Mix clearly out-shined Bradley - Mix has that sixth-sense vision of when to try and release a player he's not looking at and serves up some ridiculously accurate passes.
Formation Speculation
- Thread starter sbrylski
- Start date
Mix probably didn't want to sign with Columbus because it's Columbus, OH. Sure it's a cosmopolitan city relative to the Midwest, but that's not saying anything for a guy coming over from Europe. If anything, he was probably demanding a trade-me clause in the contract.
Was always my point - Just helping you read between the lines.Oh thats your point now
Might be our best lineup right now, with Ivanov and Mena pushing for a CB spot, Allen for RB, Mix and others fortifying our midfield corps, and Shelton off the bench up front.
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I would love to see that lineup but for some reason I Don't think we have convinced PV that Villa can play LW... Somebody get that man on these forums
Yeah, it's a choice between CF Villa / RW Shelton and LW Villa / CF Mullins.
I wonder how much the choice is influenced by Villa. I could see him demanding to be front and center. He definitely has an attitude about him (not in a bad way) that says "this is MY attack."
Do you think the plan was for TT and Shelton to stay wide last night? Or do you think that was a function of MTLs good defense keeping them wide? I thought both of them would have been better served attacking towards the goal rather than towards each end line.
I think that's just the way they play naturally. Seems like Vieira tells them to play as fluid as possible, so they drift to where they are comfortable.
Also, I think playing spread out is good for Pirlo. When he gets the ball and looks up, he'll have three long pass options instead of five short ones.
The problem I see with putting Mullins in the middle is that Villa won't and shouldn't be tracking back. Both TT and Shelton did a lot of over lapping with Mix/TMac and the full backs. Both had a role to play on defense. If you play Villa out left Mataritta is going to have to be a lot more conservative coming forward. Add in Lampard to the middle and things get even more complex for defensive coverage.
Additionally, if Mullins and Villa both start who is our back up ST? I like Mullins in the back up role, he has shined brightest when coming off the bench as a sub. I still think our real issue is depth on the wings. Shelton shouldn't be starting, he's an off the bench energy guy at this point until he learns to finish. So where does that leave us? TT seems solid but after that who else starts on a wing? Unless Harrison is about to return from injury and lock down that LW spot while playing at a Larin type rookie season level we are super short on the wing.
I think that's the key, Harrison stepping in to relieve Villa. We did draft him #1 overall. Maybe Villa runs more knowing he only has to play 60 minutes (doubtful though with his penchant to walk around the pitch and sulk), on a winning team with a Manager he believes in it's not out of the question.
Might be our best lineup right now, with Ivanov and Mena pushing for a CB spot, Allen for RB, Mix and others fortifying our midfield corps, and Shelton off the bench up front.
Lurch in net, that's right!
What positions are locks right now and what's still open? I know this is formation speculation but now that we know it will certainly be a 4-3-3, what is still open?
As of now, I think GK is a huge battle with Lurch having the lead over Saunders.
LB is interesting to me because Matarrita and Martinez are both more than capable, especially Matarrita. LW is kinda an open question, and you wanna maximize talent so Matarrita to LW may be best and Martinez at LB.
Shelton has seemed to lock down RW.
It's gonna be fun seeing CM plays out with Mix, Pirlo, Lampard, and Poku.
Who is going to play CB next to Brillant? Right now I like White.
If I were Veiera and the first game was tomorrow, I am rolling out a 4-3-3 that has Johannson at GK, Iraola, White, Brillant and Martinez in the back line, Mix, Pirlo, and Lampard in CM with Poku frequently rotating with all 3 of them, and Villa at Striker with Matarrita and Shelton on the wings.
As of now, I think GK is a huge battle with Lurch having the lead over Saunders.
LB is interesting to me because Matarrita and Martinez are both more than capable, especially Matarrita. LW is kinda an open question, and you wanna maximize talent so Matarrita to LW may be best and Martinez at LB.
Shelton has seemed to lock down RW.
It's gonna be fun seeing CM plays out with Mix, Pirlo, Lampard, and Poku.
Who is going to play CB next to Brillant? Right now I like White.
If I were Veiera and the first game was tomorrow, I am rolling out a 4-3-3 that has Johannson at GK, Iraola, White, Brillant and Martinez in the back line, Mix, Pirlo, and Lampard in CM with Poku frequently rotating with all 3 of them, and Villa at Striker with Matarrita and Shelton on the wings.
I suspect we will see something like that on opening day. I think GK is a fascinating situation that has really changed (at least to those of us on the outside) over the past week. Very curious to see what he does there. I also would guess that Taylor is in the lineup if healthy, either at LW with Matarrita sliding back or at RW in place of Shelton.
I definitely agree about GK. Some before Wednesday thought Johannson was possibly going to be cut or loaned to Wilmington. Distribution is clearly huge to Veiera and Lurch was phenomenal at that compared to Saunders
That's my 11. Maybe move Matarrita back and slot Taylor in if PV is not sold on Martinez.
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