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 Forma ons Explained
Helping your players understand what it means to operate e ciently in a team.
The star ng forma on is typically used by broadcasters to show a team line up prior to the
start of a match. A Coach will also use a forma on to discuss roles and responsibili es with
their players before kick-o . The forma on, when shown on screen or on paper is where it is
most rigid, in reality, a forma on is nothing more than a series of numbers. During a match it
becomes increasingly di cult to visualize the neat lines of a 4-3-3 forma on due to the
uidity of the situa ons of play. So, if the forma on in its purest form starts and ends on
paper, then why do we use them and analyze them so o en? The answer is simple, the
forma on of the team determines the shape of the team, and the shape of the team
in uences the style of play the Coach wishes to impart.
There are examples of teams who play with di erent forma ons based on their opposi on,
playing to their strengths and hoping to expose weaknesses within the opposi on, o en
teams will change forma ons during transi ons between a ack and defense. Some Coaches
are steadfast in their coaching methods and take their style and forma on with them
wherever they manage; Antonio Conte has become synonymous with the 1-3-5-2, Jurgen
Klopp, for example favors a 1-4-3-3. These managers look to sign the right personnel for
their individual systems, and with large nancial backing, they are able to create a unit ready
to implement their style to good e ect.
At youth level, with player development at the forefront of our minds, focusing on op mal
player posi oning in favor of results is a missed opportunity to help our players improve.
There are development models used by the likes of Luis Van Gaal which work on the
principle of Universality – all players are adept at playing each posi on, and able to ll in for
team mates when required during a game, for example; a holding mid elder steps into the
opposi on half and into an advanced posi on, a central defender could step up to ll the
gap they le in the holding mid eld and is therefore able to apply pressure to the ball carrier
if possession was overturned to prevent the quick counter a ack.
Being able to understand what is expected of you in all posi ons while you are young will
give you a deeper understanding of the eld in full. You will be able to have a be er grasp of
where you are in rela on to the ever-changing threats and opportuni es every me the ball
moves. Raising your Soccer IQ in this way will help you to be a be er teammate, encourage
leadership skills and add accountability, leading to increases in enjoyment, team
camaraderie and squad unity.
For our players to work well as a team, they need to understand the posi ons they will play
in, in order to understand the posi on, they need to know what will be asked of them in
order to play there. Here is a list of posi ons including roles and responsibili es, plus some
technical/tac cal considera ons. While this isn’t a complete list of possible posi ons, it will
work as an ideal reference point for both players and coaches alike to get a basic
understanding of the posi onal requirements. The exact roles and responsibili es will be
dictated by the system you wish to play and can be re ned accordingly.

info@[Link] 801-810-4423 [Link]

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 Goalkeeper
Roles & Responsibili es Partnerships & Ref Points Technical & Tac cal Cons
• Stop the opposi on • Central defenders • Balance
from scoring • The goal and the area • Handling
• Build a acks • The opposi on • Composure
• Organize defenders • Bravery
• Communicate • Leadership

Full back/Wing back

Roles & Responsibili es Partnerships & Ref Points Technical & Tac cal Cons
• Defensive du es as • Central defender • Awareness
part of the back line • Remain connected to • Speed
• Provide a acking width the mid eld • Good tness levels
and support for • Ability to cross the ball • Determina on
mid eld and forwards in to a ackers • Game intelligence
• Create numerical • Goalkeeper • Support
superiority in defense • The touchline and the
and a ack. area
• Provide defensive • Opposi on wingers/
balance mid elders

Center back
Roles & Responsibili es Partnerships & Ref Points Technical & Tac cal Cons
• Primary defensive • Central defensive • Defensive key skills
du es of marking , partner • Organiza on
delaying, coverage and • Full back • Leadership
depth • Goalkeeper • Composure
• General organiza on of • Mid elder/holding • Bravery
the defensive unit mid elder • Determina on
• The opposi on strikers • Technical pro ciency
on the ball
Holding Mid elder
Roles & Responsibili es Partnerships & Ref Points Technical & Tac cal Cons
• Provide cover for the • Central defenders • Good understanding of
back line • Mid elders the eld
• Screen passing lanes • Forward line • Ability to play a range
• Break up a acks • Key connector for all of passes
• Disrupt the opposi on team mates • Comfortable on the
• Pivot player • O the ball runs by the ball
responsibili es to build opposi on mid elders/ • Good defensive
a acks number 10 understanding
• Recycle possession • Posi oning

info@[Link] 801-810-4423 [Link]

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 Mid elder
Roles & Responsibili es Partnerships & Ref Points Technical & Tac cal Cons
• Build a acks • Other mid elders, • Good understanding of
• Support in both a ack typically shaping a the eld
and defense support triangle • Ability to play a range
• Control the tempo and • A acking players of passes
pace • Defenders • Comfortable on the
• Bring other players into • Relief passes out wide ball
the game • The opposi on • Ability to see the eld
• Good tness levels
• Con dence

A acking Mid elder

Roles & Responsibili es Partnerships & Ref Points Technical & Tac cal Cons
• Build a acks • A ackers • Ability to play in ght
• Provide key passes • Mid elders areas
• Get forward and • Other wide players • Con dence to play with
a empt to score • The opposi on limited me on the ball
• Ability and con dence
to play key passes and
take players on
Wide Mid elder/Winger
Roles & Responsibili es Partnerships & Ref Points Technical & Tac cal Cons
• Provide width and • Full back • Pace
passing outlets • Mid elders • Posi oning
• A empt to isolate the • A acking line • Fitness
opposi on full back • Opposi on wide • Con dence to beat a
• Make runs with and players and mid elders player
without the ball to • The touchline and • Crea vity and skill
bene t the team opposi on box • Passing range and
shoo ng ability
Striker/ Center Forward
Roles & Responsibili es Partnerships & Ref Points Technical & Tac cal Cons
• Main source of goals • Mid elders • Focus
• Ability to control the • Full backs • Ability to brush o
ball in ght areas • Wingers missed chances
• Bring others into play • The goal • Con dence
• Operate between the • The box • Field awareness and
opposi on goalposts • Opposi on defenders ability to create space
• Create space through • Other strikers • Technical ability to
movement nish under pressure
with any legal surface
-head/knee/shin/foot
etc

info@[Link] 801-810-4423 [Link]

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 Basic Forma ons and Adapta ons
The 1-4-4-2

Probably one of the more tradi onal forma ons in which teams have had genuine successes
with over the years. It is comprised of two banks of four in defense and mid eld, with two
dedicated strikers.
Strengths:
Easy to implement and comfortably structured with two banks of 4 players mean it is
defensively strong and easy to understand, with two designated Strikers, it is well balanced
and means players can get the ball forward quickly knowing the strikers have support, in
forma ons with one Striker, it is usually the job of the mid eld players to get forward and
support. It’s clear structure is a good grounding to adjust to a di erent forma on with
rela ve ease.
Weaknesses:
The ease of use can be limi ng as the forma on lacks the complex passing lanes of some of
the more sophis cated forma ons. Two players in the central mid eld can leave this
forma on light in a crucial area and can lead to more long balls with a lower success rate as
players try to nd the forwards quickly.
Adapta ons:
The mid eld two can play as a at two, but are generally more e ec ve when one plays
advanced of the other. A mid eld diamond leaves one player connected to the defense and
one mid elder playing more advanced, connec ng with the a acking line. With one
posi onal change this forma on can become a 1-4-3-3 in no me at all, some teams will set
up in a 4-4-2 in some form when defending, and quickly adjust to a more a acking 4-3-3
when they win the ball back.

info@[Link] 801-810-4423 [Link]

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 The 1-4-3-3

Widely adopted throughout the world, a highly adaptable and well-balanced forma on
which allows for expression and control when implemented properly.
Strengths:
The forward line has three players and a lot of width designed to stretch the opposi on. The
three mid elders shape a natural possession triangle, allowing greater control of tempo and
team shape. This shape can be easily tweaked to be more defense centric or a ack minded.
The posi oning of all the players creates lots of natural triangles of support and good
passing angles.
Weaknesses:
This forma on relies heavily on teamwork and quality of distribu on and will not be nearly
as e ec ve if the team is not comfortable in possession. There is a weight of responsibility
on the central striker and defensive mid elder in this forma on. If these players aren’t
properly supplied or supported, things can break down.
Adapta ons:
The forma on can easily revert to a more defensive 4-4-2 without the ball. One of the
central mid elders can play more as a number 10 to support the striker. Pep Guardiola has
been known to adjust a standard 4-3-3 into an ultra-a acking 4-2-4 when he is able to
control the possession and the tempo.

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 The 1-3-5-2

Enjoyed real popularity in Italy over the years and adopted by many managers worldwide. Can be
changed to a very defensive back ve with ease and relies heavily on athle c and tac cally astute
wingers.

Strengths:

Three central defenders always maintain numerical superiority over the opposi on a ackers. The
defense is protected further by a designated holding mid elder, there is also a natural forma on of
two banks of three through the middle, meaning lots of passing op ons to beat a press and strong
defensive support. The wingers add weight of numbers where required and are tasked with
defensive du es, mid eld support and are encouraged to get forward as much as possible. This
forma on is also an e ec ve base for counter a acks and mid eld control. Two strikers always o er
an op on even if there is no support from mid eld.

Weaknesses:

The demands of the forma on are complex, and coverage of posi ons is o en required to make sure
there are no gaps appearing. This means players need a good understanding of their roles and
responsibili es and a high game IQ to respond to changing situa ons. The forma on relies heavily on
the tness of wingers. The defensive players must understand their individual roles and at least one
must have a good range of passing otherwise build up play becomes a target for the opposi on
press.

Adapta ons:

The forma on can be easily adjusted by giving the wingers more defensive du es, the forma on
becomes a 1-5-3-2. More tac cal adjustments can create a 4-4-2 with ease and can easily revert to a
more a ack minded 3-4-3 if the team are able to control the possession and readily prevent counter
a acks.

info@[Link] 801-810-4423 [Link]

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 The 1-4-2-3-1

The forma on of choice for many of the top-level teams all over the world, the clear lines
create visual reference points for players and give a sense of structure and balance. Purpose
built for passing teams due to the natural crea on of passing lanes between the lines.
Strengths:
The natural triangles make it easier to pass the ball through the lines, bypassing opposi on
players and crea ng numerical superiori es in dangerous areas, the staggered mid eld of
ve which form a more defensive minded 2 working with the more a acking 3 means there
should always be a good number of players in the mid eld which gives a be er chance of
controlling the game and dicta ng play. The forma on is well balanced in both a ack and
defense and the natural set up makes it di cult for teams to counter a ack.
Weaknesses:
There are many physical demands of this forma on, it does not encourage long balls and as
a result, teams who are most e ec ve with this forma on generally build up play from deep
and make a number of passes before a chance is created, teams who don’t have a high
enough technical pro ciency to maintain possession typically struggle to bene t from this
posi on in an a acking sense.
Adapta ons:
Posi onal adjustments can quickly form a varia on of a 4-4-2 with more natural passing
angles and connec ng points between the lines. This adjustment would look like a 4-1-4-1
shown below. A holding mid elder can drop into the defensive line to shape a defensive
5-1-3-1.

info@[Link] 801-810-4423 [Link]

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 Introduc on to Systems of Play

You have your forma on, your players understand their roles within the
forma on, you can now start to focus on your shape and system. This is where
your beliefs and methodology as a coach are put into prac ce by your players.
It should be authen c to you and carefully adapted to the players you have.
This can be de ned as a set of tac cal instruc ons assigned to individuals
which overlay their general roles and responsibili es. This can range from
individual instruc on or component role such as ‘get forward’ with and
without the ball, instruc on in pairs such as change posi ons or cover for the
winger if you are the central mid elder, to tac cal triggers based on areas of
the eld, the posi on of the ball, teammates and the opposi on.
Simple cues remind players of their roles within the system and proper
implementa on of basic rules will give players a greater sense of purpose
within the team, real accountability and a strong collec ve bond.
Systems can work their way up in complexity to become collec ve team
triggers based on when the opposi on are considered to be their most
vulnerable.

Key terms for further research:

• Structured Playing Systems
• Fluid Playing Systems
• Tac cal Balance
• Tac cal structure
• Posi onal specializa on
• Posi onal responsibility
• Universality

info@[Link] 801-810-4423 [Link]

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 Further reading recommenda ons:
Understanding and Implemen ng the 1-3-5-2 - A acking with Cohesion and
Structure
[Link]/1352

Understanding The 1-4-2-3-1

Tac cal Analysis of the Most Feared Teams to Use This System and Ways to
Train Like Them
[Link]/14231

The 1-4-3-3 ATTACKING BLUEPRINT

Total Football, Posi onal Fluidity & Potent A acks
[Link]/1433

info@[Link] 801-810-4423 [Link]

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