Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): RHS Junior Boys Premier-Team Formation (Start Time: 04-Apr-2022 15:30h)

Team Formation

Organisation: Team Formation (4-2-3-1)

Explanation: 

The 4-2-3-1 is currently the most used formation in the top five leagues. It is regarded as one of the best formations given its flexibility and compactness. This formation comprises of aback four defenders, five midfielders, and a centre forward. It can easily be changed into a 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 3-4-3. A lot of top international teams currently use this formation, such as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Manchester United. Liverpool also uses this formation regularly, in addition to a more classical 4-3-3.

This formation balances defensive stability and offensive power quite well. Two centre backs and two defensive midfielders, or “double six,” provide stability in the centre and yet it is still doubled-up on the wings, each side with a fullback and an offensive outside midfielder. In general, it’s beneficial to play in four rows, which allows the players staggered deeply down the pitch to react quickly.

Defence

With its strong centre, the 4-2-3-1encourages a strong defence in midfield by forcing the opposition to pass inwards, which then hopefully sees a defensive or offensive midfielder win back possession. Preferably the team would then begin midfield pressing (meaning attacking from about 30 foot in the opposing half to the middle of the team's own half).

Build-up Variables from the Back

Typical variations are passes from the centre backs into half-spaces to attacking midfielders or, if the fullbacks create enough space, to a defensive midfielder who drops in to the space between (especially when the opposition is attacking with two strikers). Two players that were extremely good at it were Xabi Alonso and Andrea Pirlo who would drop in this space between the centre backs and play long balls in behind the opponent’s defence.

It is also possible to build up by fullbacks moving slightly towards the centre, who can then shift the ball to an attacking midfielder, winger, or switch play through the defensive midfielder nearest the ball.

The defensive midfielders are almost always staggered (one near the ball moves up the pitch, one furthest from the ball who safeguards against counter attacks). The staggering of four rows creates depth and therefore great possibilities for triangulation and smooth combination play.

Attacking

Quite often a player on the wing moves toward the centre to create space for an approaching fullback near the ball.

This opens up a number of combination possibilities for the defensive midfielder near the ball and the offensive midfielder on the wing, which then creates opportunities for the wingers. Sometimes a right-footed player on the left side and vice versa can create a goal threat quickly by moving into the middle.

In the centre different combination plays from the offensive midfielder to an advancing defensive midfielder or centre forward are often deployed.