Poku is plenty fast. You are right that he isn't Shelton/Taylor/Mendoza fast, but that's a very high standard. Poku is just below that, and I agree with the post above that said the difference is more acceleration than top end speed.
Formation Speculation
- Thread starter sbrylski
- Start date
I think you will be pleased this week. I bet at least one of those two starts.
From this statement a discussion starts questioning questioning Poku's speed? I think the more questionable part of the assertion is that Poku will help in defense. When have we ever seen Poku make a meaningful defensive contribution?
ktdNYCFC
Registered
So he's Yaya fast.
Fair point. We need him to fly around the field tomorrow. Not just tracking back, but charging forward once the ball turns over to prevent the other team from building up. Plus, he's got to have the judgment to know when to do which.
There was about ten minutes in the Vancouver game last year where I remember him playing deep role and playing defense. That's all I got.
N
NYC24
Guest
Yes, remember when he was the only defender in the box and he singlehandly blew up a 3 vs 1 counter-attack? That was the only time he played DCM and he did great.
The best defense is a good offense.
----------Harrison--Villa--Taylor-------------
------------------------Mix----------------------
------------------Bravo----Pirlo----------------
--Mataritta--Martinez-Hernandez-RJ------
--------------------Johansen-------------------
A 4-3-3 when everyone is healthy. Until then Iraola for RJ and Mendoza for Harrison.
------------------------Mix----------------------
------------------Bravo----Pirlo----------------
--Mataritta--Martinez-Hernandez-RJ------
--------------------Johansen-------------------
A 4-3-3 when everyone is healthy. Until then Iraola for RJ and Mendoza for Harrison.
this seems to be our formation when attacking:
--------------------- Keeper ---------------------
X ----------------------X -----------------------X
X---------------------Pirlo----------------------X
X------------------------------------------------X
X---------------------Villa----------------------X
--------------------- Keeper ---------------------
X ----------------------X -----------------------X
X---------------------Pirlo----------------------X
X------------------------------------------------X
X---------------------Villa----------------------X
Move Villa to an offside position and I think you've nailed it.
12 players on the field would help us.
11 on 10 didn't.
The X between Pirlo and the keeper is the others teams forward Hernandez is keeping onside.
Need to keep trying things to spark the offense. Next up for me is Poku at CF. He's the biggest and strongest guy on the team and can finish. He doesn't have the work rate for midfield and has too much to learn about positioning. Why not just throw him up top where his athletic ability can take over?
F: Villa, Poku, Taylor
M: McNamara/Lampard, Pirlo, Mix
D: Matarrita, Hernandez, Brilliant, Iraola
I haven't questioned the decision to keep Poku in the midfield much, but this offense needs a focal point up top and the answer is staring us in the face.
F: Villa, Poku, Taylor
M: McNamara/Lampard, Pirlo, Mix
D: Matarrita, Hernandez, Brilliant, Iraola
I haven't questioned the decision to keep Poku in the midfield much, but this offense needs a focal point up top and the answer is staring us in the face.
I had a slightly different take.
F: 99, Villa, Shelton
M: TMac, Mix, Poku
D: Mata, Hern, Brill, Iraola
Maybe it was the cold, but Pirlo, after a good couple of games to start the season did not look great last night. I don't actually think he should be pulled, but it made me wonder what our 433 would look like if Mix was our central focus. I would have liked to see this as the sub instead of Bravo last night.
I've always liked Poku as a forward, but more as a wing, where he can run at people. He'd need to do some real tracking back on defense, however.
I don't see Mix playing deep on defense. He has to be more box-to-box.
I don't see Mix playing deep on defense. He has to be more box-to-box.
Interesting that we looked better after Pirlo left. Correlation doesn't equal causation, but my feeling that Pirlo is not a net positive for this team is unchanged. Villa's free kick chance was a hundred times better than Pirlo has ever done for us.
Can we stick with the back 4? It looked a lot better than the 1 CB formation they had been playing. And Brillant is much better than hernandez.
Can we stick with the back 4? It looked a lot better than the 1 CB formation they had been playing. And Brillant is much better than hernandez.
I'm starting to really hope Pirlo gets his Italy callup this summer. We'll have the chance to see how we look a few games in a row without him.
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