrales -- McDonald/Opara -- Opara/Hernandez -- Ward From the article: And another comment from Yallop: It almost sounds like Yallop likes this formation because he feels it specifically plays to Wondo's strengths. And if things work out well, I would tend to agree - I'd much rather have him in this kind of role in the middle instead of at wide midfield. This gives him much more opportunity to find the ball and not get isolated or have to track back too far defensively. I'm very interested to see how this plays out - it puts more pressure on the outside defenders because the outside midfielders are playing more offensively than in the past. It clogs up the middle of the field, and I wonder how well it will work on the smaller fields (like Buck Shaw).
With the 4-3-3. how much defensive help Cronin will get from Wondo and Khari (and whoever plays there)?
A lot. Probably more from the 2nd center mid, as opposed to wondo, but definitely both. There is probably going to be a range of looks you get from it.
I don't think it will be a traditional 4-3-3. Would it actually be a 4-2-3-1? I still can't believe having Cronin alone in front of the defense. --------------Lehnhart---------------------- Convey---------Wondo ----------- Gjertsen ---------- Stephenson--Cronin ----------- ------------------- Cronin ------------------ Corrales -- McDonald-- Hernandez -- Ward -----------------Bushy--------------------
I'm not sure I understand people's concerns with how much help Cronin would get from Khari or Wondo (or whoever else plays centrally). In the 4-4-2, Cronin got very little help centrally from Wondo or whoever the second forward was (Geovanni, Glen), as their role was to stay more forward. And Khari played defense in the middle of the park, but not as much in the defensive third. There's no reason to believe Khari (or whoever is in that role) would play less defensively in this alignment. If anything, this alignment gives more central defensive help, but it gives less wide defensive help than a 4-4-2. I think the center of the field defensively will be as good or better than last year with this formation, but the potential issues could be with teams that have very good offensive outside mids and outside fullbacks that go forward. The outside backs of the Quakes could get caught with the "wing" players (Convey and Gjertsen) having gone more forward in this alignment than they typically did in the 4-4-2. Or perhaps I'm not understanding how the Quakes plan to play this (which is definitely possible, since I haven't seen them play it yet!)
Lenhart and Gjersten aren't good enough in those respective positions. I could see you guys getting an actual AM/second forward in the mold of David Ferreira, then pushing Wondo into Gjertsen's spot for more of the "back post" action from Convey's crosses. With Opara coming back, you can also move McDonald up to sit alongside Khari. The key is to free up Convey and the RM (Wondo, if I had my choice) from major defensive responsibilities. Khari sneaks into the attack at times. McDonald stays home, and then with Corrales at his age, and the slow Ward, you keep your four at home. Essentially, you have four guys who always attack, 6 who defend, with Khari getting the leeway to pick his spots.
In not sure your right, im not sure your wrong with regards to Lenhart and Gjertsen. Lenhart wasnt bad for Columbus on a per minute basis, and Gjertsen played well last year before he was slowed down by injuries. Wondo was ok at right mid, but a better fit where he is. If we are going to replace Gjertsen, then it would probably be for a more creative wide player, in the Huckerby mold (speaking of which, man Huckerby would have been a great fit in this system). The biggest downside to Wondo on the right is we became very left handed. In the middle hes able to ghost to either side, and we retain the ability to attack on either side of the field. In some games, not in others. I expect a flexible system depending on our opponent. I think this is an area that Yallop will tweak. Im sure you will see that, though I think Cronin-McDonald is more likely the Khari-McDonald, but expect Khari-Cronin to start (unless Yallop throws a curveball and start Ampai or Baca next to Cronin).
If we take FY at his word ... we get the following lineup. Genius!! Props to FY & JD ----- Convey ----- Lenhart/RJ ----- Joey ------ ---------- Khari/Sealy --- Wondo ------------- --------------- Cronin/ALM/McD --------------- Corrales --- Opara/McD --- Jason/BB --- Ward == Coach Frank Yallop’s plan is to have a target forward up top, either newly acquired bruiser Steven Lenhart or Johnson, with one man wide on either wing – look for Bobby Convey on the left and Joey Gjertsen on the right – and two players underneath providing support and making dangerous runs out of the midfield. Those spots will be where Khari Stephenson, Scott Sealy and, most importantly, 2010 Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski will see the majority of their time.
The trouble with this is that you've got non-defenders like Wondo and Sealy with too much defensive responsibility, and a guy like Gjertsen too far forward for the attacking danger he actually poses. I understand the "late run into the box" philosophy--Philly is using Ruiz as a back-to-goal body in something similar for Letoux and Mwanga--but I can't see this holding up defensively in the midfield. I guess we shall see...
I think this can work if there is some fluidity on the right had side with Joey & Ward (ie., interchange) ... Though, I would prefer if we could employ a wing back (on the right side) instead.