FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A change in formation brought about a change in role for New England Revolution forward Zack Schilawski.
The second-year striker earned a starting role over experienced striker Ilija Stolica with his production during preseason, but it came with a bit of a caveat. Instead of filling one of the two starting berths available within a 4-4-2 formation and working in tandem with a partner, Schilawski would operate as the lone forward in the Revs' 4-5-1 setup.
New duties arrived with the new formation. In addition to carrying the burden of scoring goals, Schilawski would also need to serve as an outlet and a safety valve up top by winning and retaining possession.
It isn't a prototypical deployment for a 5-foot-10, 165-pound forward, but it is one that Schilawski said he has adapted to rather quickly.
“The biggest thing they've asked me to do – aside from scoring goals, which is standard – is just holding it up,” Schilawski told MLSsoccer.com earlier this week. “For me, some people think it'd be more difficult, but it's actually been easier in the new formation.”
[inline_node:332133]While asking the lone forward to hold up the ball appears like a rather straightforward task, it is not a duty that the Revs accomplished with any sort of frequency last season. A combination of factors – an inability to consistently win first or second balls and a lack of supporting runs from midfield chief among them – contributed to a problem that ultimately heaped significant pressure on the Revs' defensive efforts.
“Last year, that was one of our problems,” Revolution assistant coach Stephen Myles said. “The ball kept coming back, and, hence, we were under pressure for most of the game. It's fantastic to see when [Schilawski] gets hold of the ball – and people recognize it now when we do – that it takes a little bit of pressure off the back four. It allows us to squeeze further up the field, which means we can get the midfield players involved even more.”
The addition of more midfielders into attacking spaces also serves to give Schilawski more support as he looks to retain possession with his back to goal. Shalrie Joseph now features in a higher position as part of the central midfield trio, while wingers Zak Boggs and Sainey Nyassi – the choice on the left flank for last Saturday's 2-1 win over D.C. United – also provide support in wider areas.
“It's given us better transition from back to front,” Schilawski said. “When we win balls in and around the box, I think we've had a lot better transition because we've got wingers out there going forward and [Shalrie Joseph] pushing up higher. We just have more numbers in the attack.”
Although the extra bodies in attack aid Schilawski in his quest, they do not mean much if he cannot win the ball and move it along to his teammates. It isn't a complicated job, but it is one that requires a hefty dose of application and precision.
“Especially with [Revolution coach Steve Nicol] and Mylesie, that's what they're preaching all of the time: keep it simple with your passes,” Schilawski said. “That's the way you keep possession with the ball. That's been the theme so far of this season: keep the ball, be satisfied with your first option and keep it moving.”
Schilawski's proficiency in such matters has developed over the course of his nascent professional career. Myles and Nicol repeatedly told Schilawski that he needed to bolster his buildup play to mount a stronger case for a spot in the starting XI.
As Schilawski's pair of starts – including a goal against D.C. United – this season suggests, he followed the advice carefully in order to reap the corresponding benefits.
“You know, that kid's just made a steady improvement from when we first got him until now,” Myles said. “He came back in good shape and a lot stronger than he was last year. He took on board the things that we said to him and – credit to him – he's tried to work on them. You can see that in the performances. They're greatly improved, and that's down to him wanting to work hard and get better.”
