I don't know much about the market for fast wide players but it doesn't seem too supply-constrained. Apparently there's enough that we passed on Grella :S
That game with the 4-3-3 was the most dynamic attacking performance the team had all season. Yes, there were times the back 4 were left completely to fend for themselves with Mena (if I remember correctly) playing some lights-out 1v1 defending. Villa had the support he desperately desired, Mullins was active & involved, and the team just seemed to buy in to it. Of course, even with the great ball movement on offense, with what seemed to be a breakthrough tactically, the next game we dropped the formation. The 4-3-3 isn't perfect, but it may be as close as we'll get with the hodge-podge of core players we have assembled.
Hmm, I remember us trying 4-3-3. Do you remember who we played / how we fared? I remember thinking that it didn't quite work and that Villa kept picking up the ball too far away from goal. That said, IIRC, we tried it for one game, maybe even one half of a game, then junked it, so we may have built up some chemistry if we stuck it out for a few games.
I'll add that once Mullins was subbed out for TMac, the shape completed fell apart. Mullins was the true link to make the offense work.
What would happen if we ...
The right side of the lineup would get torched, especially if Iriola was playing instead of Allen.
Then that would suggest a need for Allen to play and that mystery CB to be a strong addition. But this gets everyone on the field.
Allen isn't a sexy player but he's cheap, very serviceable, and will leave everything on the field. I'd rather take Iriola's cap hit (if possible with a transfer) and put it towards a CB. Allen's backup can be found either in the draft, USL, or Conner Brandt.
Can we buy a 12th man with allocation money? It would solve alot of our problems.
Which game was that? I want to go watch the replay.
He was so cheap at 60k, but I think we can grab a 20 year old that can really only run for the same amount. Young Agudelo was making less than that for NJ.
Unless Jacobson randomly gets way more defense-first and better at reading/intercepting plays I'd definitely be willing to take Allen as CDM
vs Columbus. Don't remember the date but during or right after the transfer window
I'd say no. Allen is great at man-marking and he has some serious speed (which would be wasted in the middle as a defense-first cog), but I'm not sure he has the tactical awareness to play zone in the middle and snuff out attacks. Then again, I've never seen him placed in that situation so there's a chance he could be a total savant.