NASHVILLE – Immediately prior to his team’s match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Nashville SC coach Gary Smith threw a curveball: rather than his side’s preferred 5-3-2 formation, the Boys in Gold – or, in another curveball, in Blue on this day – would come out in a 4-4-2.
There was indeed a change to NSC’s formation, but it wasn’t the one the lineup sheet promised. Only two personnel changes were made from last week’s starting lineup, with Bradley Bourgeois replacing the injured London Woodberry at right centerback and Tucker Hume stepping in for Michael Cox at a striker position. The Boys in Gold were still in their typical formation, though, but with a twist.
Striker Robin Shroot sunk heavily into midfielder to collect and distribute the ball, while central attacking midfielder Lebo Moloto replaced him up top. Thanks to wingbacks Ryan James and Kosuke Kimura playing high up the pitch (as is typical, though James was even farther advanced than usual), the formation was more like a 3-4-3 than we’re used to seeing.
The attack seemed smoother than it had in the previous few games, but the fatal flaw that we saw throughout preseason and in the regular-season opener against Louisville
City FC remained: NSC lacked clinical finishing in the final third.
Each team had some solid chances, with Nashville controlling the bulk of the play (Louisville’s opportunity came when a defender fell to the turf, and a cross from jusrt inside the left edge of the penalty box saw its header go wide). The move to Tucker Hume as a hold-up striker seemed to pay dividends for NSC worked out, but Lebo Moloto tried to cut a pass back across the box rather than shoot left-footed, and on another opportunity he was dispossessed as he tried to slow up play and find the final pass.
Still, it feels like there are certainly goals in this one.
Club and Country 