We're a month out from the start of the MLS season, and we've got questions about how BJ Callaghan will set up his team in 2026.
Last season, in his first full year as head coach, Callaghan primarily set up in a 4-2-2-2 formation. While Nashville's approach and principles of play will stay the same, the shape they use this year will be more flexible. Callaghan has said he wants the team to be able to adapt to different looks, both from the start and during the game, and with several new additions to the squad, there are plenty of options.
Two quick notes before we start. First, "lineup" or "formation" does not mean and has never meant the same thing as "tactics" or "philosophy". Formation is the most basic way of describing the positions players occupy on the field, both in and out of possession. The roles they play, the way a team approaches different phases of the game, the way they look to move the ball, the way they create chances, all of this and more would be termed "tactics", and a team can have the same tactical approach across multiple different formations.
Second, for this exercise, we're assuming that all players are healthy and that there's a full group to choose from. Onward!
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4-2-2-2
This is the shape Nashville used all season. It's really similar to the classic 4-4-2 shape that ruled the '90s and early 2000s, with the primary difference being that there are no real wingers. The wide midfielders generally pinch inside in possession and sit in the half-spaces, while the fullbacks provide width.
Ben Wright
