Formation Speculation
- Thread starter sbrylski
- Start date
I think you play your best players at their preferred spots...and then slot the lesser players around them.
Why is why that 4-2-2-2 (or offset diamond that someone else put so eloquently) works best. Let Mix work underneath the strikers and Lampard work just off his right shoulder. Mix can create and Lampard can make late runs. Should be potent.
Where does Xavi fit in all of this?
Why is why that 4-2-2-2 (or offset diamond that someone else put so eloquently) works best. Let Mix work underneath the strikers and Lampard work just off his right shoulder. Mix can create and Lampard can make late runs. Should be potent.
Where does Xavi fit in all of this?
USAfan6
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Why? Aren't the Xavi rumors dead?
Wishful thinking. And I don't think they're dead. Just delayed. In his interview, he said he was packed to head to NYC. Enrique convinced him to hang around for THIS season. I think he's headed here in July. Just a gut feeling. Would prefer Wes Sneijder.
USAfan6
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Ahh gotcha. Yea I agree Sneijder is the preferred option for me as well.
USAfan6
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I'd roll with something like this:
Pre-Lampard
------------------------Mullins----------------Villa--------------------------
----------------------------------Diskerud------------------------------------
----------------Valesquez/Calle----------------Grabavoy-------------------
--------------------------------------Jacobson--------------------------------
---------Brovsky---------Mendoza--------Wingert----------Williams----
--------------------------------------Meara-----------------------------------
Post Lampard:
------------------------------Mullins---------------Villa---------------------------
----------------------------------------Diskerud------------------------------------
-----------------------------Calle----------------------Lampard-------------------
----------------------------------------Jacobson------------------------------------
-------Brovsky-----------Mendoza-----------Wingert--------Williams---------
Then obviously we will have the opportunity to add a 3rd/4th DP into the line-up, preferably one of De Rossi or Sneijder. I'm also pretty high on Javier Calle, I know he is a relatively unknown player, but I think he can be really good. Mix connecting with Villa and Mullins up top will also be very fun to watch.
Pre-Lampard
------------------------Mullins----------------Villa--------------------------
----------------------------------Diskerud------------------------------------
----------------Valesquez/Calle----------------Grabavoy-------------------
--------------------------------------Jacobson--------------------------------
---------Brovsky---------Mendoza--------Wingert----------Williams----
--------------------------------------Meara-----------------------------------
Post Lampard:
------------------------------Mullins---------------Villa---------------------------
----------------------------------------Diskerud------------------------------------
-----------------------------Calle----------------------Lampard-------------------
----------------------------------------Jacobson------------------------------------
-------Brovsky-----------Mendoza-----------Wingert--------Williams---------
Then obviously we will have the opportunity to add a 3rd/4th DP into the line-up, preferably one of De Rossi or Sneijder. I'm also pretty high on Javier Calle, I know he is a relatively unknown player, but I think he can be really good. Mix connecting with Villa and Mullins up top will also be very fun to watch.
I don't see Mix as a pure "10" and think he might be better suited to the right, though that is matchup dependent to an extent. Grabavoy was born for the left.
USAfan6
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Mix is definitely a CAM, watching him play for the US has shown me that. He always wants to move up the field and is best sitting right behind the front line.
Klinsmann tried playing him at the CDM spot, but Diskerud would just naturally move up the pitch to where the CAM spot is, because that is just where he naturally fits in at. Though to be honest, he wasn't terrible at the CDM spot.
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Ahab_Flanders
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What makes you think that? He has consistently played central mid and has proven capable as a #10. Plus, we gave him the jersey.
MagnusPax
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I'm not sure we will see a Mendoza-Wingert grouping in the middle of the defense. Sure Wingert and Kreis go way back but Wingert only plays CB if others cannot. I would say Hernandez gets that spot until he loses it. But yes Mendoza, Watson and Wingert are the depth for the other spot until John recovers and shows he can still play.
Often when he plays for the U.S., he is put out on the right of a midfield 3, or has even sat deeper has the holder. His is a great passer, but his calmness in position becomes lost if he's pushed too far up the pitch. It's not so much that he can't do it, but that he might be slightly marginalized, plus I think it could affect the shape on the right, I'm not comfortable with Velasquez there. Admittedly I dont know a lot about Calle, so that changes things.
It's really matchup dependent, If we are playing a team with a good midfield we might want mix more involved in the middle of the field to keep possession. But his versatility means he can interchange as needed.
MagnusPax
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Just curious why you are not comfortable with Velasquez? I mean compared to McNamara or Dunn he is a grizzled vet from a soccer school of higher learning. Do you think there is someone stronger already on the team? Or are you saying NYCFC should get a better starter?
I'm asking as someone who hasn't seen Mix play all that much. Does he have the mentality of "the ball flows through me" on offense? That's kind of necessary to play the CAM effectively. Otherwise the offense is missing that true workhorse on that half the pitch. I still think Mix and Lampard both play best just underneath a true #10, but they could also play well together as the second highest line in a 4-2-2-2, sharing the #10 duties between them, with 2 other mids covering them and taking turns running forward.
I always felt Mix was best with some space in front of him, and a large area to pick out a pass. He's better running into space, IMO.
MagnusPax
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Today's update on the starting lineup from Fansided.
http://skyscraperblues.com/2015/01/24/new-york-city-fc-projected-starting-lineup/
Would someone please tell Skyscraper News that George John is still injured, won't be healthy until May and hasn't played basically any soccer in over a year?
Otherwise, except for maybe Saunders, I kinda agree with it:
http://skyscraperblues.com/2015/01/24/new-york-city-fc-projected-starting-lineup/
Would someone please tell Skyscraper News that George John is still injured, won't be healthy until May and hasn't played basically any soccer in over a year?
Otherwise, except for maybe Saunders, I kinda agree with it:
Attachments
Hey magnus, I have tried to find a timetable for John's return. My impression was May also, but have you seen any confirmation on that?
Also, I wonder if Shelton comes along and calle comes (at this point we really have no wide players) if we would do a 4141 to take advantage of the glut of CAMs we have
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