The 3-5-2 & How Hernan Losada Will Change DC United’s Identity
Long before DC United fired long-time Head Coach Ben Olsen in October of 2020, fans had been clamoring for something new. Olsen had been with the Black and Red for over two decades: 10 years as the Head Coach and 11 years before that as a player. His signature style of play became known as ‘Bennyball’, a one-route style of play that often reverted to long balls over the top whenever playing through the midfield didn’t work. With a team that features the likes of Paul Arriola and Edison Flores, Supporters have been frustrated that this level of talent was being wasted on Olsen’s style of play.
Enter Argentine Head Coach Hernan Losada.
On January 18th, DC United announced the hiring of Hernan Losada. Prior to his hiring in DC, Losada had been coaching Belgium First Division side Beerschot, a team he had oddly enough played for before beginning his coaching career. However, this would be the lone similarity between Losada and Olsen: the change at Head Coach would bring a change in tactics that features a high-press, much to the excitement of many DC supporters. Though Losada was not United’s first choice to take over for Olsen, perhaps he should have been. Losada’s signature high press and 3-5-2 formation have kept DC in several games, many of which have been closer than anyone expected, considering DC were predicted to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
So who does Losada model his style of play after? According to Losada, one of his favorite coaches is Marcelo Bielsa, current Head Coach of Premier League side Leeds United. Losada told Pablo Maurer of The Athletic that he is motivated by Bielsa’s, “attractive, vertical, full-of-energy football.” Bielsa’s Leeds team was one of the most exciting teams in the 2020/21 Premier League season, as they played fast and with purpose. While this led to a lot of goals, it also caused Leeds to concede many as well. Modeling Bielsa’s style is something fans can be excited by, but Losada also favors Diego Simeone, Head Coach of La Ligue side Atletico Madrid, who is known for a more defensive approach. Losada claims to fall somewhere in between the attacking style of Bielsa and the defensive style of Simeone – though many coaches intend to be solid defensively and exciting offensively, Losada actually came close to achieving this balanced concept with Beerschot.
Prior to his last month in charge of Beerschot, Losada’s team was 9-1-4: they scored 38 goals and were only shutout once. However, Losada’s team was not that solid defensively, conceding 33 goals in that same period. December and January were harsh months for Losada, as Beerschot failed to secure a win, losing 5 of 7 games. In that same span, the team struggled to score, yet conceded 12 goals prior to Losada leaving to join DC United. Despite this, the current DC United team has been playing a similar formation and using similar tactics as Losada’s Beerschot team - the excitement surrounding DC hasn’t been this high since Wayne Rooney.
It’s difficult to pass judgement from such a small sample size of games, especially so early in Losada’s tenure, but there have been glimpses of tactical brilliance already. Though DC’s 2020 season was an uphill battle from the start, which can only partially be blamed on COVID-19, DC has a strong roster and plenty of talent at their disposal. Losada wants to score, something that United has the talent to do consistently - he told Maurer he would, “rather win games 5-4 than 1-0.” Though this was also evident at Beerschot, this DC team already seems more defensively sound. This disparity could be related to differences in the quality of play or players from the Belgian First Division to MLS, but it is clearly related to differences in the way Losada is setting up DC United.
Since the season is young and DC has been plagued by a myriad of injures, Losada is still trying to figure out the best formation and best group of players to implement his tactical plan. Although he has not settled on what is best for this team yet, he has made a few consistent tactical decisions, especially in how DC United build out their attack. The main tactical wrinkle in Losada’s 3-5-2 hinges on the defensive midfielder, who acts as a middleman, shuttling the ball between the defense and the attack whenever the other team presses. Losada wants a defense that can play with the ball at their feet, creating a diamond with either the goalkeeper and the 3 centerbacks or the 3 centerbacks and one of the midfielders, which gives them tactical flexibility. While play builds out of the back, the wingbacks push up the sidelines, in order to create width for the attack. The central midfielders are then left to occupy the space in between, which gives the centerbacks or defensive midfielder options and allows them to shuttle the ball to the creators within the attack. Losada wants his forwards to play directly on the shoulder of opposing defenders, pulling them out of position and creating space for runs by the wingbacks or midfielders.
From here, Losada likes to make use of the space created with overlaps. The team will overload one side of the field in order to push midfielders and/or strikers into the opponents box with quick passing and well-timed runs. This is far more difficult if the opposing team is defending with 5 in the back, but when teams defend with 4 (as is often the case), this tactical scheme works well. The space allowed with 4 defenders, as opposed to 5, gives DC the ability to use their wingbacks to pull defender out of position and create triangles with the outside centerback and one of the strikers. The strikers can then pull a centerback out of position, which allows a central midfielder to make a darting run into the box with some open space to operate in. These overlaps are a major key to success and have provided a number of scoring opportunities for DC so far this season.
Unlike at Beerschot, The defensive side of Losada’s tactical plan is almost as exciting as the goalscoring opportunities. Losada’s defensive scheme requires that the wingbacks get back on defense and create a low block within the 5-3-2. The back line moves together and stays compact, in order to prevent inside runs and push teams to the outside, where they will have to cross the ball or find a low-percentage chance to score. Losada is big on pressing and wants his teams to win the ball back and counter as quickly as possible. The strikers are an important part of this, as they are the first line of the press. In this system, strikers will typically press the opponents centerbacks or goalkeeper, attempting to force mistakes and turnovers.
As fans of pressing teams know, the high press requires that everyone, from the goalkeeper to the strikers, buy into the system – if pressing systems have any weak points, it will often lead to chaos that favors the opposition. Similar to how Gareth Bale’s refusal to defend led to issues for Jose Mourinho at Tottenham Hotspur, Losada learned at Beerschot that when attacking players fail to participate on defense, the press suffers, making it easier for opposing teams to counter and score. Additionally, as with many pressing systems, the press demands a high level of fitness from all positions - the high press is something that can wear players out rapidly. DC winger Paul Arriola told The Athletic that, “[Losada’s] fitness demands are much higher…we’re running more than we ever did before.” With that said, Losada is also cautious with players when returning from injury, often holding them out longer than DC United fans may be used to. Though this is frustrating to some, it’s important to understand that players must be at the top of their fitness level to play in this system, which is different for most of the players on the roster.
Losada has not had a chance to bring in his own players yet and DC United have also experienced turnover in the front office, as they have brought in a new GM in Lucy Rushton and a new Director of Scouting in Sean Howe, both from Atlanta United. Despite this, Losada has done well finding a balance of youth and experience as he learns more about both his roster and the league. The front office hiring’s should be encouraging for both Losada and DC fans, though – Atlanta’s front office has been known for finding high quality players since joining the league in 2017. They will have their work cut out for them over the next few seasons, as Losada will need players with a specific skillset and fitness level to fit his system. Fans can expect a flurry of activity over the next few transfer windows for the Black and Red. With 26 games left in the 2021 MLS season, DC United will only get better, especially as the team gets healthy, begins to mesh and gains a better understanding of Losada’s tactics. DC may be towards the bottom of the table now, but with Losada at the helm, they may not stay there for long.
