My coaching expertise is limited to two years of AYSO, though I've been following the game all my life. This is an honest question (as opposed to sarcastic) for those who have coached or know the strategies or tacticals of the game. When Sigi got "rehired" he said that the Galaxy would be attacking more (right?), that yes we would be going back to four in the back (right?) to put more pressure on the opponents (right?). My questions is How does a team become more "attacking" by putting more people in the back (defenders)? I don't get it!!!!
I have been playing and following the game most of my life, but by no means do I consider myself an expert. That being said, my thoughts are: (1) that he will have the outside backs (Marshall and Suarez?) in a 4-4-2 push forward often up the flanks and have two CB "stay at home" defenders (Califf and Bo.) Whereas, in the 3-5-2, the 3 backs acted as stay at home defenders. (2) Assuming we pick up an experienced A-mid from down south, that alone will give us more of an attacking edge. (3) In a 4-4-2, we would have 1 D-mid/holding mid (Vagenas?) with this new A-mid looking to create. In the 3-5-2, we seemed to play with 2 holding/D-mid types, although, my Galaxy memories of last year are intentionally fuzzy In other words, even though we will have 4 along the back line, more people will be dedicated to the attack and be given offensive responsibilities. Again, these are just guestimations on my part
Makes sense. I don't recall if Brazil plays 4 in the back. What you're describing is exactly how they do it, with Roberto Carlos and Cafu pushing up from the back. I don't know if I'd have Suarez pushing up, he doesn't seem to distribute well. Marshall does okay and he can take a crack at the goal every once in a while. We miss Greg Vanney with the killer left.
Roberto Carlos would make a great outside back in this system for the Galaxy Marshall is good for this system, it's probably why he didn't seem as effective last year. I think he'll do well this year, assuming he's the LB in a 4-4-2. He can make some good runs up the left and doesn't seem to tire. Like you, I would have questions about Suarez as a RB (again, it's just my guess that they are setting him up to play there.) I haven't seen that much of him, but he seems more of a stay at home, physical defender. When he played for the Burn, I don't have any memories of him making offensive runs. Do we even have anyone else on the roster who could play there? Lewis seems more left-sided and I haven't seen Thompson play.
I sat right in front of Albright for the first half of the Denmark game, and while I don't know if he'll work out at RB for the National team, I thought he showed a lot of promise at the club level. Most of his mistakes were mental (I realize that is Albright's modus operandi) but I think with time he could perhaps finally become the player we've all hoped for, just as a RB. In the Denmark game he won all of the high balls that came his way, made a couple nice step-ups to intercept passes, and was never beaten in a one on one. He has the physical skills to play the position and can push up the field on attack. I don't see him a starter for us again at forward or out wide, so why not give him a shot... So, that said, what does everyone think of this lineup to start our season: Hartman Albright Bo Califf Marshall Vagenas Torres Sigi's find down south Victorine Ngwenya Fish With Gardner and Grabavoy waiting to replace Vagenas and Victorine if they don't produce. Cobi, Memo and Moreno as second-half subs and Suarez, Thompson and Lewis as our d-line backups. Anyway, that's my two-cents. Of course, no one's ever let me coach a team, so what do I know...
Unless Ngwenya tears up the field in pre-season, or Alejandro gets hurt, how can you not give the start on top to Moreno? He was the second leading scorer on the team and got better as the year went on. In back, I would start Suarez at right back, based on his experience at the position, and use Albright as the sub if LAG were not generating sufficient offense. Yeah, I agree, Chris did not look out of place in the game v. Denmark. But, I still worry about starting a guy who has ONE GAME's experience at the position. Vagenas may be a stretch in mid-field unless he returns to form. It pains me to say that, as he is one of my favorites on the team. BTW: Is Ochoa still on the roster?
At the last world cup, Brazil played a 3-5-2 with Cafu and Roberto Carlos as wingbacks getting forward at every opportunity. To answer the original question, the actual shape of the formation really doesn't matter. In Brazil's 3-5-2 for example, the 3 central defenders stayed home for the most part while everyone else had freedom to go forward. In a 4-4-2 like Arsenal for example, the outside fullbacks, esp. Cole get forward a lot, but they will usually have 3 players stay back and not run forward, always the 2 center halves and either one of the center midfielders or the fullback on the opposite side. So the actual shape doesn't really matter, but the tactics within that shape do. You can play really defensive or attacking out of any formation, it's more dependent on the skills of your players and what your opponent is trying to do.
and/or what the coach is telling you to do. Here's my formation: --------------Hartman Suarez --- Califf----------Bo------------Marshall Torres(Cobi)--Grabavoy(Arzate)--Sasha--Memo(Gardner) ----------Pescadito-------Moreno (Ngwenya)
Silly me, I had forgotten about Albright's new found potential for RB. Even though, I only saw him there in one game, I would be intrigued to see what he could do at the MLS level. My guess at the starting 11 would be: G: Hartman RB:Albright/Suarez CB:Califf CB:Bo LB:Marshall RM:Cobi/Torres D/CM:Vagenas LM:Victorine A-Mid: Sigi's find F:Moreno F:Ruiz
I acknowledge that picking Albright over Suarez at RB is a bit risky, but I think the potential upside is worth it. Especially if the switch is made pre-season and Albright gets the next two months to train in that position. I just think that our new-look Samba-Galaxy would benifit from Albright's ability to push up the right side into the attack. I agree that Moreno has really improved. I really like his play. But since I don't know who Sigi has found to replace Cien, I couldn't bring myself to type-up a lineup consisting entirely of players from last years abyssmal season. Of who we've picked up so far, Ngwenya seems the best bet to make an immediate impact. If his college game can translate to the pros, then he'll make an excellent partner up top for Ruiz. But going on the theory that getting your best eleven players out on the pitch is the best idea, does anyone know if Moreno has a left foot? Moreno isn't very fast, but neither is Victorine. I like what Moreno brings to the game more than Victorine, and if he could play left mid, that would be a way to keep him on the pitch if Ngwenya steals his spot. Just my thoughts as I wait for the season to start...
The other thing to keep in mind is that with four in the back the central midfielders are allowed to focus more on attack. Four in the back generally means that you can play with more space between the mids and the back line and rely on the a defender to carry the ball forward. In the 3-5-2 the central mids have to be constantly ready to drop back and help defend. Sigi switched to the 3-5-2 partly because the mids were ignoring their defensive responsibilities almost entirely in the 4-4-2 and partly because Califf has trouble making the transition from outside marking back to a multitasking center back.