Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Football 7 Formations

1-2-1-3

1-2-1-3 Formation

Strengths
- Attacking formation with 7 and 11 playing higher up the field to support 9
- Pressing high into opponents half, allows team to win ball back higher up the field
- 2 central defenders allows for protection in front of goal

Weaknesses
- 7 and 11 not as defensive, leaving spaces outside of 4 and 5
- 6 has a lot of space to cover in the midfield, can become outnumbered easily
- space can develop between the 6 and 7,11, 9, forming two groups of 3 instead of a cohesive team
- if initial line of pressure is broken, space opens up

Characteristics of positions
 - 4 and 5
  - Strong individual defenders
  - Technically proficient on the ball, able to play out from the back
  - Great communicators and leaders on the team
  - Able to read the game well, see when attacks are developing
  - Typically bigger players, but still need to be agile and able to change direction quickly
 - 6
  - Defensive minded
  - very physically fit, capable of running at distance and covering distance quickly
  - Intelligent, reads the game well, breaks up attacks through interception of passes, initiates attack
  - Technically clean on the ball
  - Capable tackler
 - 7 and 11
  - Very physically fit, have to cover great distances to support defenders
  - Quickness and speed is a priority
  - Players are typically smaller in size, quicker
  - Good individual defenders outside, able to press high into opposing teams defenders
  - Good crossers of the ball, able to pick out runners in the box
 - 9
  - In this formation, needs to be able to play with back to goal, bring in help
  - Technically clean, good first touch, strong on the ball
  - A true 9 is typically taller, physically imposing, who can occupy center backs of other teams
  - Great finisher in the box

False 9 Role
- You will see teams implement a False 9 more often in this formation. This allows the 7, 9, 11 to interchange roles more freely,
becoming more difficult to defend against. This is typically done when the team has a smaller, quicker player as a 9, who is free to drop deeper to receive the ball.

1-3-2-1

1-3-2-1 Formation

Strengths
 - Strong defensive set up with 3 true defenders
 - balanced team formation through the center of the field
 - width created through the outside backs  
Weaknesses
 - attacking threat limited if 2 and 3 are unable to get forward
 - width in the attacking 3rd limited

Characteristics of positions
 - 4
  - Strong individual defender
  - Technically proficient on the ball, able to play out from the back
  - Great communicator and leader on the team
  - Able to read the game well, see when attacks are developing
  - Typically bigger player, but still needs to be agile and able to change direction quickly
 -2 and 3
  - Typically smaller, quicker players
  - good individual and small group defenders
  - able to communicate defensive responsibilities across the line
  - Technically proficient and able to get forward into the attack
  - Needs to be physically fit in order to maintain attacking threat
  - good crosser of the ball
 - 8
  - Equally Defensive and Attacking minded
  - In this set up, sits as the deepest lying midfielder 
  - very physically fit, capable of running at distance and covering distance quickly
  - Intelligent, reads the game well, breaks up attacks through interception of passes, initiates attack
  - Technically clean on the ball
  - Capable tackler
  - In possession, drops deeper to allow 10 freedom to get forward 
 - 10
  - Creative playmaker
  - able to take on players 1v1
  - strong passer and dribbler, attacking minded player
  - able to defend, but primary role should be attacking
  - typically a smaller, quicker player 
 - 9
  - In this formation, needs to be able to play with back to goal, stretching the game, bring in help
  - Technically clean, good first touch, strong on the ball
  - A true 9 is typically taller, physically imposing, who can occupy center backs of other teams
  - Great finisher in the box 

False 9 Role
 - You will not see teams typically implement a False 9 in this formation, although it may be utilized if the 8 and the 10 are more attacking players.

1-1-2-3

1-1-2-3 Formation

Strengths
 - Extremely attacking minded. Should be implemented when team has been working on attacking principles
 - Easy to press opponents high in attacking third

Weaknesses
 - Very weak defensively
 - space on the outside of the 6

Characteristics of positions
 - 6
  - playing as a 6 as the deepest lying defender. Can also be called a 4 in this set up. Will call it a 6 for teaching purposes to show how it relates to the 8 and 10.
  - Strong individual defender
  - Technically proficient on the ball, able to play out from the back
  - Great communicator and leader on the team
  - Able to read the game well, see when attacks are developing
 -7 and 11
  - Typically smaller, quicker players
  - Understand the role of how to press in attacking third
  - able to communicate defensive responsibilities across the line
  - Technically proficient and able to take on players 1v1
  - Needs to be physically fit in order to maintain attacking threat
  - good crosser of the ball
 - 8 
  - Equally Defensive and Attacking minded
  - In this set up, sits as the deepest lying midfielder 
  - very physically fit, capable of running at distance and covering distance quickly
  - Intelligent, reads the game well, breaks up attacks through interception of passes, initiates attack
  - Technically clean on the ball
  - Capable tackler
  - In possession, drops deeper to allow 10 freedom to get forward 
 - 10
  - Creative playmaker
  - able to take on players 1v1
  - strong passer and dribbler, attacking minded player
  - able to defend, but primary role should be attacking
  - typically a smaller, quicker player
  - Strong finisher in and around the box 
 - 9
  - In this formation, needs to be able to play with back to goal, bring in help
  - Technically clean, good first touch, strong on the ball
  - A true 9 is typically taller, physically imposing, who can occupy center backs of other teams 
  - Great finisher in the box

False 9 Role
 - You will see teams implement a False 9 more often in this formation. This allows the 7, 9, 11 to interchange roles more freely, becoming more difficult to defend against. This is typically done when the team has a smaller, quicker player as a 9, who is free to drop deeper to receive the ball.