The 2020 MLS Season is well and truly underway since the restart. Teams from the Western and Eastern conferences have been battling for the top spots in the league tables. In the Eastern conference, there is a tight race for the top four with the Columbus Crew leading the way while Orlando City, Toronto FC, and the Philadelphia Union are all battling for the second position. Just behind the pack lies the Montreal Impact, who were looking to make a statement in Sunday nights match against the Philadelphia Union.
The Union is in 4th place in the Eastern Conference with 22 points while Montreal is in 6th with 16 points. The match represented an important one for the Impact who needed three points to keep pace with the rest of the pack. The Impact is led by former Arsenal and Barcelona star Thierry Henry, who has taken a keen interest in management since his career ended. Despite failing to impress at Monaco in Ligue 1, Henry is hoping to lead his Montreal side to better results.
This tactical analysis and match report will examine the tactics which lead to the Philadelphia Union defeating the Montreal Impact 4-1.
Lineups
Jim Curtin’s Union side started in a 4-3-1-2 formation that formed a strong midfield and encouraged the left and right-sided midfielders to push wide when in possession. This formation could also be seen as a 4-1-2-1-2 with the creative Brenden Aaronson being the connection between the midfield and strikers.
Henrys team set up in a 4-2-3-1 with a strong base in the midfield. Saphir Taider and Victor Wanyama anchored the team which provided the defensive cover needed for the attacking players to have more freedom. Ahead of them was Bojan Krkic in the number 10 role, who serves as Henrys main creative force. In defense, the former Arsenal man preferred the back four setup, similar to his counterpart.
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