Formation Speculation

[sbrylski]

Do you think we were in a 3-5-2? I was trying to figure out what our formation there was. Looked like Jacobson dropped to a CB and Calle played up the field.

Checking the heatmaps, we have effectively played a 3-5-2 in each of the last two games. Both our LB and RB are playing higher than Jacobson.

vPHI
vPOR

http://imgur.com/htXileC

I knew Jacobson was in the deepest midfield role, but didn't realize just how deep. I love Calle attacking from the left back spot, Jacobson's cover in the middle allows for that.

Really just need the offense to start meshing some more and start finishing.

If Shelton continues to force Kreis to trot out a "4-3-3," I think it'll look something like this once Lampard arrives:

---------------------Nemec----------------------
------Villa-------------------------Shelton-----
------------------------------------------------
----------------Mix--------Lampard--------------
------------------------------------------------
--------------------Jacobson--------------------
---Calle-------------------------------Brovsky--
-------------Hernandez-----Wingert--------------

Nemec could be pushed by Mullins, Brovsky by Williams and Facey, and Wingert by Mendoza and John. But the general formation is there. Mix could switch between attacking with Lampard and defending with Jacobson, depending on the opponent and the score.

EDIT: Unimportant, but interestingly, Orlando City's heatmap looks even more like a 3-4-3. http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/91...League-Soccer-2015-Columbus-Crew-Orlando-City

 

[Paul]

Checking the heatmaps, we have effectively played a 3-5-2 in each of the last two games. Both our LB and RB are playing higher than Jacobson.

vPHI
vPOR

http://imgur.com/htXileC

I knew Jacobson was in the deepest midfield role, but didn't realize just how deep. I love Calle attacking from the left back spot, Jacobson's cover in the middle allows for that.

Really just need the offense to start meshing some more and start finishing.

If Shelton continues to force Kreis to trot out a "4-3-3," I think it'll look something like this once Lampard arrives:

---------------------Nemec----------------------
------Villa-------------------------Shelton-----
------------------------------------------------
----------------Mix--------Lampard--------------
------------------------------------------------
--------------------Jacobson--------------------
---Calle-------------------------------Brovsky--
-------------Hernandez-----Wingert--------------

Nemec could be pushed by Mullins, Brovsky by Williams and Facey, and Wingert by Mendoza and John. But the general formation is there. Mix could switch between attacking with Lampard and defending with Jacobson, depending on the opponent and the score.

EDIT: Unimportant, but interestingly, Orlando City's heatmap looks even more like a 3-4-3. http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/91...League-Soccer-2015-Columbus-Crew-Orlando-City

Great post. Thanks for the heat map info.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

Ahem...so if it's going to look like that, why not get Bro off the field and get our best attackers out there...I think Calle needs to be up the pitch a lot. Shelton can't finish, so might as well let him run.

Get Poku and Jacobsen in the 6.5 / 6 roles, respectively. Let Mix and Villa play in front of them as a staggered CAM and SS with Nemec or Mullins at the top. When Cookie Burger decides to bring his "class" over to the city he holds so dear he's shunned us twice, he can fill that slot alongside Mix, and let Villa slide up. Or let Mix slide back and bump Poku/Jacobsen.

I've been on this kick for a while now. It just makes sense given how shitty we are at the back to acknowledge it and try to avoid it, rather than wallow in our pitifulness.

Also, we'll have people to get the ball wide who can actually handle it when we play out of the back. And runners in position to come off the knock downs when we don't.

Also, Wingert at a minimum would benefit from being an LCB, and Facey is likely similarly suited to that sort of CB/wide defender hybrid required. Or even reducing Williams running would help him out when he held one of those spots. That just leaves CB/Sweeper. I think Hernandez might be okay there, or even KWS, since he *tries* to cut things out.

Damnit. I make too much sense. I just guaranteed we'll never see this.

We need a 3 man backline since we have no competent fullbacks. I think Calle would be a great WB if he weren't out of shape.

Shelton would be competent at RWB.

I can't see the point in running out the same pitiful fullbacks.

And I can't see why in the world we would not start Poku. If we're going to suck, let's suck with guys who have the aptitude for improvement.

 

[MagnusPax]

I've been away for the last week. What's our formation guess for the near future?

Also I'm surprised so many of you are suggesting Kreis will drop Grabovoy to the bench. Not likely.

 

[BxLio91]

It's wishful thinking

 

[Midas Mulligan]

I've been away for the last week. What's our formation guess for the near future?

Also I'm surprised so many of you are suggesting Kreis will drop Grabovoy to the bench. Not likely.

Not sure what it'll look like on the lineup card. On the field, it'll likely play out to this shape:

X
X
X
X
X
X X X X X

 

[sbrylski]

To spark some discussion, what would people think about switching to a Y midfield? Its pretty similar to the 4-2-2-2 that we already played twice this year, but it gets Mix slightly higher up the pitch. It would look like this with Lampard here:

---------------Villa--------Nemec---------------
------------------------------------------------
--------Lampard------------------Shelton--------
------------------------------------------------
----------------------Mix-----------------------
------------------------------------------------
--------------------Jacobson--------------------
---Calle-------------------------------Brovsky--
-------------Hernandez-----Wingert--------------

 

[Gavin23]

No jacobson. Alvarez.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

For whatever reason, mix plays deep when Jacobson plays, and forward when poku plays. I don't know if that is planned, or what. But that formation looks like what we played for the time poku was on before the red card.

 

[sbrylski]

For whatever reason, mix plays deep when Jacobson plays, and forward when poku plays. I don't know if that is planned, or what. But that formation looks like what we played for the time poku was on before the red card.

I think that's more of a function of the score than anything. Poku has been brought on after half time, and we are often losing, so everyone is pushing up.

 

[sbrylski]

No jacobson. Alvarez.

This entire board has had a boner for Alvarez since last game. Not only did I not think he played overwhelmingly well, but it was one game. Let's not project our hope on a player just because we are so desperate for a savior.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

This entire board has had a boner for Alvarez since last game. Not only did I not think he played overwhelmingly well, but it was one game. Let's not project our hope on a player just because we are so desperate for a savior.

Alvarez can replace ballouchy or grabavoy, not Jacobson

 

[Gavin23]

Fair but jacobson has played nearly every game and Ive seen nothing worth praising about except that one time he called out the ocsc flopper on the opener.

 

[BxLio91]

This entire board has had a boner for Alvarez since last game. Not only did I not think he played overwhelmingly well, but it was one game. Let's not project our hope on a player just because we are so desperate for a savior.

Do you apply that to people's Fat Frank boner?

 

[D_RoyJenkins]

Fair but jacobson has played nearly every game and Ive seen nothing worth praising about except that one time he called out the ocsc flopper on the opener.

I feel like Jacobson has improved. Barring the the Chicago game he's been a reliable DM. I'm comfortable with him starting until Poku gets better at defending and positioning

 

[The Toe]

Fair but jacobson has played nearly every game and Ive seen nothing worth praising about except that one time he called out the ocsc flopper on the opener.

Really, in Jacobson's case, he's probably one of the guys that, the less you hear from him, the better he's probably playing. The game he misses is the game we give up 3 goals for the first time.

 

[MagnusPax]

This entire board has had a boner for Alvarez since last game. Not only did I not think he played overwhelmingly well, but it was one game. Let's not project our hope on a player just because we are so desperate for a savior.

If the board had its way, we'd have 7-8 new starters. I would love for Kreis to do that just so we can stop blaming AJ-Ned-Ballouchy-Watson and just about everyone for everything.

Do you guys really think the bench and Frank are the answers?

 

[sbrylski]

Do you apply that to people's Fat Frank boner?

I don't really think Frank and Pedro are in the same category, but yes to an extent. We have no idea what we are getting in 36-year-old Lampard. He might be a 60-minute player at this point. We just have to wait and see.

The real reason we suck in year one is that we have lost all of our gambles, and it has already left me jaded. We brought in Lampard, Mendoza, Calle, and Nemec - all supposedly big upgrades from our replacement level expansion draft players - and have gotten pretty much nothing out of them so far.

 

[BxLio91]

Great comment. Frank IS a 60 min player.

 

[The Toe]

Great comment. Frank IS a 60 min player.

We're lucky Poku is a 30 min player then.