Dallas, TX
The basics of the FC Dallas 3-4-3 – 3rd Degree
Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Dante Sealy.
With FC Dallas continuing to use the 3-4-3 at such a high rate this spring – about 90% of the time – I figure it’s time to talk about how it works. It’s not a widely used shape and many people may not be familiar with it.
This isn’t going to be a nuanced breakdown, there are small tweaks and subtleties to how FCD plays that might change from game to game and/or player to player. Coach Nico Estevez will even use hybrid positions with flex roles.
But for the portion of our audience that’s not familiar with it, it’s worth taking a macro gander at the basics of the 3-4-3…
Or as FC Dallas calls the shape on socials, presumably cause the Coach identified it this way, the 5-2-2-1.
So Is It 3-4-3 or 5-2-2-1?
They are the same thing. We use 3-4-3 for simplicity.
Here, let me show you. First, the base 3-4-3. Three center backs, two wingbacks, a double pivot in front (two six/eight types), and a front three.
Here is the shape (left) with the 3-4-3 groupings circled and (right) with the 5-2-2-1 circled.
See? Same thing.
Tactics are fluid.
The Basic Shifts
As always these days, FC Dallas is about transition and a fluid shape that changes as they get forward or back.
First, let’s talk wingbacks. They are the ones who drive this shape. They are given the entire wide space, end line to end line, to operate. They have complete responsibility for these wide areas. It’s in the name, “wing” and “back.”
Yes, it’s physically demanding.
You can easily see why the wingbacks need to be quite vertical with an engine to run and will to work. They are responsible for getting forward into the attack and getting back on defense.
The Attack
When the wingbacks get forward…
By using this system you get the same front-5 shape as last year in the attacking phase but without making your 8s overwork themselves (the wingbacks do the work).
Instead, the double pivot is more stable with less demand getting forward and you outnumber the opposition 4v3 in midfield. Something that should benefit Asier Illarramendi, for example, as well as Paxton Pomykal.
The Low Block
Then on defense, the wingbacks compress back into a low block just like Coach Estevez likes.
A.k.a, the 5-4-1.
While the wingbacks are the engine of this formation, there is another key to making it all work: the 10s.
The 10 Key
The front three – more specifically the position of the 10s – is the key and that’s why Coach and FCD specifically say “2-1” up top and not the simplified “3” we say.
These two players – who in a 4-3-3 were wingers – are in this 3-4-3 underneath the 9 playing as double 10 attacking mids. In the attacking phase, the wingbacks occupy the wide spaces leaving the 10s underneath in the half spaces.
This halfspace underneath role for Jesus Ferreira is, perhaps, the most important reason to choose this formation. Paul Arriola, Alan Velasco, Enes Sali, and Sebastian Lletget should also like it.
When FCD’s 3-4-3 Goes Wrong
Yet, as we saw last year, when the 3-4-3 is misplayed, it can be a disaster.
So what makes this disaster happen?
When the other two front players get it wrong and occupy the wide spaces… like they did last year. Like this.
That width wrecks the tactics.
Why? Allow me to show you.
By taking up the wide wing spaces, the “wings” block the wingbacks, making said wingbacks one-dimensional and static. It turns the wingbacks into normal outside backs and disarms their attacking danger, defeating the tactical purpose of the 3-4-3.
And on top of that, by taking up the wide space, the “wings” abandon the midfield – notably the massively important “zone 14” under the striker atop the opposition box – and leave the double pivot isolated in the middle and outnumbered 3 versus 2 for the bulk of the game.
Your team will end up with very little possession, dominated in midfield, facing a team that can carve you apart, right up the gut.
That’s not good.
A Depth Chart
Now that we understand how it works, let’s look at how will it deploy with players in it. Let’s plug in some names.
Don’t take the above as set in stone and it’s not complete with 30 names. There are still two weeks left before the season starts, several injuries, positions are up for challenges, and the tactics and personnel are quite obviously going to change as the season wears on.
Who knows how much we will even see this formation once the battle lines are crossed.
Heck, Ferreira isn’t even healthy yet. Let’s see what the club does against DC United in the final tune-up game next weekend.
But hopefully, you now know what to look for when FCD does roll out the 3-4-3.
P.S.
Yes, FCD needs another center back if they are going to play this way. See center back, left.
Police shoot suspect after truck rams cruiser
Dallas police are searching for a suspect after an attempt to stop a stolen truck led to a shooting in Northeast Dallas.
DALLAS – Dallas police have released the names of the three people arrested at a Northeast Dallas apartment complex on Thursday,
17-year-old Eric Lampkin-Scarborough, 21-year-old Damon Price and 19-year-old Deantae Moore were arrested after ramming two police cruisers in a stolen truck.
Police say Moore was wanted on two counts of capital murder after two 18-year-olds were killed on Dixon Avenue this March.
Camren Stacy was found on the ground outside of a vehicle and Kamari Smith-Capps was found in the driver’s seat on March 22.
An arrest warrant affidavit obtained by FOX 4 says Moore was Instagram messaging Smith-Capps about buying “Glock Switches” before the shooting.
Dallas Police Shooting
DPD says on Thursday afternoon they tried to stop a red truck that had been flagged as stolen.
The truck rammed two police cruisers in the parking lot of the Lakeside Apartments and the four suspects inside ran from the area.
Police shot one of the suspects, Eric Lampkin-Scarborough. He is in the hospital in stable condition. Police say he was armed at the time of the shooting.
Deantae Moore and Damon Price were also arrested.
In connection to Thursday’s incident, Price was charged with the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, two counts of aggravated assault of a public servant, and a probation violation for the manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance.
A fourth suspect got away. Police say they are working to identify the suspect, but there is no description at this time.
Police say three guns were recovered in the area.
Chief Eddie Garcia is expected to release more information and video of the incident in the coming days.
Thursday was an eventful first day of the Dallas Cowboys training camp. The front office attempted to answer tough questions, and even an emotional Dak Prescott spoke about his future with the franchise.
So, let’s start today on a lighter note, celebrating the best player ever to wear the number 44 for the Cowboys.
A second-round pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, Robert Newhouse played the role of bruiser in the backfield for the Cowboys. Playing for the franchise from 1972 to 1983, Newhouse appeared in 168 games, starting in 75.
The fullback position is a lost art in the game today; however, in this era, Newhouse’s position was vital to the success of most teams in the league.
Many of the greats from this franchise have a ring to compliment their time in Dallas; Newhouse is no different. Newhouse was a member of the 1977 team that went on to win the Super Bowl.
Sadly, Newhouse passed away back in 2014. The legacy of the number 44 starts with Newhouse. A Texas boy who went to college in Houston and found his professional home in Dallas.
Texas made and is now known as one of the best to play for the Cowboys.
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Day 1 of Dallas Cowboys training camp is in the books, meaning we have a lot to revisit.
To start things off, Jerry Jones dominated much of the team’s camp-opening news conference by answering questions about contract extensions, fan frustration and expectations. Stephen Jones and Mike McCarthy were also in attendance but didn’t generate as much buzz as the Cowboys owner and general manager.
Before the team’s first practice started, Jerry Jones had already coined a word of the day and pointed out the positive trajectory of the team’s season ticket sales. Here’s a look at what we learned from Day 1 of Cowboys training camp:
Jerry Jones and ambiguity
Much of Jerry Jones’ Thursday monologue included the phrase “ambiguity.” The word was mainly used while discussing frustration from the fan base after a slow summer that was marked by minimal moves on the free-agency market, a holdout from CeeDee Lamb and the lack of an extension for Dak Prescott.
“After 35 years, the one thing that is for sure is ambiguity,’’ Jerry Jones said. “Just the nature of what being a part of sports, a part of football is, is very ambiguous.
“There is always going to be many dangling participles out here of unfinished business. That’s the reality of it.
“That’s what frustrates you [media],’’ Jones continued. “And if it frustrates you it frustrates fans, obviously, to not have closure or to not have bright lines.
“That’s not in my mind. That’s not in my life. I don’t ever anticipate it getting any better with the NFL and the Cowboys.’’
Read more here from The Dallas Morning News’ David Moore.
A lame-duck year for Mike McCarthy?
Following the team’s news conference, Jerry Jones told a small group of reporters that McCarthy has the ability to become Dallas’ coach for years to come. McCarthy is in the final year of a five-year contract.
“I don’t agree with you,” Jones said. “I understand the term and I understand how it fits. I don’t look at it that way. There’s a point in there, I know our fans would like it if everybody were on a low contract, but if they won a Super Bowl, they’d get rid of [everybody]. I’m talking about every coach, every player, I’m talking about everybody. I know that’s the fans’ sentiment. I know that for a fact that you don’t domino if you don’t [win a Super Bowl]. But if you get it, it’s glory hole. Oil and gas term of hitting the big well.”
When asked why McCarthy didn’t receive an extension after the 2023 season, Jerry Jones pointed toward Dallas’ latest wild-card playoff loss to the Packers.
“Green Bay,” Jones said. “Mike has shown me that I want to have him and he’s qualified and he’s excellent and the players are excellent and he’s shown me that he could be our coach for years to come. He sits next to me in the draft. I really call on him a lot. If you can’t get along with Mike McCarthy, you can’t get along.”
Read more from The News’ Calvin Watkins here.
Where do extension talks stand for the Cowboys’ three big stars?
A majority of Dallas fans most likely already know CeeDee Lamb is in the early stages of a camp holdout. The Cowboys receiver is seeking the largest contract for a non-quarterback in league history.
He isn’t the only one seeking a big payday, as Micah Parsons and Dak Prescott are also in line for extensions. Parsons, who said he’ll wait until next year to get a new contract, also wants one of the largest contracts for a non-quarterback in league history.
That leaves us with Prescott.
The Cowboys quarterback desires to retire with the franchise that drafted him but is comfortable knowing it might not end that way. Prescott, entering the final year of his deal, expects to get a fair market value contract if he doesn’t get an extension this year.
“I want to be here but when you look up all the great quarterbacks that I watched, played for other teams,” Prescott said. “So my point in saying that it’s not something to fear. It may be a reality for me one day. It may not be my decision. The freedom that I have is be where your feet are, make the most of it, be confident in yourself, make your team better. I love my teammates I love that locker room.”
Read more here.
What Jerry said about his trial
Before the Cowboys owner joined his team in Southern California, he spent part of the week preoccupied with a trial in Texarkana. Jones brought a countersuit against a woman alleging she was his biological daughter, accusing the woman and her mother of breaching a settlement agreement reached in 1998. The trial came to a sudden resolution Tuesday as the parties settled, signaling the end of multiple lawsuits Jones has faced since 2022.
“Well, we got it resolved like I wanted. And so it was unfortunate but it is resolved,” Jones said Thursday. “And it was, of course, very sensitive with my family and it was very sensitive with the unique publicity that’s involved with the Cowboys, but it was [resolved] satisfactory for all concerned. I won’t be commenting any more about it, but I certainly are where I want to be.”
Read more here.
More coverage of Cowboys camp Day 1
— Jerry Jones remains comfortable selling the past, even in Cowboys’ most puzzling offseason
— While Cowboys navigate contract storm, Dak Prescott reveals honest outlook on future
— Was Jerry Jones sending a message to frustrated Cowboys fans with reference to ambiguity?
— Takeaways from Cowboys’ camp-opening address: Jerry Jones focuses on elephant in the room
— Cowboys owner Jerry Jones comments on dismissed paternity dispute in training camp address
— Why hasn’t Mike McCarthy gotten a contract extension yet? ‘Green Bay,’ Jerry Jones says
— Highlights from Jerry Jones, Mike McCarthy at ‘State of the Cowboys’ address in Oxnard
— Back in the saddle: See photos from Dallas Cowboys’ first training camp practice and opening news conference
Reporting from staff writers Calvin Watkins and David Moore was used in this post.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
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