If Vieira wants a no-nonsense replacement for Bravo that isn't going to freelance, then I wouldn't be surprised if Balouchi gets the nod. He knows his role and has a good motor.
Away - Timbers 05/15
- Thread starter NYCFC_Dan
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That actually might be a very good call. As tends to happen, I had completely forgotten about Mehdi when thinking about alternatives, but I could very much see that. We simply don't have a like for like replacement, but Vieira might view him as the best alternative in terms of some discipline and ability to do basic distribution. He also remains around the periphery of the team, having made the bench this week and gotten some minutes earlier in the season.
I would like to see a 4-3-1-2 for this game:
F: Villa Shelton
CAM: Lopez
CM: McNamara Pirlo Diskerud
FB: Matarrita Allen
CB: Hernandez Brillant
GK: Saunders
You get no width from you Central Midfielders, but you pack the center of the pitch where Adi, Valeri and Nagbe do all of their work. You use Matarrita and Allen to provide width in the center of the field much like Matarrita did against DC United. Allen is tasked with getting further up the field. Villa and Shelton naturally provide width as Forwards because both like playing in from wide.
My one concern is with Lopez playing a CAM role here. If you go with a 4-3-1-2 formation, that CAM is VERY important to link up play. He's done a poor job of being able to collect the ball, turn and run at the backline. This would be a good shot for Poku actually.
F: Villa Shelton
CAM: Lopez
CM: McNamara Pirlo Diskerud
FB: Matarrita Allen
CB: Hernandez Brillant
GK: Saunders
You get no width from you Central Midfielders, but you pack the center of the pitch where Adi, Valeri and Nagbe do all of their work. You use Matarrita and Allen to provide width in the center of the field much like Matarrita did against DC United. Allen is tasked with getting further up the field. Villa and Shelton naturally provide width as Forwards because both like playing in from wide.
My one concern is with Lopez playing a CAM role here. If you go with a 4-3-1-2 formation, that CAM is VERY important to link up play. He's done a poor job of being able to collect the ball, turn and run at the backline. This would be a good shot for Poku actually.
Anyone think we might see a return to 3-2-2-3 against the Timbers?
Arguments against:
Arguments against:
- We seem to have found a system that works for us in the 4-3-3.
- It's unproven away from the postage stamp we play on at YS. Lack of defensive width could leave us very open.
- 4-3-3 may only work for us so well because of Bravo. I can't think of too many players who possess Bravo's combination of physicality and positioning.
- 3-2-2-3 gives us a 1 man overload in the center against the 4-3-3, which is what I think Portland have been using.
Haha, posted at roughly the same time. Similar theme – maybe a different formation is a better shot than trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. But my post wasn't meant as a response / rejection of your idea.
FWIW, it seems like a fair idea. I can't really work out how it looks in the transitions because those full backs and the left and right center midfielders seem to be in each others' space. I wouldn't put it past PV to give it a go though.
I think the LM and RM play very narrowly. Maybe just ahead of Pirlo in an inverted triangle. Their job is to connect with Pirlo to ge the ball to Poku. You pack the middle of the field, almost playing 7 players behind the ball defensively, giving Poku room to roam. With Matarrita's speed, it's a counter attack type of line-up if you need width.
I would be thrilled to see Vieira add a counter attacking system to his repertoire. Everything we've heard out of him and CFG indicates a certain rigidity concerning possession as a form of game control though (vs. the defensive shape approach favored by Simeone).
Personally i think he will stick with 4-3-3 which is working, would expect Mix to come in for Bravo and Lopez to switch to CDM. Maybe Mendoza in for Bravo and TMac at CM but personally would rather Mix even tho Mendoza has been good lately.
We have got 7 points from our last 3 games with this so don't see any reason to change it considering how we were at before these 3 games
We have got 7 points from our last 3 games with this so don't see any reason to change it considering how we were at before these 3 games
We have been dictating games, even during the winless streak. I wouldn't change anything other than the crazy notion that Lopez is better than Mix at anything.
Is the point of your trip the game or the pay-per-view T&A???
Would this forum crash if Ballouchy and Grabavoy wound up on the same field again?
I've been wondering that. Two coaches, combined with the off-season poll by players rating Mix the most over-rated player in the league has got to make you think. Does he have some type attitude problem?
Nah, I want to see the revamped NYCFC abuse Grabavoy on the pitch.... but he hasn't exactly been seeing much playing time: 6 games 2 starts 191 minutes (out of 10 possible games).
A three-man backline against Mattocks-Adi-Melano would get torched.
As much as I want to stick with exactly what is working as of late, I think Portland is the caliber of team we have to gameplan around a bit. They are fast and wide up top, and have excellent attacking mids in Valeri and Nagbe.
If there's ever a game to sacrifice possession for position, it's probably this one. I'd have us sit back a little bit and counter attack. Start Mendoza on the wing and move McNamara back inside for this one.
Timbers having a disappointing start overall. After 10 games the defending champs are sitting on only 1.2 PPG and 9th place in their conference. BUT, that is mostly because they are winless on the road. with 0.4 PPG. At home, they are 3-1-1 ant 2.0 PPG. This is a tough one despite Portland's struggles.
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