Why don't we play a higher line?

[Abou Sky]

In the middle of re-watching the game and it seems like our defense is pretty deep.

The defense was quite good so not complaining but even when we are in the top 1/3 it seems like our defense is sitting deep.

Any suggestions as to why this is better/worse?

[prizby]

lack of athleticism, lack of speed, lack of natural fitness, and lack of stamina to maintain such a thing...you need a certain type of footballer to be able to do certain things; almost certainly tfc do not have those type of footballers

[trane]

I always prefer a deeper line, gives the defense more time to adjust and organize, less change of getting burned. But you have to be effective on the counter, and have good passers and/or fullbacks that can move the ball up well.

In our case, I do not think we are even good enough as a defensive unit to play a higher line without risking too much.

[West220Side]

Its going to take a lot of time to see anything perfect. Always going to be little things to pick on.

Who was it? Winter who played our defensive line basically up at the middle of the pitch because we had no midfield to service the forwards.
I'm sure there's a tactical reason for it, right? Eckersley is our fastest defender other then Morgan, and they're both not in the squad lately (injury, poor form) Caldwell is very good at managing the backline anyways, O'dea ain't making no sprints on that left side lets face it. That's probably it, simply a lack of speed and we don't want to get burned.

[Leedsoronto]

With officials being being so bad in the MLS, at making correct decisions, would you trust a lino to get the off side right 100% of the time?

Neither would I !!!!

[T-boy]

The majority of MLS teams play a deeper counter attacking style, catching teams on the break. TFC would need a couple of extremely speedy centre backs to play a high line against some teams. I'm ok with the current deeper defensive setup.

[Ivy]

The high line that they played under Winter worked well on limited occasions. LA concacaf games being 2.
The high line is very risky, especially when opposition has very very fast strikers and mids

[Chevy]

I love the high-line, but yeah, we're too slow.

[[NBF]]

Why don't we play a higher line?.......

1. Why dont we score goals?
2. Why can't we maintain a lead?
3. Why do we always lose?

The answer: The team doesnt score goals, there's a lack of goal scorers on the team. If you are a dangerous team going forward you can go "ape shit" and play a higher line.


quick example:

Bayern Munich: 4-2-1-3 or 4-2-3-1

------------------Neuer------------------
Lahm------Boyten------Dante-------Alaba
-----------------------------------------
-----------Martinez---Schweinsteiger-----
-----------------------------------------
------------------Muller------------------
-----------------(22 Goals)---------------
------------------------------------------
Robben---------Mandzukic--------Ribery
(13 Goals)--------(21 Goals)-----(11 Goals)


TFC: 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2

------------------Bendik------------------
Richter---Caldwell-------Agboss-----O'Dea
------------------------------------------
Osorio------Hall----------Laba-----Convey
(3 Goals)--(1 Goal)------------------------
------------------------------------------
------------Silva-------Earnshaw---------
------------------------(6 Goals)---------

Portland Timbers: 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1

-----------------Ricketts-----------------
Miller-----J.Baptiste------Kah----Harrington
------------------------------------------
------------Chara-----W.Johnson---------
-----------------------(6 Goals)----------
------------------Valeri------------------
----------------(4 Goals)-----------------
------------------------------------------
Nagbe----------R.Johnson-------Wallace
(5 Goals)--------(5 Goals)---------(4 Goals)

[ag futbol]

I would just say that in general, we're tactically a very low-risk defensive minded team.

I would say the decision not to play a high line is just one of many that lines up with our overall philosophy. Looking across the field, we basically play ball-winners in the middle with limited offensive skills, a LB who is converted from CB, a RB who offers nothing going forward. We often bunker when protecting leads and we're quick to play the long ball rather than try and work it up the park with a patient buildup.

End result: we don't concede much but don't score either.

The answer: The team doesnt score goals, there's a lack of goal scorers on the team. If you are a dangerous team going forward you can go "ape shit" and play a higher line.

Agreed, this is a big part of it. Some guys just have to produce, but I question if our coach is too defensive minded to understand what it takes to make things click up front.

[Canary10]

I would just say that in general, we're tactically a very low-risk defensive minded team.

I would say the decision not to play a high line is just one of many that lines up with our overall philosophy. Looking across the field, we basically play ball-winners in the middle with limited offensive skills, a LB who is converted from CB, a RB who offers nothing going forward. We often bunker when protecting leads and we're quick to play the long ball rather than try and work it up the park with a patient buildup.

End result: we don't concede much but don't score either.


Agreed, this is a big part of it. Some guys just have to produce, but I question if our coach is too defensive minded to understand what it takes to make things click up front.

Yeah, I agree with this. We're a conservative team. That's essentially the answer to the thread. Another thread title might be why do we play with two holding midfielders in a 4-4-2? Same answer....

[Richard]

With officials being being so bad in the MLS, at making correct decisions, would you trust a lino to get the off side right 100% of the time?

Neither would I !!!!

Bingo!

[Ivy]

Yeah, I agree with this. We're a conservative team. That's essentially the answer to the thread. Another thread title might be why do we play with two holding midfielders in a 4-4-2? Same answer....

And that's not necessarily a bad thing... Watching Houston, they have 7-8 players behind the ball at all times. 2 strikers can't do anything with that many people. Impact played 4 guys forward, and only scored 1 goal (the other goal was Earnshaw-ish... A horrible back pass)

[jloome]

In the middle of re-watching the game and it seems like our defense is pretty deep.

The defense was quite good so not complaining but even when we are in the top 1/3 it seems like our defense is sitting deep.

Any suggestions as to why this is better/worse?

Because we're playing three in the middle on a counterattack. Houston was playing with wingers; if we'd played a high line, any time they overbalanced the play to one side of the field, we would essentially be giving their wing on the other side free reign to move the ball into our final third all day long. By playing back a little, we give our midfielder time to support the fullback when they switch field, or push wide quickly on the break.

Plus, we're playing a counterattacking style. That depends on pulling the other team too high to safely react to us breaking into their final third, as opposed to possession style, which depends on pulling the defense out of position laterally. You can't really do that with a high line.

I'm not saying that ultimately this should be our approach. But it's why we played that way the other day.

[ensco]

Because it doesn't work without the offside trap. And the offside trap is dead. It's finished.

Athletic ability in world football has made it disappear.

[v00d00daddy]

Because it doesn't work without the offside trap. And the offside trap is dead. It's finished.

Athletic ability in world football has made it disappear.

1. The offside trap is not dead. LOL
What do you mean by "athletic ability" and how has it made the offside trap disappear? I've seen lots of it in the recent U21 Euro and in the Confederations Cup.

2. We don't play a higher line because we couldn't consistently pull off the offside trap if our lives depended on it. LOL

[ensco]

^Good teams rarely/never use it anymore. You rarely see it in the EPL or La Liga, and it's rare in MLS too. Players are too good at breaking it down, or coming close enough to cast doubt. Teams are not willing to trust their fate to linesmen making split second decisions, they miss a call, you are dead.

It's all zonal marking now. I don't love it, but that's where we are.