Free a demoralising defeat, the best thing we can hope for is a strong performance and three points. Let's hope the team comes out fighting (and Sweat comes out of the line-up).
I'd drop Harrison to MF and bring on Lewis at RWMade much more difficult by being Ring-less. Does that mean a midfield of Lopez and TMac? Cause that is scary.
Play the starters, get 3 points
Hopefully Mata is back
I'd drop Harrison to MF and bring on Lewis at RW
Considering he hasn't even been making the 18, I can't imagine he starts. Not saying I think it's a bad idea, I just don't see it happeningI'd drop Harrison to MF and bring on Lewis at RW
Not disagreeing but without Ring & Hererra in the MF, the best person to move there is Jack. If Khiry is healthy, I could see PV put him in, or Camargo if he's not charged with marking on corners. I just really want to trust Jason Richards that Lewis looks good in practice.Considering he hasn't even been making the 18, I can't imagine he starts. Not saying I think it's a bad idea, I just don't see it happening
Been thinking about our lack of Midfielders for this match and wonder if we can go with a modified 343, or more like the 3421 that Chelsea/Arsenal ran in the FA Cup:
-------------Villa-----------
------Wallace--Maxi------
Mata-Sterzer-Harrison-Khiry
--Callens--Chanot--White--
Can easily shift to 433 with same personnel. I'd be open for resting Callens for Brillant. If Lewis or Gomez look ready then one of them for Khiry. Or even Camargo for Stertzer with Maxi dropping next to Harrison. Really need to have the best ball handlers in the middle with a lot of speed because NE plays a direct counter system with a ton of pace flying through the middle.
I have been against the three man backline, but not much choice this game. Hope Patrick's got them up for itOh man. I'm only now coming to the realization how screwed we are for this match. We have no defensive midfielders of MLS quality.
To hell with it. Play your lineup and hope we win 4-3. Best thing going for us is NER are unlikely to press much. Worst thing going for us is the fact that Juan and Lee and Rowe and Fagundez can all be fairly creative, and we don't have anyone I trust to stop their interchanging just in front of our back line.
You see them as a counter team, but I actually think that against us, they will be just as dangerous when possessing in our final third.
Been thinking about our lack of Midfielders for this match and wonder if we can go with a modified 343, or more like the 3421 that Chelsea/Arsenal ran in the FA Cup:
-------------Villa-----------
------Wallace--Maxi------
Mata-Sterzer-Harrison-Khiry
--Callens--Chanot--White--
Oh man. I'm only now coming to the realization how screwed we are for this match. We have no defensive midfielders of MLS quality.
To hell with it. Play your lineup and hope we win 4-3.
Gonna be rough in the trenches for sure and I don't think Mikey is enough of a DMid to play next to Harrison, and his lack of technical ability would hinder possession. Our best bet is to hold the ball as much as possible in the final third and pray we can limit their fast counters; NE was quite effective countering against RB the other night with Fagundez, Rowe, Kamara, and Nguyen running the break - they're fast as hell.Oh man. I'm only now coming to the realization how screwed we are for this match. We have no defensive midfielders of MLS quality.
To hell with it. Play your lineup and hope we win 4-3. Best thing going for us is NER are unlikely to press much. Worst thing going for us is the fact that Juan and Lee and Rowe and Fagundez can all be fairly creative, and we don't have anyone I trust to stop their interchanging just in front of our back line.
You see them as a counter team, but I actually think that against us, they will be just as dangerous when possessing in our final third.
Thanks. No surprise you don't think he can handle it, but I wasn't so much asking what you think or stating what I think as wondering what PV thinks.-edit- to address mgarbowski i don't think Mikey is complete enough to play DMid - he's more of a chaos creator in front of the DMid. And it seems other teams try to choke passing options so the ball goes to Mikey - they know he isn't able to initiate attacks.
PV will obviously want him out there. He's shown time and again Mikey is a guy he leans on. With same logic, I think TMac could also get a nod.Thanks. No surprise you don't think he can handle it, but I wasn't so much asking what you think or stating what I think as wondering what PV thinks.
No, I think you are right and have the take PV will have. I just think it's wrong.You think there's any reasonable chance Mikey doesn't start with our depleted midfield? That would mean Vieira recognizes him as at best a complement to a rock solid anchor like Ring, but I'm just not sure that's the case. I suspect the only way Lopez doesn't see the starting 11 is if he's still working into fitness after the injury and can't go many minutes so soon after a full 90 on Sunday.
Yeah. I would go:Yeah. To be clear, I don't want Lopez starting and potentially going 90 3 games in a row, or being made a lynchpin in any game, so I'd rather see something like the Ulrich lineup.