Formation Speculation

[Gotham Gator]

EOS reported this week that Bravo was seeing time in the 4-3-3 at CB. Harrison is eligible to return for the Philly game but he was held out of practice the other day for "rest" and PV has said that he is unsure if he will make the 18.

Good stuff. Bravo as CB in the 4-3-3 is an interesting choice. I could be wrong, but I think he's done a fair amount of sliding back in the 3-2-2-3 anyway. He is a guy who can be very effective distributing out of the back, so if he can handle the additional duties that come with being a CB (e.g. not letting people on-side), it can be a profitable experiment.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Good stuff. Bravo as CB in the 4-3-3 is an interesting choice. I could be wrong, but I think he's done a fair amount of sliding back in the 3-2-2-3 anyway. He is a guy who can be very effective distributing out of the back, so if he can handle the additional duties that come with being a CB (e.g. not letting people on-side), it can be a profitable experiment.

I thought he has been pretty weak in the passing department so far. I'd like to see the actual CBs get a chance first?

 

[joe]

I thought he has been pretty weak in the passing department so far. I'd like to see the actual CBs get a chance first?

Completing 78.1% of his passes according to whoscored. Hernandez appears to be the only CB with a higher percentage.

 

[SoupInNYC]

In fairness, percentage only tells part of the story. There are plenty of posts on here about the direction of most of Grabavoy's oft-completed passes, for example.

Hernandez passes roughly 15 more times per game then Bravo, for one.

I'd actually wonder to on how some of those statistics are calculated. I've seen plays where a pass is played to one player, who receives it, but it was such a shitty pass, that it puts them in a terrible position and they then turn it over.

Would that scenario count as a completed pass by the 1st player and a turnover by the 2nd?

 

[EganSoccerWords]

I thought he has been pretty weak in the passing department so far. I'd like to see the actual CBs get a chance first?

PV mentioned that he likes the chemistry between Pirlo and Bravo. IDK how that applies with the 4-3-3 though.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

I have been thinking that you almost have to think of Pirlo as a CAM when you are setting up the formation, because of his lack of defensive contributions. So our 433 is like 3 attacking midfielders. I think the ideas floated of playing bravo mix and pirlo would be best, and Tmac at left wing, which he was fine at last year. (and poku at right wing)

 

[joe]

I'd actually wonder to on how some of those statistics are calculated. I've seen plays where a pass is played to one player, who receives it, but it was such a shitty pass, that it puts them in a terrible position and they then turn it over.

Would that scenario count as a completed pass by the 1st player and a turnover by the 2nd?

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it varies by stadium/scorekeeper, and whether it was the home or away team.

http://deadspin.com/5336974/an-assist-for-nick-van-exel-how-an-nba-scorekeeper-cooked-the-books

 

[FootyLovin]

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it varies by stadium/scorekeeper, and whether it was the home or away team.

http://deadspin.com/5336974/an-assist-for-nick-van-exel-how-an-nba-scorekeeper-cooked-the-books

So awesome! Anytime I start to have faith in, well, pretty much anything, I'll come back and reread this.

 

[sbrylski]

This is how I would plot our game plan over the past 2-3 weeks, in more of a 4-5-1 V midfield than a true 4-3-3:

I'm really loving the fact that we basically have settled into a formation and lineup and are having success with it.

I think Lopez's spot is still a weak link that needs improvement. Hopefully a motivated Mix takes it back in training.

 

[Kjbert]

This is how I would plot our game plan over the past 2-3 weeks, in more of a 4-5-1 V midfield than a true 4-3-3:

I'm really loving the fact that we basically have settled into a formation and lineup and are having success with it.

I think Lopez's spot is still a weak link that needs improvement. Hopefully a motivated Mix takes it back in training.

I think this is how we are lining up right now. It's a 4-1-4-1.

 

[joe]

This is how I would plot our game plan over the past 2-3 weeks, in more of a 4-5-1 V midfield than a true 4-3-3:

I'm really loving the fact that we basically have settled into a formation and lineup and are having success with it.

I think Lopez's spot is still a weak link that needs improvement. Hopefully a motivated Mix takes it back in training.

Bravo will be suspended for the next game.

 

[sbrylski]

Bravo will be suspended for the next game.

Yup. My diagram is just reflecting what our base formation and lineup have become.

Someone else made a suggestion to sit Pirlo along with Bravo against Portland, which I like. We have a crowded schedule next week. Get Mix and probably Poku out there against Portland and then bring Pirlo and Bravo back for the Toronto game.

 

[Kjbert]

I would like to see Mix with Pirlo in the next match behind Lopez.

 

[Alex Da Silva]

Someone else made a suggestion to sit Pirlo along with Bravo against Portland, which I like. We have a crowded schedule next week. Get Mix and probably Poku out there against Portland and then bring Pirlo and Bravo back for the Toronto game.

Maybe that is why Poku was missing from the 18 at DC, letting him rest at home for the trip to Portland. I think the Mix Lopez Poku midfield would be a smart move for this game.
Another alternative is to play both Shelton and Mendoza at the wings and drop Tommy back into the midfield 3 with Mix and Lopez.

 

[Ulrich]

Let's wait with the speculation until after the 11th - because if there's a trade tomorrow then all of you's (the Southern Plural of You) hard work will be a moot point.

And really, if hard work with no results is the goal, the stadium thread needs a few more pages added today.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Let's wait with the speculation until after the 11th - because if there's a trade tomorrow then all of you's (the Southern Plural of You) hard work will be a moot point.

And really, if hard work with no results is the goal, the stadium thread needs a few more pages added today.

The Southern plural is y'all. The New Jersey plural is yous.

 

[gbservis]

Maybe that is why Poku was missing from the 18 at DC, letting him rest at home for the trip to Portland. I think the Mix Lopez Poku midfield would be a smart move for this game.
Another alternative is to play both Shelton and Mendoza at the wings and drop Tommy back into the midfield 3 with Mix and Lopez.

Poku is missing because his work rate sucks and our whole system is designed to press high and track back hard to close space. PV starting Lopez over Mix shows you how much he values work rate. He's basically saying I'll trade skill and high work rate with Mix for crazy high work rate with limited skills in Lopez. Kwadwo "Slow lazy jog till I get the ball" Poku doesn't fit this system. If after two straight coaches dropping hints about fitness and work rates Poku hasn't figured out that to earn min he needs to up his work rate he's never going to figure it out. It's time to trade him, should have done it over the off season as his value was higher at that point.

 

[sbrylski]

Poku is missing because his work rate sucks and our whole system is designed to press high and track back hard to close space. PV starting Lopez over Mix shows you how much he values work rate. He's basically saying I'll trade skill and high work rate with Mix for crazy high work rate with limited skills in Lopez. Kwadwo "Slow lazy jog till I get the ball" Poku doesn't fit this system. If after two straight coaches dropping hints about fitness and work rates Poku hasn't figured out that to earn min he needs to up his work rate he's never going to figure it out. It's time to trade him, should have done it over the off season as his value was higher at that point.

We should move him to CF if he's sticking around. Only place he's going to get any minutes for us.