Union manager Jim Curtin has heard the charge from fans and media that he is too tactically inflexible for his own good.
He knows how much of a stir it caused when just once this year, in late September, the starting lineup formation was portrayed by the Union’s social media team as being just a little bit different from the usual 4-2-3-1 setup. He insisted that it wasn’t a big deal, and still does.
But when any soccer team bases its on-field identity on a system-based approach, it becomes news when there’s any deviation.