Instead, the show was stolen by unsung heroes such as Nat Borchers, Kei Kamara, Mauro Díaz or Sacha Kljestan. Both conference finals were devoid of those flamboyant signings, and yet, they were -for the first time perhaps- plenty of tactical features and astute game management that allowed for some moments of exciting uncertainty. Unlike the preceding season's MLS Cup final between LA Galaxy and New England Revolution in which both squads played similarly and produced a midfield gridlock that was only broken in extra time, the road to Columbus Crew versus Portland Timbers allowed for last-minute goals, penalty shootouts definitions, record-breaking early goals and chalkboard lessons on how to manage a lead.
That Galaxy-Revolution final was a good illustration of what MLS matches still are to a extent: players get into the pitch primarily focused on producing a lead and on avoiding concessions. Being concerned on that, nevertheless, many teams often neglect flux-of-play management considerations which are those that precisely allow to control the tempo: speed-up and slow-down, the ability to change the script. Playing the standardized formation with a four-men defensive line plus a holding midfield duo (either in a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1), the typical MLS side would seat deep and soak pressure up by means of two banks of four as the only way to conserve a lead. Thus, matches like that Galaxy-Revolution final would become about individual brilliance more than anything else, and MLS would want to sign stars rather than build proper teams.
The Columbus Crew-Portland Timbers final proved opposite to its predecessor. The home side was clearly playing a well-drilled standard formation in which Kei Kamara benefitted from Greg Berhalter's focus on play through the channels in order to feed him as classic target man, while the away side opted for an unorthodox 4-3-3, ruthless at high-pressing. Although it was Crew the side that consistently took early leads launching long balls and winning aerial duels (against both Montreal Impact and NY Red Bulls), here the Timbers broke all the records by pressurizing the opposition's build-up play straight away from the initial whistle. After that -and just like against Vancouver Whitecaps- Portland set the tempo of the match and their lead was hardly disputed throughout.
The Timbers could execute their strategy of high pressure since the key feature of a 4-3-3 is the lone holding midfielder flanked by two shuttlers at either side. Diego Valeri and Darlington Nagbe were freer to motor forward because Diego Chará did a brilliant job closing passing lanes with pure positional awareness. That is, the Colombian man had to "read" when to move up so gaps weren't opened between the lines as the shuttlers went up in the field: had those "readings" been inaccurate or slow, Chará would have risked a bigger influence from Federico Higuaín and a possible Columbus comeback. These heatmaps suggest the entirely different approaches between the Crew holding midfield duo -Will Trapp and Tony Tchani- and Timbers' three men midfield. Note as well the number of touches (more men in midfield, more space covered, more dynamism, more midfield domination):
Chará is probably the best lone holding midfielder in MLS since the good days of Kyle Beckerman with Real Salt Like. His solid performances gave Caleb Porter a good argument for high pressure, harnessing on the work-rates of Valeri and Nagbe. None of these three midfielders, moreover, were landed in MLS as the superstars the mantra says are prerequisite to enlarge the fan base. Big names of course attract attention for a while, but team-building ensures competitiveness and sustainability. These playoffs have proved that it's teams and not individuals who get past rounds and lift trophies. Timbers' glory proves what MLS, now, dearly needs.
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