Except when crosses are coming in from Jack's side of the field? Not that we have a huge aerial game, but we've seen Maxi miss at least three sure goal headers because they were of a height perfect for a 5'6" (or taller) player.
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I'd argue that there's no way to really hide Maxi's height, and the fact that he's been in position for multiple headers tells me it's a drawback at CAM just as it would at LW.
Meh, I don't feel too strongly one way or the other, I just wouldn't mind trying him out wide.
Wasn't implying we need to hide his height - but the LW spot will be the recipient of many more crosses than the AM position.
I think that your interpretation of the forum as over-reactionary is based on what might be a small sample size. I think most around here will tell you that I was never really on or off the Pirlo bandwagon.
What about the fact that Wallace isn't here, Mata is out, and Tommy + Sweat on the LHS have the defensive capabilities of a sieve?
I don't know why everyone is so scared of Toronto and Chicago. This is MLS, the gaps between the top, middle, and bottom teams are small. They're gonna slip up too, they're not immune to trap games. The best part is we haven't hit our peak yet, can't say the same for them.
To me it would be like benching your star quarterback because one of your receivers is injured. That threesome as a threesome dominates between the boxes and essentially dictates every facet of the game for both teams. I can live with the downgrade (albeit an unfortunate and noticeable one) from Wallace to Tommy (or other wing) and the resulting defensive/mobility deficiencies etc. as I believe that the consequences are far less severe than the options that include moving Maxi. Maxi would/could excel on the wing, but there is no other player who can control the game in the right way (in our right way) like Maxi. Pirlo makes great long passes, but he turns most of our other strengths into weaknesses, including an inability to put our forwards in the optimal positions to score goals. I have always been of the opinion that Jack is a natural CAM, but his recent short stint suggested to me that he would need an offseason or several games to relearn the correct tendencies. And for me, the Mata absence doesn't change anything given that I am in the likely minority who thinks that he doesn't necessarily always make us a better or more complete team on whole. To me, the Maxi/Yangel/Ring combination is the most important aspect of this team (supplemented by the other obvious keys). I apologize for the mouthful (or screenful).What about the fact that Wallace isn't here, Mata is out, and Tommy + Sweat on the LHS have the defensive capabilities of a sieve?
No need to apologize. I appreciate the rationale.
I agree with most of what you're saying. I think the key difference in what we're seeing is that I don't think your quarterback analogy applies as well to soccer as it does to American football. I confess to not knowing the sport well, but I gather that the importance of the quarterback towers over the importance of any other position in that sport. Given the amount of tactical and strategic affordance in soccer, I think it's hard to say the same thing about the importance of a CAM vs. a LW. Or even a midfield 3 vs. a left wing tandem (LB + LW).
My suggestion is the outcome of an attempt to optimize across both the midfield 3 and left wing tandem instead of just the midfield 3:
- Until Wallace returns –
- Maxi + Sweat on the left side and Pirlo + Herrera + Ring in the middle > Tommy + Sweat on the left side and Maxi + Herrera + Ring in the middle.
- I feel maybe 60% confident in this.
- After Wallace returns – Maxi + Wallace on the left side and Pirlo + Herrera + Ring > Wallace + Sweat on the left side and Maxi + Herrera + Ring in the middle.
- I feel maybe 55% confident in this.
We've seen just how good Maxi can be when sending Villa through from 25-40 yards out. We've dilly-dallied a little bit without his vision so far up the field. Look at many of our goals without Maxi, and it's a lot of dink and dunk within 18 yards. I think we can find much easier goals when he's playing the CAM moving towards goal.
You lost me at Pirlo in both scenarios
As much as I hate to say it I'm like 90% sure we are walking out of this match with a loss or a draw. Without Johnson in goal our entire, formerly solid, defense becomes rather unglued and players start getting yellow card accumulation problems in order to keep the ball away from lurch.
This is a game where we may as well have slosh back in goal, going to need 3 goals to tie and 4 to win. It's just like the bad old days all over again.
This is a game where we may as well have slosh back in goal, going to need 3 goals to tie and 4 to win. It's just like the bad old days all over again.
Screw all of you. Pirlo to LB.
Hey, according to Jurgen anyone can play LB, so why not Pirlo?
All of this just adds to the question what's up with Lewis? Kid had a very promising showing in his last sub appearance and then went back to being a fringe bench player. Is he hurt? Not showing well in practice? The fact that he can't sniff the field with all of our injuries and missing internationals seems like a bad sing for that money we splashed to move up and grab him. If Lewis is performing we don't even have this conversation he slots in at wing and our 1st choice mf stays in place.
Could be some motivation tactic to not play rookies the first half of their first season. Reaching for explanations here.
He's GA, so maybe the team is trying to limit his appearances so he doesn't burn his status?
When thinking about this game, remember that it will be after any changes are made to Gold Cup rosters. So, it is reasonable to expect that Johnson could be back and that Bradley and/or Jozy might be called up from Toronto.
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