Where Will Koke Fit in to the Dynamo Lineup
by Zach Woosley on Apr 15, 2011 2:45 PM CDT
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PrintI've been spending far too much time over the past couple days learning everything I can about new Dynamo signing Sergio Koke. Inevitably, the first question that pops in to my head is where Koke would best fit in to Dominic Kinnear's lineup.
Koke has played in both a forward and central midfield role and he's been in the CAM position at Aris the last couple years. This of course leads to a simple question, does Koke play up front or does he supplant Geoff Cameron?
Before we get in to any of this, I should mention that Koke is listed on the Dynamo roster as a forward, so take that how you will.
Taking out of the equation Cameron's improving play and desire to be in an attacking role, the easy option seems to shifting Cameron back to the defense and putting Koke in the central attacking role...but things are never that simple. There are only so many spots on the field and so many minutes that can be played, so inevitably, someone is going to lose playing time somewhere. While it's coaches job to keep his players happy and motivated, the primary goal is to win and that means putting the best team on the field in every match.
If Kinnear is determined to stick with his patented 4-4-2 diamond, with Koke in the CAM role, either Andre Hainault or Jermaine Taylor will be riding the bench in order to keep Geoff Cameron on the field. However, there's another option to consider but it's a little tricky.
Logic would tell you that if you have multiple good options in the midfield, then why not tinker with your formation to get both Koke and Cameron on the field in attacking roles? Of course all this is mute if Koke is fine with going back to a traditional striker role, but if he'd rather stay as the CAM then why not toy with a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3?
The reason I say this idea is tricky because Kinnear loves the 4-4-2 and that while we've seen variations on it during matches if a situation called for it (holding a lead or chasing a goal), when is the last time you can remember the Dynamo starting a match in anything other than the 4-4-2?
Basically, there's a reason I'm not a soccer coach.
Assuming Houston will stick with the 4-4-2, these are the two most likely lineups we'll see:
But what if Kinnear wants to keep Cameron and Koke in the midfield? Why not experiment with a 4-1-4-1 formation that allows you to take advantage of the midfield depth on the roster?
Clearly there is a plan because the Dynamo are going to bring in a player like Koke without knowing exactly where they want him to play and knowing exactly what kind of adjustment will need to be made. Until we see the team on the field playing, we'll just have to speculate...but in a situation like this, with an exciting new attacking player under contract, speculating is fun.
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Oh man, this is exciting!
I just hope we can keep a good team chemistry with all these new guys and changes. It makes me smile everyrime someone scores to see their teammates geniunely happy for them.
by DynaNole on Apr 15, 2011 2:55 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Really no matter where dom sticks koke, it’s an exciting thing knowing all around the quality of the team will be better (just having more great players, not necessarily from koke). 4-5-1 would be fun but if ching isn’t healthy it would be interesting to see how bruin/weaver fared with that. Or even potentially playing with both cameron and watson in a 451 and koke up top. Is there any idea if his shift to CAM was his preference or coaches? If simply a coaches i’d love to seem him up top with either ching or even bruin.
i still think koke plays as a striker primarily
He’s versatile enough that a mid/forward decision might be a game to game decision based on match up. I’m going to stick with my gut from the highlights I’ve seen. He’ll play up top, but we will often see him underneath the other forward dropping deeper into the mid field. Sort of a false nine if you will. With what little I have seen from him I think he could be very dangerous in that role. He could help create or run onto balls knocked down by our target guys.
There are plenty of options, and I wouldn’t mind seeing a little experimentation formationally. Domain does love the 4-4-2 though. So if he’s in the CAM role I see two options. Cameron goes back to CB like our fearless leader suggested. Or, he takes over as the holding midfielder. I don’t see any reason he can’t play that role. In that scenario Palmer gets bumped from the starting XI or plays RB like GE has for the Jamaican
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
by papabear on Apr 15, 2011 3:41 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
pre-mature post
I swear that has NEVER happened to me before. Anyway, I wanted to leave Cameron at CB after his best XI year there. It seems like the they are determined to mold him onto the CAM role. Maybe this changes that. Maybe it doesn’t. Either way, with the addition Watson we have added some much needed depth at CM. Joke means a talented player goes to the bench, but that’s OK. It means this team just got better and much better equipped to deal with the long grind of the season. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
by papabear on Apr 15, 2011 3:50 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
i was also surprised to hear that Koke us not considered a DP
If that’s the case this could be a phenomenal signing.
…and auto correct sucks sometimes.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
by papabear on Apr 15, 2011 3:54 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Why do all the key portions of this story this week happen when I am away from the computer?!? I sign on to see what might be up, and WHOA!!!
OK, whinging over. I do not see Cameron moving back to CB unless a rash of injuries or poor play forces him back there. This presents a few issues that have been hashed and rehashed before, not all of them Dynamo-related. First, Cameron has never played better than he did in 2009 at CB (MLS First XI, USMNT call-up, etc.), but Dom has repeatedly stuck to this plan to keep the boy in midfield. I do not see these signings as changing that, though it does take the pressure off of him to be the new De Rosario and/or Holden.
So where does he play? Well, assuming Dom stays with the 4-4-2 (which we can safely assume he will), then I personally think Cameron winds up on the right wing. Here’s the formation I believe we will see:
Koke/Watson-Ching/Weaver
Davis-Watson/Koke-Palmer-Cameron
Hainault-Taylor-Boswell-Freeman
Hall
With the subs being: Bruin, Weaver (unless he’s starting in place of an injured Ching), Sarkodie, Ashe, Deric, Clark, Cruz (and possibly Chabala from time to time. Sorry Ginge. I know how you love Chewie.)
This way, with Koke on the same side as Davis, who provides the best service on the team, he’ll get the best looks. I personally would love to see Dynamo play a more attack- and possession-oriented 4-2-3-1, but I m not so certain right now there’s the whole-package forward on the team to take that 1 spot. JeVaughn Watson, I believe, is being projected as an immediate starter and I do not see him in any of your formations up there Zach. He’s an attack-oriented midfielder. If Koke is at CAM, where does Watson play? If he’s on the right, then where Cameron.
There is a possibility that Cameron could be in the DMid role, taking advantage both of his speed and range, and perhaps the best position based on his past defensive success. This also has the advantage of putting Cameron back into the USMNT picture, where I believe he best serves as a CB, a job sorely needed on that squad with Carlos Bocanegra’s aging body not getting any younger. Cameron does not break the loaded midfield on the USMNT, but on the back line, he has a shot at being highly productive. And while Dom is not responsible for filling USMNT roles, the two needs could mesh with Cameron in DMid.
"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie
I don't think watson is viewed as an immediate starter
I think he provides depth to both center mid positions. That’s why he’s appealing. He can play both. We sorely needed depth there as there was no natural replacement for Cameron or palmer
I don’t see Cameron going out wide either. He played there out of necessity.
I’ve been wrong before though
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
by papabear on Apr 15, 2011 5:34 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
What about?
If you want to keep Cameron and Koke in midfield, how about…
Ching———Bruin/Weaver———
-———————-Koke—————————————-
Davis———————————————-Cameron
-———————Palmer————————————
Ashe/Hainault-Boswell-Taylor-Freeman
-————————Hall—————————————-
Cameron first played as a right mid in his rookie season before moving to center back. I don’t think Dom moves him to center back after getting Jermaine Taylor. Hainault has done well there (I actually think it’s his best position) so he already has 3 pretty good options there.
Another option would be to play Cameron in Palmer’s place (though more advanced) and Cruz/Clark at right mid. Cameron would make a hell of a box-to-box midfielder…better than Ricardo Clark was IMO.
All of that said, I don’t think Koke was brought here to play attacking-mid. That’s not to say he won’t at some point but I think he’s most needed at forward.
i was under the assumption that Hainult's natural position was CB
He ended up as FB because we were so depleted there. We’ve got more depth there now though so he could continue to see more time in the middle.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
by papabear on Apr 15, 2011 5:39 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
And of course, it’s always a good thing to go back and read the release again. Watson is projected as both an attacking and defensive mid. If he spells Palmer, then that opens the right wing back up as Cameron would stay in the attacking mid role. If that happens, then here’s a possibility:
Koke-Ching/Weaver
Davis-Cameron-Watson-Clark
Hainault-Taylor-Boswell-Freeman
Hall
With the subs being: Bruin, Weaver (unless he’s starting in place of an injured Ching), Sarkodie, Ashe, Deric, Palmer, Cruz (and possibly Chabala)
Whatsay?
"We don't care who finishes second." -- Celtic's Peter Lowrie
I think Zach basically nailed it.
I think the true formation will be just shifted slightly, utilizing what essentially will be an offset second striker instead of the second striker being even with the first. The CAM will play just offset from the second striker off to one side or the other (depending on opposition defensive placement and preferred foot of the CAM). The midfield wingers will play as they always do, just back a little bit from the second offset striker, not quite even with the CAM, but close.
The move itself I love, though, as it opens tons of opportunities for finding what sits best for the players strengths and weaknesses, and allowing Dom to capitalize on opponent weaknesses when appropriate.
It’s going to be a fun season, and I am highly anticipating Koke’s official Dynamo arrival all decked out in those Orange Jerseys.
-- "...I was sick, napping, and then woke up and came to the computer to read a note from the Gingered Angel of Doom..." Martek - Dynamo Theory Blog
i just listened to glenn davis dhow
He did an interview with joke. His English is passable. He didn’t understand a few questions, but he should be able to communicate with players and coaches fine. He seems genuinely excited to be coming here. Liked what he saw from the Vancouver game. Said he’s not a number 9 but not really a 10 either. Sort of a second striker. A 9 1/2 in his words. That doesn’t mean that’s how Dom will use him, but in a seperate interview with Dom he was reffered to only as a forward. Can’t say for sure until we see him in a few games, but it sure sounds like he will be a forward to me.
"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair
by papabear on Apr 18, 2011 9:13 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Palmer is odd man out
If Koke plays the midfield then Palmer will be on the bench. I dont see any scenario where Cameron goes back to CB. Boswell, Haunalt, have both looked good and Taylor may be better than both of them.
I see Watson taking some of Palmers minutes and if Koke plays midfield Palmer will lose even more.
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