D.C. United is still winless in league play this year after Thursday's 1-1 home draw with the New England Revolution, but the result stopped a four-game losing streak in all competitions and offered a substantial boost to the club's wavering confidence.
Many observers were intrigued to see some of United's mainstays start the match on the bench, but equally noteworthy was coach Tom Soehn's decision to significantly alter the team's formation, switching from a 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2 featuring what might be called a "pinched diamond" midfield.
With left winger Josh Gros dropping back to form a four-man defensive line, Clyde Simms sat in the anchor role alone as Christian Gomez occupied his usual spot just behind the strikers. Ben Olsen and Fred were wide midfielders in name only as the two enjoyed a great deal of freedom to roam, leaving the wings open for their supporting defenders to range forward.
"Yeah, it was a four-man back," said center back Bobby Boswell, "but you get Fred and Bennie, they're going to be drawn into the middle so it gives [Bryan] Namoff and Josh the space to run the flanks."
United has been hesitant to use a traditional 4-4-2 in the past because of the extra defensive duties it would require of Gomez, who prefers to stay forward. But the dynamic approach used against the Revolution actually opened up space that might have been limited in a five-man midfield.
"I think it'll help a lot," said Simms of the new tactics. "You worry a little bit about Christian defensively, but I think it worked out perfect - as long as he gets his spacing right, he'll be fine. It actually creates more space for him offensively. Normally we'll have three guys in the middle, and it kind of crowds things a little bit. So it actually gives him a little more room to operate."
Gomez has been closely watched by opposing defenders anxious to mark the 2006 league MVP out of the game, but he's learning how to use that extra attention to open up space for his teammates.
"Obviously a lot of teams are marking me - Columbus did it last week," he said. "So you have to adjust to the games. Right now they're really keying on me, so I'm trying to go away to the flanks and let Fred and Bennie have more opportunities in the middle to build the attack."
Simms made his first MLS start of the year after missing more than two weeks due to an ankle sprain, and he expects to be even sharper against Chivas USA on Sunday despite tweaking the injury just after halftime. He left the game mainly as a precaution, giving fellow holding midfielder Brian Carroll some 36 minutes to show that he's recovering from his recent struggles. Simms acknowledged that the competition for playing time between the two is tighter than ever.
"Yeah. It's good though," he said. "Like I said in years past, I'd rather be in this situation than have the spot 100 percent, because it makes both of us better players."
Soehn, for his part, refused to show his cards when asked if Carroll had won his starting job back.
"We're so far away from Sunday," said the first-year head coach with a chuckle. "Brian came in and did a good job. He impacted the game, and that's what we ask from all our subs."
Soehn might be more concerned with his team's troubles in the attacking third. United dominated possession against the Revs and showed more of the crisp passing sequences they've become known for in recent years, but failed to make it show on the scoreboard. D.C. will look to change that on Sunday against a Chivas team that they have traditionally broken down at will.
"With a little bit more luck, I think the goals are going to come," said Gomez. "Right now we're not getting any clear balls on goal - when we're getting to shoot, the defender blocks it or we're not getting a clear look. So we've just got to keep working hard, especially from the flanks to open up the game a little bit more and hopefully then the forwards will get more of the opportunities that they're not getting right now."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
