New Formation/Strategy Wednesday

Ok, I am by no means a soccer strategy guru (and don't pretend to be), but I saw something interesting on Wednesday that I wanted to see if other people noticed (or if I am just wrong).

What I saw was TFC practicing a new strategy/formation for breaking down a defensive opponent. The way I see it, TFC as it is right now is very good when dealing with opponents that are trying to score. We are solid at defending, and good when we catch them pushing up the field a little bit. It's not exactly counter-attacking soccer (not relying on fast forwards and breaks) but it does rely on movement around the field, and fast passing to penetrate opponents defences. As soon as we get the first goal, we're off to the races because opponents have to give us more space, which lends well to our fast passing fluid style of soccer, and we keep scoring (it's why when we score first, we're dominant).

The problem (and one I think we've only come up against recently when opponents decide they can't beat us on level terms) is what happens when an opponent decides to sit back and bunker. Once the opponent has set their defence, and our attack becomes more static, we have a LOT of difficulty breaking opponents down. Our on the ground fast passing can't penetrate the density of bodies, and though our crossing is fine, we don't really have forwards dominant in the air, so we get frustrated, and opponents rely on trying to nab a lucky goal on a counter, instead of pressing us.

That's where I saw something different on Wednesday. It looked like TFC would get the ball, penetrate into the Union's final 3rd, try for something, and if it didn't work, they'd back all the way up to our half (pulling the Union with them), then try to penetrate again. That gave us the space to work in and combine, without allowing the Union to set their defense and wait. It was kind of like playing counter attacking soccer, but without losing posession.

Or maybe we just played like that because we were ahead and wasting time. Who knows. I just thought it was interesting if that was the tactic that we were practicing leading up to the playoffs so teams can't just bunker and hope for a lucky break.

I started watching the game 10 minutes in (just before that sweet Gio free kick) and had to work backward to figure out the formation. It was obviously experimental, since the Reds were not as fluid as they usually are at first in the attack- I thought that adding Oso in was compromising the attack at first.

I think with a little work this formation will be good at breaking down a bunkered defense, rather than the old system of lobbing crosses. But it will take time, and the probability of bunkering defenses in the playoffs is pretty much 100%.

I don't think it was a new strategy so much as it was other factors making us more successful in possession than usual:
- Early first goal meant Philly couldn't bunker the whole time.
- Our formation change threw them off guard.
- We're a much better team than the Union right now and both teams played at a level that reflects where they are in the standings.

they played a 4-4-2 diamond on Wednesday.
I don't know how new this is - didn't they play this last year when they were trying to develop the 3-5-2? They only permanently switched to the 3-5-2 late in the season and into the playoffs.

It pushes Gio/Jozy outside and has them coming into the middle with the ball - with everyone else scoring for TFC , this makes it difficult for opposition to focus on defending 1-2 players (guys they know who can score)

I kept getting confused with seeing Bradley defending so deep, he looked like a centre back at times.