Coach Jason Kreis often tends to downplay the importance of the formations that RSL plays, saying that mentality and intensity are more important than alignment.

Yet he does acknowledge that the 4-3-3 that the team has been using lately has helped its defense, and some of his players have said the alignment is playing a major role in their recovery from a disappointing winless stretch.

“It's beginning to suit our team even better than what we started out in at the beginning of the season,” midfielder Clint Mathis said. “We're definitely more organized. We're toughter to break down this way, and it's working for us.”

Striker Yura Movsisyan agreed, having scored twice in the last two games from the top of the formation.

“Right now, the formation is really working for us,” he said. “Sometimes the coaches they look at different options to see what they can do, and this is a combination that they've found that's helping us right now.

“We're attacking with the 4-3-3 and feel like we're attacking with more numbers,” he added. “It really helps you out when you have two wing guys that are really good with the ball, and then you have more space — I have more space up top. And whenever I'm off right, it's good, because I get to run at players. I get the goal in front of me, not behind me.”