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Best XI bracket challenge: The Final

Two formations. Two XIs. Only one winner

Crystal Palace v Swansea City - Premier League Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images

With a new season nearly upon us, it’s made all the more interesting to have a new manager like Frank de Boer in place, if only for the new ideas both tactically and technically.

It’s made especially difficult to predict when doing so for a squad as versatile as Atlanta United’s. We’re not just talking about what side the wingers will play on, we’re talking about whether a player will play right back, right wing, or central midfield. We’re talking about center backs that could also play as fullbacks or defensive midfielders. Basically, it’s complicated.

We are running a bracket-style tournament the rest of the week to determine what the consesus best XI + formation is best for this squad. (Yes, formations are fluid and philosophy is more important, but in the end, the team will have a general structure. Spare me.)

The instructions are simple: pick which of the two YOU would want to see us in our first competitive match. Not what you think de Boer would go with... what you would choose. For this exercise, let’s presume all players are fit.

Polls close at 9 p.m. Godspeed.


THE FINAL CONTEST

A - Narrowly making it to the final over the 4-2-3-1 is the classic 3-4-3 (winning by 9 votes out of 439). Escobar moves into the back 3, Gressel to RWB and Barco and Pity playing inverted. This setup certainly looked good yesterday.
B - This could also function as a more traditional 4-3-3 with a different arrangement of the forwards. Some commenters have noted that this formation would be atypical for de Boer. True. But this is about what YOU think is best. Vote with your heart.

Poll

Which one do you prefer?

This poll is closed

  • 74%
    A
    (624 votes)
  • 25%
    B
    (213 votes)
837 votes total Vote Now