Houston Dynamo: Stick with 4-3-3 in CONCACAF Champions League

Houston Dynamo brought a sharply honed 4-4-3 defensive line-up to CONCACAF Champions League. Liga MX’s Tigres UANL brought the same on March 5.

For the first of two CONCACAF Champions League games in the quarter-finals, Tigres UANL of Liga MX showed a mirror image of Houston Dynamo’s 4-3-3 formation, defensive scheme. And the visitors won a 2-0 shutout in the effort.

The loss doesn’t mean Houston should abandon the 4-3-3, however.

If Houston head coach Wilmer Cabrera should try another go-to formation in Dynamo’s final match vs. Tigres on March 12, it won’t make much difference to Tigres UANL.

Tigres has used a nearly endless array of formations against tough Liga MX teams. The Nuevo León side has won with every one of those formations, except the 4-4-2 double-diamond midfield, where they have a loss.

Largely successful Tigres formations in Liga MX this season include:

• 4-2-3-1, four wins.
• 5-3-2, one win.
• 3-4-3, one win
• 4-4-2, double-diamond, a win and a loss.
• 4-3-3, one draw.

Their favorite is the 4-2-3-1. The Dynamo definitely don’t want to draw that one. In fact, in CONCACAF Champions League competition, this last game against the Houston Dynamo represents the first time the team focused on the formation.

In the first two-game Champions League leg, they used the formation twice against Saprissa. They lost 1-0 in the first game, but came back and won 5-1 in the second. Tigres advanced on the aggregate.

Houston actually employed the 4-2-3-1 in their first game with Guastatoya in that first leg, winning 1-0. Their 4-3-3 defensive scheme opened things up in the second game and they won that one 2-1. The formation’s impact applied only to the second half.

In the first half, Gustatoya used a devastating 5-3-2 formation that prevented either team from scoring. Houston made up for the newly opened lanes after the blockade got lifted.

One game into this year’s MLS competition, Houston opened against Real Salt Lake with the 4-3-3 and got a 1-1 draw.

Tigres locked in the 4-3-3 defensive scheme after their first loss. Houston Dynamo should stick with that same scheme after their latest loss.

Jumping back to the 4-2-3-1 and increasing their attack may seem attractive. Tigres has proved capable of plugging their midfield holes either with the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. Dynamo personnel have proved better suited to that task in the 4-3-3, supporting either defense or an attack.

So Houston Dynamo should stick with their 4-3-3 at this stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. That’s how they’ll keep moving through this competition.