Onward! - Dollarama total football

[Ben Knight]

Inside the TFC 4-3-3.

http://onwardsoccer.com/2009/04/27/dollarama-total-football/

[Darlofletch]

+1 to pretty much every single point raised there.

With the attack functioning so well, we don't have to rush De Ro back until he's fully fit.

When he does come back, I'd start him instead of Guevara. As you kind of said, when they're both on the pitch they get in each others way a bit, so stay with just one of them and leave the front 3 as is.

[Jack]

4-4-3?

That's the secret! We've got an extra player on there!

:p

[ACSertL]

4-4-3?

That's the secret! We've got an extra player on there!

:p

Ben is merely incorporating Stefan Frei in the lineup as a midfielder ;)

Great article nonetheless, pretty spot on in terms of the team evaluation.

[Yohan]

nice article

with DeRo coming back, I love it that the bench suddenly has options too.

[trane]

Great brake down Ben.

[Jack]

LOL...nice edit Ben! Now I look like the loony here :D

[nimamalek]

it seems more like a 4-2-3-1 then a true 4-3-3, Guevara rarely dropped completely back, unless there was a whistle

[The Professor]

Are you loving this, TFC fans?

Yes. Yes I am.

Spot on assessment, Ben.

[C.Ronaldo]

bench guevera so dero can play?


are you nuts?


thats a locker room fight waiting to happen

[Yohan]

bench guevera so dero can play?


are you nuts?


thats a locker room fight waiting to happen
one of these days, someone will have to tell Guevara to take his ego and shove it, esp when it becomes detrimental to the team for the sake of personal advancement

[ExiledRed]

Guevara and DeRo should rotate.

This team is cursed by lack of depth and both of these players are going to miss games due to injury, international callups, and whatever.

Both players have played up front, so they can cover for forwards when needed, they can sub for each other also. Both of them are getting on too and it's handy to be able to rest one without denigrating that position, when we have games close together.

It's expensive but worth it.

[flatpicker]

^ to be honest... at the beginning of the year I was just thinking "Nice, this midfield is gonna be stacked!"

But now I see what you're saying... letting them alternate definitely makes sense.

I don't think I will ever be a soccer coach.

[ensco]

Guevara will miss a lot of games, as Exiled says, but I would never sit either. We don't have the depth to afford that luxury.

When both are available, Guevara should slide back into CM, Robinson plays CB, DeRo in Guevara's spot.

Best XI on the field

[Yohan]

Guevara will miss a lot of games, as Exiled says, but I would never sit either. We don't have the depth to afford that luxury.

When both are available, Guevara should slide back into CM, Robinson plays CB, DeRo in Guevara's spot.

Best XI on the field
Honestly. Will people stop with this Robbo at CB garbage?

[ensco]

Honestly. Will people stop with this Robbo at CB garbage?

Same to you, buddy. I don't think suggesting that Velez should sit rather than Barrett (or DeRo/Guevara!) is garbage.

Robbo has said he doesn't want to play there. I like Robbo, but so what?

This isn't high school. If the team needs him to move to get the best players on the field, he should move. Period.

btw the hole in Robbo's game is his distribution. It's not "garbage" to think he'd be even more effective at CB.

[Jack]

Not so much that, ensco, but having the best 11 on the field is fine if they are the best 11. Is Robbo a better CB than Velez? He's a better player to have in your starting 11, but he's not really a CB. And having a guy who's used to playing the offensive role drop back is not the greatest either as then his instinct will be to push forward and leave Robbo more exposed in his less-than-ideal position, which will put pressure on him in ways he's not used to.

I get what you're saying, but DeRo can play as a forward and has many times in the past, so I'd still rather sit Barrett and keep defenders playing in the back line.

[Lucky Strike]

it seems more like a 4-2-3-1 then a true 4-3-3, Guevara rarely dropped completely back, unless there was a whistle

Yeah I still believe 4-2-3-1 is a more accurate description, but it might be just that the added nuance (not reflected by saying 4-3-3) isn't so important to most people. For my part, I would disagree, but what the heck, the team is winning! Keep it up!

[tlear]

Benching Guevara is just crazy, huge reason this 4-3-3 is working is him. From what I seen De Ro is a very different type of AM it is not at all guaranteed that he could outdo Guevara there. Remember Guevara already has 3 goals and 2 assists, if he stays in shape this is going to be a huge season for him.

Simplest solution is to rotate the forwards. Vitti has huge potential, but will see where that goes, for now he starts 100%. Dichio start if he is healthy. Barret and De Ro can fight for a spot for a next game. Then just evaluate game by game.. also in Canadian Championship I think De Ro HAS to start, he is a big game player and I think he will deliver for us there.

Injuries and such will hit us sooner or later, this case of too much personnel is a GREAT thing.

[jrey]

Barrett sucks. Until he gets his game back (if ever) he should sit on the bench beside Ricketts.

Replace Barrett with DeRo, and you've got the same powerful offense, but without Barrett's constant misses.

Did anyone notice yesterday how he took a shot while facing straight at the net and it ended up as a throw in? Or how he missed an open net, putting the ball over from just feet away? He's the new Jeff Cunningham.

On that note, another great read Ben.

[ExiledRed]

Exactly Jack, He plays forward for Barrett, and also gets to play off Dichio while doing it, which I think is bound to help him bag a few. When Amado's away he quite happily slots back into the midfield.