What Are The Best Football Formations?

Soccer has always been a dynamic sport, and it has become even more fluid as managers push the envelope of tactical possibilities. The last few years have seen the emergence of new phenomena like inverted fullbacks and false nines, as coaches seek new ways to gain an advantage over the opposition. That trend looks set to continue, with great tacticians like Pep Guardiola still at the peak of their careers. Despite these new systems, traditional soccer formations like the 4-4-2 and 4-3-3, which many managers still favour, still have a place in the game. Here's a look at the best soccer formations in the world. 4-4-2 Formation Even with bright modern minds like Guardiola taking over the game, the good old 4-4-2 remains one of the most effective formations in the beautiful game. The 4-4-2 formation is very simple in its arrangement and execution. It comprises four defenders, four midfielders, and two strikers. The four defenders include two central defenders, a right full back and a left full back. The primary role of a full back in a 4-4-2 system is to defend, but the job description also includes to get forward whenever possible to support the team in attack. Fullbacks with a natural ability to bump forward and put the opposition under pressure are becoming increasingly trendy in the game. The midfield four can adopt different variations, with the diamond and flat midfields being the most common. In a diamond midfield, there is a defined defensive midfielder at the base of the diamond and an attacking midfielder, or the famous No. 10, at the tip of the midfield. The other two midfielders are on either side of the diamond, with some managers preferring them to be out-and-out wingers on the left and the right and others opting for a narrower midfield. The flat midfield four is arranged in a straight line across the middle, with two central midfielders and two wingers. The central midfielders share defensive and attacking responsibilities and must constantly communicate to decide who and when to press forward and stay back. Some managers opt for two out-and-out No. 9s up top, which is the more aggressive option, but in most cases, one of the stickers drops deeper and plays off the main No. 9. 4-3-3 Formation The defensive setup of the 4-3-3 formation is very similar to that of the 4-4-2, with two centre-halves and two fullbacks having a license to go forward when they can. The major difference is in midfield, where three players are parading the center of the pitch in the 4-3-3 system. The exact disciplines of the three midfielders vary from manager to manager. A common practice is using one defensive midfielder, one attacking midfielder, and one central midfielder, who patrols the middle of the pack and fills gaps whenever anyone is out of position. Or you could have three midfielders who do just about everything, like Jurgen Klopp's Champions League-winning Liverpool team of 2019 used to have with Fabinho , Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson . However, depending on the manager's mindset and the state of the game, the midfield three can be easily switched to two DMs and one AM or one DM and two attacking midfielders. The front three usually comprise one centre forward, flanked by two wider men. Some coaches like their wide men to be really wide, almost operating as wingers, while others want them to be as close as possible to the center forward. Klopp's 2019 Liverpool again typifies the latter, with Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah playing very close to Roberto Firmino . 4-2-3-1 Formation In practice, the 4-2-3-1 formation is not too dissimilar to the 4-3-3 system, with the significant difference being that the midfield roles are more defined. Again, the backing is pretty standard in the 4-2-3-1 formation, with the two centre-halves and 2 fullbacks. Then, there are two players at the base of the midfield. Their primary responsibility is to shield the defence and break up play. In front of these two holding midfielders are three attacking midfielders spread across the width of the pitch. The player in the middle of these three is the No. 10, with good support coming from either side. And then there is the centre forward up top. Many managers in modern-day football quite like this strategy, as it gives their team a nice balance between defence and offence. Playing with two holding midfielders frees up the attacking players to do their thing without worrying too much about tracking back to help the defence. Also, the fullbacks have even more licenses to proceed, with the DM always available to provide cover. 3-5-2 Formation Unlike the previous three formations discussed, the 3-5-2 system has three central defenders instead of the two. The system also discards the full-backs and uses wing-backs instead. While full backs' first responsibility is to defend, wing backs' is the opposite. Their mindset is to attack first and then help the defence. They are the only source of width in the team, thus the main attacking threats from wide areas. Two of the five across the middle are wingbacks who hug the touchline on either side, while the other three are stationed in the middle of the pitch. Usually, managers go for at least one DM and one AM, with the nature of the third midfield player depending on the manager's mindset and the state of the game. The two strikers are often pure No. 9s, although some coaches opt to drop one a little deeper to play off the main striker. 3-4-3 Formation The 3-4-3, with its three central defenders and two wingbacks, resembles the 3-5-2, but there are major differences in other areas. The first difference between the two systems is in the centre of the midfield, where there are two players in the 3-4-3 formation, as against three in the 3-5-2. Usually, one of the midfield men is a DM, and the other is a CM that combines attacking and defensive responsibilities. The three forwards are also often very narrow, allowing the space for the wing-backs to do their thing. Antonio Conte used the 3-4-3 formation with great success in Chelsea's Premier League winning season of 2017 , with Eden Hazard and Pedro (or Willian) playing on either side of Diego Costa in attack.

What Are The Best Football Formations? – Tactical Analysis

Chris Beaumont

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