From the moment the Houston Dash's starting XI against the Portland Thorns last weekend was made public, everyone knew something was up. Never before had a Dash lineup been written alphabetically. The order was alarming. It had many intrepid NWSL journalists puzzled as they sat upright at their keyboards.
The squad tonight#HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/Qcbj5ydWtv
— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) May 21, 2022
The suspicion was not unfounded. Beyond the basic reordering of 11 names was some purpose. A hidden meaning. Sarah Lowdon had altered Houston’s formation and elected to play a 3-4-1-2 against the Portland Thorns.
According to FBREF and Keeper Notes’ NWSL Almanac, this was the first time the Dash had started a back three in the club’s history.
"The seven years I’ve been with the Dash, I don’t think we’ve ever played 3-5-2," said Rachel Daly after the final whistle at Providence Park. "So, yeah, it probably surprised them a little bit but we executed really well. We played against a team who has played that formation for years and at their level, at their caliber, they are an unbelievable team."
As displayed in the tactical snapshot above, the three center backs are Allysha Chapman, Katie Naughton and Ally Prisock (left to right). Then the midfield four of Maria Sanchez, Sophie Schmidt, Kelcie Hedge and Haley Hanson (left to right), with Sanchez and Hanson in hybrid roles as wing backs. Although Rachel Daly is at the base of the attacking trio in this frame; her, Nichelle Prince and Shea Groom all flitted between roles in the fluid front line.
Have we seen a three-player backline at all?
Back three/fives are not entirely foreign to Houston soccer fans. On occasion James Clarkson turned to the formation during matches where the Dash needed some fresh ideas in the second half of matches.
In particular, two examples come to mind. Oddly enough, they are both against the Washington Spirit.
In August 2021, with the Dash trailing 1-2 to the Washington Spirit, Clarkson pivoted to 3-5-2 by pushing Rachel Daly out to right wing back and putting Michaela Abam up front next to Veronica Latsko. The duo combined for a memorable equalizer after the tactical shift.
Then in October 2021, with the Dash locked at 0-0 against the Spirit, Clarkson opted to bring on Megan Montefusco as a third center back to add more defensively solidity to the team. The opposite to the intended effect occurred. Within a few minutes, Trinity Rodman ghosted beyond Abby Dahlkemper and Montefusco and scored the game’s winning goal.
Neither of these two examples were drawn up prior to kick off, though. Having the Dash start in a shape utilizing three center backs was unique to last Saturday. It was a preemptive tactical move, rather than a reactive one.
So why did Lowdon pivot last weekend?
When The Striker Texas spoke to Lowdon, the day before the match against the Thorns, she emphasized how it would be the work that the Dash did off the ball that would determine the outcome of the match. She referred to it as the “98%.”
“The two percent is when you are on the ball, which is a small fraction. We focus on what we do in the other part of the game,” said Lowdon last Friday.
By switching to a 3-4-1-2, the Dash were able to have a more balanced match-up against the Thorns in defensive phases of the match. Under both Portland’s current head coach, Rhian Wilkinson, and its former head coach, Mark Parsons, the team has consistently played with a three-player backline. Thus the Dash mirrored the Thorns' shape to focus on nullifying Portland when it had the ball.
After the win over the Thorns, Lowdon explained that having the same player match-ups over the pitch was exactly her intention.
"It was to match Portland, make it man-for-man and see who blinks first. Thankfully, we didn't,” Lowdon said about switching the formation.
“The idea was that we were supposed to be man-for-man in this. So, when [Christine] Sinclair was dropping, we told our center backs to go with Sinclair and then we stayed man-marked in the middle.”
What was even more impressive about how well the Dash executed Lowdon's formation shift from 4-2-3-1 to 3-4-1-2, was that it was achieved in a very short space of time. As Houston traveled up to Portland last Thursday, many of the ideas had to be grasped by the Dash team in just one training session at Houston Sports Park.
"We had one day to train it. We just had to trust it and get the players to buy in. Which they did," said Lowdon.
In such a short space of time, it was senior players, such as Sophie Schmidt, who were essential at helping Lowdon's translate to the rest of the team.
"There were a lot of unknowns. We didn't have a lot of time on the pitch to try to execute and nail out some kinks. It's just testament to who we are and the team that we have, that we're adaptable, and that on the day, that no matter what's thrown our way, that if we dig in and believe in each other, we can get the job done," said Schmidt.
After the match, head coach and players awarded extra credit to midfielder Maria Sanchez, because the Mexican international was playing in a more defensive role as a left wing back.
In the photo above, you can see how the Dash's shape shifts to 5-2-3 as it drops deeper to defend. Sanchez, who is on the furthest left side of the Houston backline, is keeping a watchful eye on Yazmeen Ryan to her right while remaining consumed with Janine Beckie to her left. Beckie, stationed as the Thorns' right wing back, was her primary player to mark.
"I had numerous conversations with Maria [Sanchez] through the week. There was a lot of questions that they had. We as a coaching staff just pitched in to try to explain the roles and responsibilities. I think Maria put in an absolute shift and I think she has never played there before," said Lowdon.
"I thought Maria Sanchez came and did an absolutely fantastic job at wing back and I’m sure she’s probably really happy with herself and that performance," said Daly about her teammate.
Will the Dash lineup in a 3-4-1-2 again?
While you can’t rule out the formation making a return in the 2022 NWSL season, right now we have to assume it is not Lowdon's preferred shape for her team, week in and week out. As a way to combat what the Thorns were going to throw at the Dash the formation change worked, but that might not always be the case in the NWSL.
In all three of the previous matches, Lowdon has opted for a hybrid variation of 4-4-2 — mostly settling into a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-2-3-1. Especially at home or against weaker opposition, this is likely to be the case. The Dash will want to play more on the front foot, which could mean deploying Sanchez and Daly more as playmakers than as reactive pieces.
There is going to be a delicate balance to strike. Lowdon's version of the Dash has to be a very hard to break down team when it doesn't have the ball. But the margin for error is small, and Houston will need to start getting their best players in positions to score more consistently in the box.
Perhaps the most promising part of Lowdon's tactical experimentation is what it says about the club's acting head coach. That is, she is clearly a creative and unafraid tactician. No concept is too challenging, no lack of experience too intimidating.
Lowdon has also shown herself to be an expert communicator. She has gained her players' trust, and in almost no time at all managed to convey complex ideas in a palatable format, which is key to any coach's winning formula.
"We kind of just told her [Lowdon], ‘We'll do whatever you say,’ and she told us how we had to follow through," said Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell.
"I told her [Lowdon] after the game that I was pleasantly surprised that it worked, so again, they make the decisions and we have to do what they asked of us and that's our job as professionals. I told her if one day we put eight behind the ball, we have to do it, or if we're going to leave two in the back, we're going to do it. So whatever they decide for the game and whatever strategy it is, we have to execute."
No, @RyanGareis, there's nothing better than a win and donuts 😌
— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) May 24, 2022
Re-live Saturday afternoon with us 🎥#HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/MCHCZJq3Vb