Formation Speculation

sbrylski

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Apr 24, 2014
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As we begin adding more players, it'll be fun to predict how we are going to line up on day one.

I know Kries is known for the 4-4-2 diamond, but his CFG bosses may push for him to adapt a little to their style. I'm definitely not an expert on CFG's style of play, but I'm going to speculate that, should we officially sign Xavi and Lampard, we are likely to lineup best in a 4-3-3.

Given their age, I don't necessarily want to see either of them in a pure attacking midfielder role, having to be quick and sprint much of the game. They both would probably play better as holding midfielders, but could either be a "destroyer?" In any event, they have so much technical skill that they should be able to succeed in a number of roles until their physical skills die.

I think it will depend on the makeup of the rest of the team, but I'll throw out a guess. Assuming we sign Xavi and Lampard, I think we are still in the market for Kries' signature destroyer. Therefore, we slot best into the 4-3-3 at the moment, like this:

---LW------Villa------RW---
---------------------------
-------Xavi----Lampard-----
---------------------------
------------CDM------------
---------------------------
-Brovsky--CB----CB-----RB--

Villa plays in more of a false nine, acting as a creative goal scoring threat in the middle of the attack. The CDM destroyer and CB's will be top priorities for the next acquisitions, and then we would turn our focus to fast, energetic, and young wingers, possibly on loan from MCFC (who would probably love their young attackers working with our center veteran triangle). This is the formation I would prefer right now, or at least seems more exciting than slotting Xavi and Lampard into the middle of a 4-4-2.

But again, the first few signings after all our DP's are announced should really give us more insight. If we sign a destroyer type, I think a 4-3-3 is in order. If we sign a big target striker or poacher who would work well along side Villa in the front, that might signal a 4-4-2 with one of Xavi/Lamps filling the CDM role.

Am I wrong about City's style of play? Is it more certain that we are going to have a striker pair up front than my proposal?
 
The formation City use at the moment has two strikers, but the philosophy that Txiki and Ferran Soriano insist upon doesn't specify a formation, as long as the team plays effective, possession based football, a high defensive line and pressure high up the pitch.

Kreis will have quite a lot of leeway to implement his own formation and tactics, so I would have thought he will play with his favoured diamond formation:

------Villa---------ST
-------------AM
------Xavi--------Lampard
-------------DM
Brovsky--CB---CB----RB
--------------GK

with a fluid forward line that could change into

---------------ST
-----Villa--------------AM/RW
------------Lampard
----------Xavi----DM

or

----------Villa-----ST
Lampard-------------AM/RW
-----------Xavi----DM
 
A traditional 4-4-2 diamond has a destroyer DM, look no further than Kreis's love child Kyle Beckerman at RSL. I'm not seeing how Lampard AND Xavi even fit in a diamond formation. Maybe Xavi can play CAM but he and Frank L can't play LM/RM at least not comfortably.
 
I think we'll play a 4-2-3-1 with Villa as a lone striker and Xavi sitting right beneath him as the CAM. From there he can run the offense and roam like he does. I guess Lampard would be best suited as one of the CDM in this kind of formation. He can play a Steven Gerrard role for us and sit right above our backline
 
You know who would be a great CDM destroyer? Gareth Barry. Too bad.

With that said, there are just too many unknowns to figure out the formation. I agree that Villa is best up top maybe on the left and Xavi needs to a free-roaming attacking mid. So you want those 2 to be in there. We'll assume NYC will use the normal 4 man back line and Brovsky has to be frontrunner for the LB job. Still not sure Lampard excels at defending mid. He is more of a middle-man and he might not have the legs or body for that any more, especially in a very physical league like MLS.
 
Apparently Kreis was at the Railhawks USOC game scouting and told the commentators at half time that they would announce some signings in the next few weeks.
 
Apparently Kreis was at the Railhawks USOC game scouting and told the commentators at half time that they would announce some signings in the next few weeks.
Excellent news. I wonder who of the Railhawks or FC Dallas(Kreis's 1st MLS team) he was scouting. He also went to Duke so he has Carolina ties too.

Former RSL player Enzo Martinez was the bright spot of the night for Railhawks...
 
Excellent news. I wonder who of the Railhawks or FC Dallas(Kreis's 1st MLS team) he was scouting. He also went to Duke so he has Carolina ties too.

Former RSL player Enzo Martinez was the bright spot of the night for Railhawks...
Hmmmm...
 
Here's a list of who played last night. If Kreis was really scouting had to be someone on this list.

Note: Daniel Jackson of Carolina was a college draft pick for RSL last year (MLS SuperDraft).

http://m.fcdallas.com/news/2014/07/...-match-recap-fc-dallas-5-carolina-railhawks-2

FC Dallas – Raul Fernandez, Moises Hernandez (Stephen Keel 46), Zach Loyd, Matt Hedges, Je-Vaughn Watson, Fabian Castillo, Victor Ulloa, Hendry Thomas (Andrew Jacobson 28), Andres Escobar (Mauro Diaz 69), Tesho Akindele, Blas Perez.

Carolina RailHawks – Scott Goodwin, Daniel Scott, Kupono Low, Austen King, Connor Tobin, Jun Marques Davidson, Ty Shipalane (Daniel Jackson 87), Enzo Martinez, Cesar Elizondo (Nick Zimmerman 70), Nazmi Albadawi (Aaron King 85), Zack Schilawski
.
 
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Hey, I haven't followed MLS until recently. Can anyone shed light on the formations/tactics that Kreis favored when he coached before? Does anyone think we could play with a 5 or 3 man back line like many of the teams used in Brazil?

I know talk of formation before we know all the players in a little premature, but can't wait until 2015
 
The are other threads on this but Kreis is known for using a 4-4-2 at RSL.

MLS pundits claim NYCFC will use a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 next year. Hard to put the current roster into those formations though.
 
So I've done a little work as to what Man City and Melbournce City have used for formations the past two years and this season respectively.

Man City has lined up in a 4-4-2 for 67% of their games and a 4-2-3-1 for the majority of their other games.
Melbournce City has lined up in a 4-3-3 in all of their games this year.

I think we're in store for a 4-4-2 that puts Lampard and Jacobson in the middle, Lampard pushes up and Jacobson slots in behind. Would lead me to believe that another Striker is on the radar. I don't see how both Lampard and Jacobson really fit together in a 4-3-3 but I guess Lampard could play out wide.
 
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So I've done a little work as to what Man City and Melbournce City have used for formations the past two years and this season respectively.

Man City has lined up in a 4-4-2 for 67% of their games and a 4-2-3-1 for the majority of their other games.
Melbournce City has lined up in a 4-3-3 in all of their games this year.

I think we're in store for a 4-4-2 that puts Lampard and Jacobson in the middle, Lampard pushes up and Jacobson slots in behind. Would lead me to believe that another Striker is on the radar. I don't see how both Lampard and Jacobson really fit together in a 4-3-3 but I guess Lampard could play out wide.
Its going to be tough to predict the exact formation we will likely use until we know who will fill out the rest of our roster, but my money would be on a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-4-2.
 
If it is a 4-2-3-1...does Villa play as the lone striker with Lampard behind him? Does Villa play LW and Lampard RW? What do you think?
 
If it is a 4-2-3-1...does Villa play as the lone striker with Lampard behind him? Does Villa play LW and Lampard RW? What do you think?
Well thats a good question, I don't know if I like the idea of Lampard on a wing, i'm sure he could do it and do it well, but i feel like thats not exactly his best spot. I think right now I would prefer Villa be up alone and Lampard behind him. Of course this may change as our roster gets closer to completion.
 
I'd like to see Lampard in some role behind the strikers; so we can utilise his runs into the box. Watching him for MCFC has shown his great timing, if we can recreate this, he could score loads.

I agree. I think it really depends on who the next DP is, and then the formation will start to look a bit more obvious.

I think Villa plays ST in a 4-4-2 or winger in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3. I go back and forth all the time, but right now I'd like to see a 4-2-3-1 like this:

Code:
-----------DP3/?-----------
---------------------------
--Villa-------------?/DP3--
----------Lampard----------
---------------------------
----Jacobson----??/DP4-----
---------------------------
-Brovsky------------?????--
----W.Siriboe---?????------
---------------------------
-----------?????-----------

Our last DP should be another attacker, and if the new CBA allows for a fourth, a top destroyer would be an awesome addition at CDM. If we can get Iheanacho via loan, that would really fill out the attack perfectly, with him at ST or RW, depending on who the DP3 is. Brovsky attacks well as a LB, perfect for Villa's side, which allows him to slide inside on longer attacks (possession style offense).

Hopefully two new CB's are added as well, I don't know how comfortable I am with KWS as a back line leader. And I have to think another GK will be added, with the glut expected in the expansion draft (plus the possibility of Dan Kennedy).
 
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