Soccer is about getting the best players on the field in the position to make the most impact. There aren't rigid rules where people need to play. All teams play with one goalkeeper and 10 outfield players, where they line up however, depends on the strengths and weaknesses of the team. It appears that the Crew have found strength in two forwards leading the attack.
Early in the preseason, Warzycha had seen newcomer Olman Vargas as a starter, but his slow recovery from injury meant that Columbus opened the season in Colorado with Vargas on the bench and Emilio Renteria as the sole forward in front of five midfielders. The Crew struggled mightily on offense and lost 2-0. Renteria was isolated away from the rest of the team and really didn't have an impact.
The rest of the offense floundered as well. Milovan Mirosevic was looked to create scoring chances, but often he only had his defensive midfielders to pass back to. He had few options going forward. Wingers Eddie Gaven and Ethan Finlay were often too wide to effectively link up with the rest of the midfield. The extra man in the midfield didn't help since they were spread so wide.
The following week against Montreal, Vargas was fit enough to start. He replaced Tony Tchani, one of the two defensive minded midfielders. The change made an immediate impact. Renteria was no longer separated from the rest of the offense, Vargas was always nearby to work with him.
This turned out to be the ideal partnership as it accentuated the strengths of both players. As a sole forward, Renteria struggled with his back to goal. He couldn't use his speed to create any separation from the defense. With Vargas taking that target role, Renteria could find the seams in the defense and attempt to pull them out of shape with runs into the offensive third.
Vargas is a better target forward than Renteria. He's much more comfortable with his back to the goal and is able to look for balls played in from the midfield. He can use his physical presence to hold off defenders and wait for attacking options to present themselves. He's also adept with balls in the air to nod on to Renteria and keep attacking play moving.
The change to two forwards has a ripple effect throughout the team. The extra man forward leaves one less man in the midfield. Mirosevic and Kirk Urso played as a pair in central midfield. The Chilean the more offensive minded and Urso covering on defense. They both appear to have a better understanding of each other with the clearer defined roles. They both are integral to the offense and see plenty of the ball, but they play different roles.
Urso now floats in front of the defense. He tracks the opposing team's midfielders and provides extra support to the defense. On offense, he acts as an outlet for the defenders to clear the ball to. He is the pressure valve that helps the team transitions from defense to offense, playing simple passes to the wingers or Mirosevic.
Mirosevic focuses more on the offensive end and plays a little higher up the field than Urso. He certainly will track back and play defense, as evident as his tackle leading to the Crew's counterattack goal, but he's looking to get the ball and move it into better attacking position. Without the ball, he will move up the field and join the forwards. He has more freedom to attack with Urso covering behind him.
Further changes extend to the wide areas of the team. The Crew's wingers in a single striker formation are expected to cut in more towards the middle of the field and there is theoretically less reliance on sending in crosses to a single target. Finlay and an injury hampered Gaven struggled to create anything in the road loss to the Rapids after being forced wide. Renteria was stranded.
The two wingers that played against Montreal a week later were certainly more active. Gaven, fully fit, was his normal crafty self. He sped up and down the wings, cutting in at opportune times to further stretch the defense. New starter Bernardo Anor was isolated on the left wing against the opposing defender. He repeatedly drove at his man and was able to fire off dangerous crosses or get into shooting position against a defense pulled out of shape.
The 4-4-2 formation also encourages the outside backs to press forward on offense. This overlap further stretches the defense. The wide midfielder and outside back have to cover for even more players streaming down the wings. Shaun Francis used this freedom to push forward and record an assist on Olman Vargas's headed goal against Montreal. He also was able to get a free shot at goal in Toronto that blazed just over the ball.
Just about every player's role changes, even if just slightly, when the formation shifts. Responsibilities change on defense as a player's responsibilities may change. Help may come from a different area. Roles may be narrowed or broadened depending on their place on the field. The shift seems to have revitalized an offense that looked overmatched.
It certainly appears that many on the team are more comfortable. Renteria and Vargas have formed a partnership where both thrive in their roles. Mirosevic and Urso have a better understanding of each other and what the other is expected to do. The goals haven't rained in, but the results are promising, two wins for the Crew in their return to the 4-4-2.
