Pin the Tactics on the Tommy
by CheekyMonkey on May 31, 2011 1:01 PM PDT
Email
PrintOne the biggest knocks on TT was his "tactical rigidity". This criticism might not be entirely fair, TT has been dealing with absences and injuries and he has actually changed up his tactics on occasion. However the 4-4-2 has dominated and the charge of rigidity has generally stuck.
Immediately after taking over yesterday Soehn called the team in for a training session, ostensibly to go over tactical and personal changes before tomorrows game. So fellow Whitecaps supporters, what do you expect from Tommy Soehn? I'll outline my prediction after the jump and I would like to hear yours as well.
I think Tommy will go for a 4-4-1-1 possibly morphing into 4-2-3-1. I don't anticipate too may personnel changes, so I hope to see Leathers, Akoul, DeMerit, and Rochat along the back. Brovsky and Koffie, barring a miracle recovery from Thorringon, in a holding role and Salinas and Teibert on the wings. Up front I think we might just see the change many of us have been calling for: Chiumeinto in the hole and Hassli up top to bully the ball into the net. In our net I'm betting we'll see Cannon, although I think that will be the most unimportant change made.
If the 'Caps come out in a 4-4-2 with the same line up the last game couple of games I will personally eat the most disgusting thing people on this blog can think of.
11 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Ok – If they come out 4-4-2 with the same line up you have to eat one of the horribly undercooked-make-even-mccain-frozen-pizzas-look-good pizza slices from the Grab n Go at Empire (the first on of you left when you come in from the main gates and head to the Bell booth)
the pizza is that bad eh? I’m only had the hot dogs so far. It’s hard to screw up a hot dog.
"Kompromise, my friend, is the essence of diplomacy, and diplomacy is the kornerstone of love... sweeeeeet looooOOOve"
by CheekyMonkey on May 31, 2011 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions
It seems inconceivable that he will stick to 4-4-2 given all the talk about a change of style.
I’d be happy to see Akoul back, and Chiumiento given a free role but for me the big test will be how we start the game. I think it was a legitimate criticism of Thordarson that we were far too tentative on the road so if that improves I’ll be happy.
Of course none of these changes mean that we will necessarily win any games but we’ll see.
by Russell Berrisford on May 31, 2011 5:17 PM PDT reply actions
There’s ways to change style without changing formation.
We know that Soehn is bringing Nanchoff and Morfaw along from the Residency team, and that Vagenas is travelling as well. To me this hints (but does not definitely require) that we’re going with more midfielders.
On the other hand, neither Nanchoff and Morfaw are 90-minute men with the Residency yet due to fitness concerns and this is a three-game roadtrip. He may just want to have them available and training with the first team but isn’t planning to use them at all! Given that he’s bringing a 20-man travelling roster, there’s no reason he couldn’t load up on a couple of projects. Then everything would depend on the fitness of Salinas and Teibert. Without both of them, anything but a 4-4-2 is probably impractical.
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on May 31, 2011 5:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Wes Knight discusses the teams new tactics...
“Two different styles. I think this one can fit what we have as a team maybe a little better. I think this one is going to be much more possession-orientated.”
“We’re Going to look to stay more compact, and attack as a unit, instead of sometimes getting stretched out and attacking in smaller numbers.”
- Wes Knight (after practice today)
by Chips Winston III on May 31, 2011 5:22 PM PDT reply actions
Well that’s good to hear. The two things that have frustrated me about the Caps execution this year are players being orphaned high up the pitch (Hassli and Salinas are notable) and the inability to press and dominate the midfield. The lack of unit attacking and link up play means the long ball game gets played a lot, as the centre midfielders or defense try to find the forwards playing 40 yards away. And on defense, in the New York game, there were long stretches where the midfield backed off the Red Bulls and gave them acres of space. Having five midefielders in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-5-1 (or even a 4-4-1-1 with Chiumiento playing deeper than a second striker would) makes sense to me. It allows us to numerically dominate the midfield, engage in a patient build up and link to the forward player with shorter passes.
Wes might be right in that a style and tactical shift to a five midfield formation will work better for the talent we have and the type of players we’ve got. Blackpool played that type of game a lot this year, and though they were relegated, they generated more offense with it, and were able to shut down some very good teams.
Leathers (Wagner) – Akloul – DeMerit – Rochat
Dunfield (Brovsky) – Koffie
Salinas (Khalfan) – Chiumiento – Teibert
Hassli (Salgado)
I’d give that shape a chance
by Chris Corrigan on May 31, 2011 9:49 PM PDT up reply actions
We played this way for about 10 minutes (I think) against SJ and I thought it looked beautiful, the biggest thing I noticed was that in the 4-2-3-1 the 3 attcking mids are free to interwine and change positions. In a couple of cases Tiebert was playing centrally.
Yeah, the 4-2-3-1 is my favorite system and I think it would suite the ‘Caps quite well. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see a mid field diamond either, although in my view we need more players in the midfield than that gives us.
"Kompromise, my friend, is the essence of diplomacy, and diplomacy is the kornerstone of love... sweeeeeet looooOOOve"
I think a 4-2-3-1 is ideal and eventual for the team but initially they might try a 4-4-2(diamond) with Koffie as holding and Chiumiento, behind Hassli and Camilo, as attacking. With some training to work out the kinks a 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-1-4-1 will work best.
My objection to the 4-4-2 diamond is that it puts more pressure on Salinas and Teibert to defend and that’s bad news. Teibert was a minus defensive player in USL PDL.
Manager at Vancouver Whitecaps and western Canadian soccer website Eighty Six Forever and infrequently-posting flunky at Edmonton Oilers blog The Copper & Blue.
by Benjamin Massey on Jun 1, 2011 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Agree with you there Benjamin, You’ve been valiantly arguing against the diamond, and I’m here to say that I’ve got your back.
by Chris Corrigan on Jun 1, 2011 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
