Many football debates on tactics and analysis talk surround football formations, trying to evaluate the most suitable for their teams or specific games. These systems have existed since the early days of the game and are constantly evolving.
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Today, the race is seemingly geared toward staying abreast of new knowledge or ahead of innovation. That said, there are a lot of football formations to choose from but you need to consider certain factors before settling on one.
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4-4-2
The 4-4-2 is one of the most common football formations in the game. It contains:
- four defenders
- four midfielders
- two strikers.
Modern football seems to have left it in the past as many teams these days prefer to use other systems.
Coaches want to produce aesthetically pleasing games for their fans while winning. The thing is, 4-4-2 formation, doesn’t provide the wide range of passing angles we see in today’s game.
With the availability of two strikers in front, the team can attack directly without waiting for midfield support. Wide midfielders and full-backs give the team width that forces the opposition to stretch and open them up for attack.
The problem with the 4-4-2 is its rigidity and predictability. When playing against a team that’s dynamic and fluid, it’s hard to cope due to the lack of these aspects.
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4-3-3
The 4-3-3 has become one of the most popular football formations today with the biggest clubs applying it today. Skilled ball passers thrive under this style of play because it requires intelligent ball handling.
The two wide attacking players neutralise the opposition full-backs and the three midfielders can easily dominate an opposition with two players in the same position.
To execute the 4-3-3 formation successfully, players have to be quick on their feet and thinking. A team also has to have a central attacker who’s able to bring the wide forwards into play and a world-class central midfielder, who’ll marshall the defense.
Portuguese football coach Jose Mourinho executed this formation successfully with Claude Makelele, anchoring the midfield.
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4-2-3-1
The 4-2-3-1 is another gem in the modern game. It’s the system with which Spain won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and has produced lots of success for other teams. It allows the team to pass the ball in triangles which is effective in breaking down the opponents.
Players in advanced positions can drop to help in midfield duties avoiding the chances of being overwhelmed. At the same time, this formation ensures that you keep your attacking threat even when some players drop to help in midfield.
The drawback of the 4-2-3-1 formation is the amount of energy needed to play. It demands a high tempo which means players, for example, strikers have to be ready to cover both ends of the pitch.
Attacking players may be forced to play defense which might not go down well with some of them.
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4-5-1
The 4-5-1 has increasingly become a favorite for coaches as it allows them to pack the midfield and also transition the players within the attacking and defensive duties.
A team that uses this formation makes its midfield impenetrable and keeps most of the possession. If you want to avoid defeat, this is the formation you should try. Plus, you can switch it up to a 4-3-3 when necessary.
The downside to this formation is that the striker often remains isolated up front which leaves him overcrowded by opposing players.
3-5-2
The 3-5-2 has been recently used by some of the big clubs in Europe. It provides a delightful watch, particularly with the wing-backs who are a key part of a successful application of this formation.
They must be fit and have the tactical nouse to execute. It’s a great formation with which you can play counter-attacking football, with the wingbacks providing the width. That said, a team needs players who can play this successfully otherwise it can be a recipe for disaster.
Football formations are crucial aspects of the game. There’s no football without the tactics and one way of understanding them is watching games regularly. You’ll get to see it in motion and understand the movement and how it impacts a game.
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