Formations and roles · Analysis
4-3-3 vs 4-2-3-1: One Midfield Triangle, Turned Upside Down
A 4-3-3 plays one pivot behind two 8s; a 4-2-3-1 plays two holding midfielders behind a 10. Side-by-side table, diagram and how to tell them apart.
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Formations
Formations and roles · Analysis
5-4-1 Formation: Nine Behind the Ball and One Man Up Front
The 5-4-1 plays five defenders, four midfielders and a lone striker. How the back five defends deep, where it counters, and how to break it down.
Formations and roles · Analysis
5-3-2 Formation: Five at the Back, Two Up Front, and a Plan for Winning the Ball Deep
The 5-3-2 plays three centre-backs, two deep wing-backs, three central midfielders and two strikers. How it defends, counters, and how to break it down.
Formations and roles · Analysis
3-4-2-1 Formation: One Striker, Two Tens and a Back Three That Becomes Five
The 3-4-2-1 uses three centre-backs, two wing-backs, a double pivot and two tens behind one striker. How it attacks, defends and differs from a 3-4-3.
Formations and roles · Analysis
3-4-3 Formation: Five Across the Front, Three at the Back, and Two Who Hold It Together
The 3-4-3 plays three centre-backs, two wing-backs, a double pivot and a front three. How it attacks, how it presses, who made it famous and how to beat it.
Formations and roles · Analysis
4-1-4-1 Formation: One Holding Midfielder, Two Banks of Four, and a Striker on His Own
The 4-1-4-1 plays a back four, one holding midfielder, a line of four and a lone striker. How it attacks, defends, and turns into a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1.
Formations and roles · Analysis
4-4-2 vs 4-3-3: The Battle for the Spare Man
What really happens when three central midfielders meet two? Move through four tactical scenes, then test the idea against Liverpool, City, Atlético and Barcelona.
Formations and roles · Analysis
Back Three: Why So Many Teams Now Defend With Three and Attack With Three
A back three uses three centre-backs instead of two. How 3-4-3 and 3-4-2-1 systems work, why back fours turn into back threes in possession, and what it costs.
Formations and roles · Analysis
3-5-2 Formation: Three at the Back, Two Up Front, and Everything Depends on the Flanks
The 3-5-2 plays three centre-backs, two wing-backs, three central midfielders and two strikers. How it attacks and defends, and why the wing-backs decide it.
Formations and roles · Analysis
4-4-2 Formation: Two Banks of Four — The Formation Everyone Learns First
The 4-4-2 sets up four defenders, four midfielders and two strikers in three flat lines. Why it defends so well, where it is outnumbered, and who uses it.
Formations and roles · Analysis
4-2-3-1 Formation: The Shape That Put a Bodyguard Behind Every Number Ten
The 4-2-3-1 uses four defenders, two holding midfielders, three attacking midfielders and one striker. How the double pivot and the number ten make it work.
Formations and roles · Analysis
4-3-3 Formation: Three in Midfield, Three Up Front, and Why It Took Over
The 4-3-3 lines up four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards. How the single pivot, the two number eights and the wingers work, and where it breaks.