If you weren’t watching the game against Colorado, let me fill you in. You didn’t miss anything new in the first half; the Loons didn’t have much of the ball, they defended well, but a late free kick saw them concede from another set piece. Nothing out of the ordinary, but a tad frustrating for everyone.
It was the second half that stood out most. A few halftime changes saw the Loons shift into a 4-2-3-1 formation, and the message was clear: They wanted to score, they wanted to attack, and they wanted to play on the front foot. So, they did. It got me excited, especially given the time of year, and I thought it was worth revisiting ahead of this weekend’s match.
Formations Matter
Formations are frameworks; what matters most is the instructions given to each individual player within that framework. That said, each framework lends itself to a certain kind of approach, dispersing players in specific patterns that make certain styles of play easier to execute. If you’ve got players that thrive on the sideline, you’re going to want to utilize a formation that puts more players out wide. If you have a group that’s especially skilled at working the ball through tight spaces in the middle of the pitch, a more narrow formation might suit your team a bit better.
Take the Loons’ typical 5-4-1, for example. Over the last season and a half, MNUFC has proven to have plenty of talented defenders. Therefore, a style that puts numbers behind the ball suits that strength while also playing to the strength of the speedy, dynamic runs that Kelvin Yeboah and Tani Oluwaseyi used to wreak havoc on opponents this year. The formation — mixed with coach’s instructions — made for a defense-first approach that is difficult to break down and focused on making the most of every detail, whether that’s a long throw, a corner kick, or a calculated counter.
That’s what we’re used to seeing, and though it has changed in various ways to respond to different games, it’s been more or less consistent all season long. But that might have to change as the intense, winner-take-all style that dominates the MLS Cup Playoffs approaches.
On the Front Foot
Now, let’s explore how that shift into a 4-2-3-1 changes the Loons. First, you’ll notice one less player in the backline. The double pivot in the midfield stays the same (Trapp and Triantis), while a new bank of three attacking midfielders is created in front of them. The lone striker is still up where they belong, but they’ve got a little more support than they once did. Structurally, it’s very obviously putting more numbers forward, but the shift goes even deeper.
When the 5-4-1 is at its most attacking, the wingbacks both push up and the widest of the midfield four are either pinching in or drifting wide to contribute to the attack as well. At times, it operates more like a 3-4-3, giving the squad a balanced approach when they maintain possession.
On the other hand, a 4-2-3-1 gives teams greater flexibility. In situations where attacking with numbers and urgency is of paramount importance, the left and right fullbacks can push forward like wingbacks, shifting the team into what could be described at its most aggressive as a 2-2-3-3. That gives extra legs in dangerous areas, with more dedicated attackers filling those roles more effectively.
At the end of the day, any formation can produce a winning combination — as long as it’s paired with the right approach. Personally, I was thrilled to see something fresh, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well the shift worked out. Sure, the Black and Blue didn’t get the win they were looking for against Colorado, but they went for it, and they showed us that they’ve got more than one trick up their sleeves. Changing formation hasn’t really been a calling card of Eric Ramsay’s since he got here, but when the situation calls for it, the skipper has come up with some creative solutions. With new signings Nectarios Triantis and Dominik Fitz fitting perfectly into this more attacking option, I’m excited to see this shift — or something similar — pop back up as the postseason approaches.
