FC Cincinnati’s starting personnel will take shape over the next eight days as the MLS expansion side wraps up its preseason at the Carolina Challenge Cup in Charleston, S.C., but coach Alan Koch already seems to have established on a preferred formation.



Since working out of a 4-3-3 in the first preseason match Jan. 30 in Florida, FCC has shifted to 3-5-2 the past three friendlies; a formation that enables Koch to better utilize his abundance of center backs. The club even maintained the three-back system Tuesday while playing shorthanded in a 3-2 loss at USL side Indy Eleven, and the time for tinkering is drawing to a close just over two weeks before the season opener at Seattle on March 2.



“The guys need to get closer to playing 90 minutes and feel comfortable playing 90 minutes, and then obviously, the continuation of coming together as a group, just coming together and being on the same page,” Koch said when asked what he’s looking for...