MLS is Back: Talking tournament tactics – Eastern Conference

Columbus Crew

Expected formation: Head coach Caleb Porter will likely deploy a 4-2-3-1, just as he did in the Columbus Crew’s first two games of the season. The full-backs will push up in attack and the two central midfielders will work to maintain possession. Lucas Zelarayan will be charged with orchestrating the attack from the central attacking midfield position.

Team style: Possession is king under Porter, although Columbus looked happy in March getting the ball in transition and attacking quickly. Darlington Nagbe and Artur, the two central midfielders, are key in helping the team keep the ball. Once the ball reaches the midfield, there will be two main options: funnel the ball forward to Zelarayan or push the ball out wide to the full-backs and wingers. Then, the ball can be crossed into the box for striker Gyasi Zardes, who excels at one-touch finishing. Counter-pressing was also a factor in the Crew’s second game against Seattle although it might not be utilized in Orlando.

Potential success/failure: The Crew’s potential for success stems from their ball movement and counter-pressing. These two main principles start with the attacking four, which is comprised of Zelarayan, wingers Luis Diaz and Pedro Santos, as Zardes leading the line. If those four are efficient in the press, the Crew can win the ball high up the field and create chances. Defensively, the Crew only conceded one goal (a penalty) and played up a man for 88 minutes in their first game. They haven’t quite been tested yet, so this tournament could reveal any glaring weaknesses the Crew have.

D.C. United

Expected formation: D.C. United are capable of playing in a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, or 4-5-1. Either way, manager Ben Olsen will likely opt for a four-man backline. If D.C. want to sit and counter, they can do so through any of those formations.

Team style: With so much roster turnover in a year, D.C.’s style is in flux right now. They ended 2018 with a free-flowing attack through Wayne Rooney and Luciano Acosta. Those players are gone, and when D.C. played without them towards the end of 2019, the team became extremely compact and defensive. It’s tough to tell how they will approach the tournament in Orlando.

Potential success/failure: It still feels like Olsen and his team are figuring out how to use their personnel. In their first game against Colorado, Julian Gressel starting in central attacking midfield and Edison Flores started on the wing. In the second game against Miami, Gressel moved to right central midfield. We know from his time in Atlanta that Gressel is most dangerous on the right flank, whether that’s as a winger or wing-back. Meanwhile, Flores may be best suited as the central attacking midfielder instead of on the wing. If D.C.’s best players aren’t in their best positions, their stay in Orlando will be short.