Tactical Flexibility Lays Foundation for Later in Philadelphia Union's MLS Campaign

The Union can take away some defensive positives from Saturday's loss to FC Cincinnati because of how their three-at-the-back formation worked.

Tactical flexibility was one of the buzzworthy terms we heard from the Philadelphia Union in preseason.

Union head coach Jim Curtin teased that he would utilize different formations to fit in different plays and to adapt to certain match situations.

Curtin unleashed a three-man back line on Saturday against FC Cincinnati to try and steal a point while resting some players ahead of Wednesday’s Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Atlas.

The formation worked for the first 60 minutes, and that caused frustration within the FC Cincinnati attack.

There was a point where I thought it was funny that the team modeled after the Union also could not break down a bunkered-down defense. ‘