After years of defensive minded soccer, the Falcons are looking to open with a brand new formation. With coach Eric Nichols taking command of the new look, big things are expected, and there’s no better way to put goals on the board than strengthening the attack.

‘We want to play a creative brand of [soccer],’ Nichols said. ‘We have good, creative players and playing an attacking style fits their attributes well.’

Under the former coaching staff, the Falcons played a 4-5-1 formation, utilizing four defenders, five midfielders and one forward. While this formation can lead to good defensive protection, it can sometimes lack offensive output by not utilizing a second striker or any true wing players, a part of the field where many attacks begin.

Along with the formation’s possible inadequacies on the outside, the 4-5-1 can also see the run of play become bogged down in the midfield due to a lack of spacing, something many teams try to avoid.

But with a new coaching staff comes new direction, and that direction seems to be forward. The Falcons will enter the 2009 season in an attack-minded 4-3-3 utilizing four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards. The new formation will mean an adjustment in positions and responsibilities on the field, something the players are looking forward to.

Left winger Cameron Hepple can already see the difference in the team’s attitude toward attacking soccer.

‘So far in the preseason we have been practicing a lot of offensive plays,’ Hepple said. ‘Last year we played a sit-and-wait type [of] game. This year it is a priority to attack.’

The proposed new formation seems to be a perfect fit for the Falcons’ current squad, as the team has strengths at each position.

Defenders In order to successfully play a 4-3-3 formation, the Falcons’ back line will need to be strong in the center half. With co-captain Jacob Lawrence anchoring the defense, and Jake Custer playing well, the Falcons will have enough backline support to allow the Falcon offense to take more chances upfield.

Along with central defense, the fullback position is one that plays a major role in the new formation. Although fullbacks are classified as defenders, one of their major responsibilities is moving forward. A positive fullback has the ability to move the attack forward, releasing down the flanks and producing crosses into the box.

With Tyler Deal roaming the back line looking to make overlapping runs and produce positive play, the Falcons will have added support in the offensive half of the field.

Midfield Possibly the most important players on the field in the 4-3-3 formation, the Falcon midfield will rely heavily on speed and precision passing in order to link up the offense and defense. The midfield is responsible for maintaining possession of the ball as well as distributing good passes to the forwards.

BG will play a trio of central midfielders, which will allow for more space down the sidelines for the fullbacks to move forward. Midfielders Hunter Van Houten and Chris Jurtovski will play a big role in promoting the Falcon offense, while also being a stabilizing force in front of the defense.

Forward The single biggest difference between BG’s past formations and the newly implemented 4-3-3 is the number of forwards and midfielders in the attack. In the 4-5-1 formation, a lone striker is usually at the top of the formation while five midfielders try to counterattack in hopes of creating offense. In Nichols’ 4-3-3, the offense will play a single striker paired with a right and left winger, thus allowing the Falcons to formulate attacks from the outer edges of the field.

Either Thomas McLean or Byard Ebling will be playing the role of striker. Both seem willing to hold up the ball while other players move forward.

To either side of the striker will be a host of wing players, including Hepple and Chuko Evwaraye. Both players possess outstanding speed and on-the-ball ability, and will look to work hard to score for a Falcon offense that was shut out 12 times last year in 18 games.