Booters Field New Soccer Attack

John Yovicsin is not the only Harvard coach experimenting with a pro-style offense this fall. Crimson soccer coach Bruce Munro, after directing his squad to the NCAA semifinals last year, has decided to institute a new 4-4-2 attack.

Munro went to the World Cup Championships this summer in Mexico City and studied the various attack systems of the national teams. Although Brazil won the World Cup, Munro was most impressed by the 4-4-2 system of the English squad.

The Formation

In the 4-4-2 attack, the two forwards penetrate the opposition's fullback line as far as they can go without being offside. Called "strikers," the forwards do not retreat when the ball is cleared by the opposition. Instead, they remain far up the field and pose a constant scoring threat on any long pass.

On the halfback line, the outside halfbacks move with the flow of the play in the offensive half of the field. They may clear the ball deep to set up the strikers, or they may carry the ball up the wings.

The greatest stress of the system is on the inside halfbacks. These two men must check the momentum of the opposition at midfield, and then key the outside halfs to begin a forward attack.

The 4-4-2 has two significant advantages over last year's 4-3-3. Last season's formation relied heavily on senior center halfback Richie Hardy, an All-Ivy selection, to control the midfield. The 4-4-2 brings two forwards back to protect the midfield and splits the center half duties between two defenders.

Secondly, the 4-4-2 appears better suited to the talents of the individual forwards on the Crimson squad. Solomon Gomez and Charlie Thomas, who combined for 31 goals last year, are probably the two most dangerous scorers in the Ivy League. At the striker positions, the Gambian tandem will be in position to score at any moment.

Senior Pete Bogovich and junior Phil Kydes distinguished themselves last year as feeders to the two big scorers on the line. At the outside half position, Bogovich and Kydes have the speed and passing skill to move through any defense.

Replacing Hardy at the center half position will be junior Chris Ferner and sophomore Emmanuel Ekama. Ferner played left halfback last season and will probably move to inside left. Ekama, the only non-letterman scheduled to start, played center half for the Yardlings last fall.

Coach Munro had four fine fullbacks last year and fortunately only one has graduated. When center fullback Chris Wilmot was injured last year, Phil "the Ax" Axten took his place and did an outstanding job. Both juniors will start this year and provide a strong nucleus on the fullback line.

Senior Bill Brock will be playing his third season at left fullback. He was All-Ivy honorable mention for both years. Last year's starting right halfback John Gordon will move back to the right fullback position.

Munro's biggest trouble this season may be trying to find a healthy goalie. Last year starting goalie Rich Locksley missed the entire season, but junior Bill Meyers turned in an amazing ten shutouts and was named All-Ivy.

Meyers broke his finger in a scrimmage this past week and will be out of practice for ten days. His replacement, Jim Sawhill, has been sidelined with a leg injury.

Starting in goal is Shep Messing, a transfer student from N.Y.U.

In two preseason scrimmages this fall, the Crimson has twice whipped Boston University, 5-0.