How would you feel about big changes in the Seattle Sounders formation this season? Clint Dempsey himself says that he won’t mind, so maybe you shouldn’t. Of course, he also says that changes, if any, should make sense before being made. Dempsey, who has typically played a 4-4-2 formation paired with Seattle favorite Obafemi Martins, could be facing an entirely new format of play this year. He seemed positive about the potential shift when he said, “As long as the tactics are right, as long we’re playing well and getting chances with it, it will be good.”

With rumors circulating that head coach Sigi Schmid and GM and President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey plan on changing the team formation from its current 4-4-2 setup to a 4-3-3 setup, it’s a great time to speculate what this could mean for the team.

Then again, the formation change can also hit you in the butt. Dempsey says that it’s all about how you play it and if you do it wrong, “you can get punished.” We will just have to see what Schmidt and Lagerwey have in store for us this spring.

Jordan Morris may be a reason why the formation shift is even put into question this year. Lagerwey in fact mentioned that with Morris on the team, the formation may change just to allow him to be on the field at the same time as Dempsey and Martins, hopefully creating a trio of strength to really impact this season’s offense. Whether or not the team has made the decision to bite the bullet and change formation remains unknown and fans may be waiting until the first game of the season to discover whether or not the idea is put into practice.

Martins and Dempsey could certainly still handle the field in any formation they are placed in, but any new tactics used on a team really take time to implement for adjustments to be made, not to mention for players to settle into their new roles, when applicable. While some fans speculate that Morris won’t be starting much this season, this decision implies that he will, in fact, be made a centerpiece to the team.

Do you think the Sounders should change tactics because of Morris’s presence on the team? Would it have a positive or negative impact on their game? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments below.

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