FRISCO, Texas- FC Dallas is back at Toyota Stadium tonight to take on Minnesota United for their second matchup this season. With everyone getting close to the final stretch of the season, let's take a look at tonight's Lineup Notes, presented by UnitedHealthCare.
HEAVY ATTACK FORMATION
This week we see a shift in the midfield to a much more attack focused formation. Jesus Ferreira and Paxton Pomykal move up the field as double eights, while Bryan Acosta holds down the back of the midfield as a defensive force. This is different than the formation we have seen the majority of the season with Paxton at the top, and two midfielders dropped back to support the defense. The goal here is to capitalize on the opportunities the team has been creating to finish the drive and score.
VETERAN BACKLINE CONTINUES
With another time with a very wide, and strong offense the backline is once again built with a presence of veterans. We see the usual formation with Ryan Hollingshead, Reto Ziegler, Matt Hedges, and Reggie Cannon holding down the backline to shut down Minnesota's offense. With Minnesota having multiple players who have scored 5+ goals for them this season, the strong backline will be crucial in closing down opportunities and keeping Minnesota shutout for 90 minutes.
TOP THIRD CHEMISTRY RETURNS
Over the past multiple games, the top of the field seems to have found a rhythm and connection across it. Dominique Badji, Santiago Mosquera, and Michael Barrios close out the lineup and have a good understanding of each other's movements around the field. We have seen them find a way to make opportunities and utilize each of their skills to move the ball around the top third creating chances. This understanding and chemistry will be a key factor in the offensive success against a team that has been showing up defensively with the intention of shutting everyone out.
