2017 Roster Discussion

[LionNYC]

Is Vieira is going to be playing a 3-3-4 next season, we're going to need more forwards/wingers. Only Villa and Shelton are the true forwards on our team. The lineup probably looks like this so far....

--McNamara---Villa---Shelton---Harrison--
-------Mataritta----Pirlo-----Mix -----------
--------Mena-------Brillant-----Chanot-------
--------------------Johansen--------------------

We will surely sign some new players, our CBs will get better during the offseason, but above them it's really all attack and no defense.

 

[Kjbert]

Can Matarrita be our N'Golo Konte?

 

[ktdNYCFC]

Can Matarrita be our N'Golo Konte?

No one can be N'Golo Kante besides N'Golo Kante. Just ask Ranieri. And I think Mata would be best utilized for us as a wingback in a 3-4-3. I just can't see us going 3-3-4 after 2 years with chart-topping goals allowed. I can see (and would like) a 3-4-3 (5/2/3), now that we have no true 10, but if we see him sign a central playmaker like a Nagbe or a Littlefinger, we're back to 4-3-3, or maybe 4-2-3-1 (where, for the record, I think Harrison AND TMac would thrive best). Would also be consistent with our now lack of true wingers, with Shelton being Villa's backup / late game switch to 4-1-3-2.

Sorry if ramble, not finish coffee.

 

[Ulrich]

No one can be N'Golo Kante besides N'Golo Kante. Just ask Ranieri. And I think Mata would be best utilized for us as a wingback in a 3-4-3. I just can't see us going 3-3-4 after 2 years with chart-topping goals allowed. I can see (and would like) a 3-4-3 (5/2/3), now that we have no true 10, but if we see him sign a central playmaker like a Nagbe or a Littlefinger, we're back to 4-3-3, or maybe 4-2-3-1 (where, for the record, I think Harrison AND TMac would thrive best). Would also be consistent with our now lack of true wingers, with Shelton being Villa's backup / late game switch to 4-1-3-2.

Sorry if ramble, not finish coffee.

ugh, I cannot stand the 5-2-3..... two midfielders get overrun every time when one is names Pirlo..... gotta have two ball-hawking mids to make that happen.....

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Don't you need two box to box midfielders to play a 343? Playing Pirlo precludes that formation in my opinion. If you want three in the back, which I don't see the need for, I think you'd have to go with a 352.

I would actually love to see us in a 2 forward set with a big target man.

 

[adam]

Don't you need two box to box midfielders to play a 343? Playing Pirlo precludes that formation in my opinion. If you want three in the back, which I don't see the need for, I think you'd have to go with a 352.

I would actually love to see us in a 2 forward set with a big target man.

You are Jason Kriess aren't you?

 

[Ulrich]

Don't you need two box to box midfielders to play a 343? Playing Pirlo precludes that formation in my opinion. If you want three in the back, which I don't see the need for, I think you'd have to go with a 352.

I would actually love to see us in a 2 forward set with a big target man.

The 343 in Vieira's tactics overload one side - it's not a balanced midfield. It can work.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Great analysis. But can you explain to me why Alajuelense would sell their 50% right now for anything short of 1.25M? I don't get all of these cases that rest on them selling low with news leaks all pointing toward value being high.

That's a very good question. They would get a few things - certainty on price, certainty on execution (i.e. that he doesn't blow out a knee); plus we have control over the process and playing him, which is worth something. Still, I expect they would push a lot higher than what we offered.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

The 343 in Vieira's tactics overload one side - it's not a balanced midfield. It can work.

It gives up the center, I am not looking forward to getting overrun all year again. We weren't even setting our line of contention until 30 yards out

 

[joe]

Don't you need two box to box midfielders to play a 343? Playing Pirlo precludes that formation in my opinion. If you want three in the back, which I don't see the need for, I think you'd have to go with a 352.

I would actually love to see us in a 2 forward set with a big target man.

NEMEC!

 

[ktdNYCFC]

Playing Pirlo precludes that formation in my opinion.

Almost no formation in which that isn't the case.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

NEMEC!

Haha, joking aside, he was great at knocking down balls in the air, and that kind of guy would be so valuable with Pirlo and the GK as a long outlet. The beautiful Matarrita crosses are wasted flying over Villa and Harrison's heads.

 

[sbrylski]

Haha, joking aside, he was great at knocking down balls in the air, and that kind of guy would be so valuable with Pirlo and the GK as a long outlet. The beautiful Matarrita crosses are wasted flying over Villa and Harrison's heads.

You're going to be very frustrated as long as Vieira's our coach, I believe. I don't think this is very high on his list. He'd rather shorten the passes than find a player to get on the end of long ones.

 

[adam]

Haha, joking aside, he was great at knocking down balls in the air, and that kind of guy would be so valuable with Pirlo and the GK as a long outlet. The beautiful Matarrita crosses are wasted flying over Villa and Harrison's heads.

He was also great at knocking down our own players in the midst of scoring opportunities...

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

You're going to be very frustrated as long as Vieira's our coach, I believe. I don't think this is very high on his list. He'd rather shorten the passes than find a player to get on the end of long ones.

Which is exactly how Pirlo doesn't play. I would agree with Vieira normally, except when Pirlo is on the field.

 

[sbrylski]

Which is exactly how Pirlo doesn't play. I would agree with Vieira normally, except when Pirlo is on the field.

For offensive purposes, I still think yes Pirlo is better than no Pirlo though. His vision in moving the ball forward is unparalleled on our roster, maybe in MLS.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

For offensive purposes, I still think yes Pirlo is better than no Pirlo though. His vision in moving the ball forward is unparalleled on our roster, maybe in MLS.

I agree his vision and passing are better than anyone in MLS, if not the world, not so sure if that is a net positive on our team though. Many of those passes go to no one or are not corralled due to lower level pass receivers. I see a target man as a compromise to increase Pirlo's value to the team.

For instance, the obvious way to defend our team, which wants to move the ball through the middle to Villa, is to clog the middle and force us wide. We do that plenty as evidenced my how many touches matarrita and harrison get in the final third. However, that tactic leaves us dead in our tracks since we have no one to compete for aerial crosses. Columbus got to the final last year by lobbing crosses to kamara. Scoring from crosses opens up the middle since teams cannot allow you to run free up the sidelines. A target man is a natural response to the clogged middle tactic. Its beyond weird that we don't have that option on our bench, and I think its a bit stubborn by Vieira not to play one. It would give Pirlo more space, more options, AND give the defense an outlet to beat the press.

That would be my choice to beat the teams we had trouble with this year, TO and RB. Takes away RB press and beats TO's 3 man backline.

 

[sbrylski]

I agree his vision and passing are better than anyone in MLS, if not the world, not so sure if that is a net positive on our team though. Many of those passes go to no one or are not corralled due to lower level pass receivers. I see a target man as a compromise to increase Pirlo's value to the team.

For instance, the obvious way to defend our team, which wants to move the ball through the middle to Villa, is to clog the middle and force us wide. We do that plenty as evidenced my how many touches matarrita and harrison get in the final third. However, that tactic leaves us dead in our tracks since we have no one to compete for aerial crosses. Columbus got to the final last year by lobbing crosses to kamara. Scoring from crosses opens up the middle since teams cannot allow you to run free up the sidelines. A target man is a natural response to the clogged middle tactic. Its beyond weird that we don't have that option on our bench, and I think its a bit stubborn by Vieira not to play one. It would give Pirlo more space, more options, AND give the defense an outlet to beat the press.

That would be my choice to beat the teams we had trouble with this year, TO and RB. Takes away RB press and beats TO's 3 man backline.

That's one way to attack it. The other way, which we have heard out of Vieira and Reyna multiple times, is to get wingers that can attack the defense one-on-one. Wingers that teams can't leave single covered by an American fullback worth $75k a year.

Hopefully I'm not cherry picking, but off the top of my head, we have been reliably rumored to be after four different TAM players in the past year - two CB's (Teixiera, Chanot) and two wingers (Berrio, Horgan). I think that reinforces the importance Vieira places on the wingers in our system.

I believe it's far more likely Vieira will be spending any free cash on skillful wingers than a target man. And I think it's probably the better solution. Do you really need a Pirlo to lob up balls to a target man? Anyone can do that from the midfield. Or do you need wingers who have both the mental presence to make the runs Pirlo sees, and then actually do something with the ball once they receive it?

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

That's one way to attack it. The other way, which we have heard out of Vieira and Reyna multiple times, is to get wingers that can attack the defense one-on-one. Wingers that teams can't leave single covered by an American fullback worth $75k a year.

Hopefully I'm not cherry picking, but off the top of my head, we have been reliably rumored to be after four different TAM players in the past year - two CB's (Teixiera, Chanot) and two wingers (Berrio, Horgan). I think that reinforces the importance Vieira places on the wingers in our system.

I believe it's far more likely Vieira will be spending any free cash on skillful wingers than a target man. And I think it's probably the better solution. Do you really need a Pirlo to lob up balls to a target man? Anyone can do that from the midfield. Or do you need wingers who have both the mental presence to make the runs Pirlo sees, and then actually do something with the ball once they receive it?

I agree with your idea for long term, mine is for next year only. I'm really excited for us to get new wingers since i know thats more likely than a target man. Still not a bad idea to have a guy that can do the job on the bench though.

 

[Kjbert]

I was taking about Matarrita as a ball hawk CM because he is a ball hawk FB right now. But I digress.

His service is lost in this league. He'd bag 10 assists in the EPL with his crosses