Football Formations

Different Football Formations (My Top Five)

There are various types of formations, which are utilized by football teams. There’re various systems that Coaches like to use. Some people prefer the traditional more popular 4-4-2, others prefer 5-3-2. It’s the one that suits the squad of players that should be chosen. Here’s my top five:

1^st– 3-5-2
2^nd– 4-5-1
3^rd– 4-3-3
4^th– 4-4-2
5^th– 5-4-1

Find out why I chose those five formations!

1^st– 3-5-2

This formation is extremely attacking; it contains three central defenders, five midfielders and two strikers. The midfield generally consists of two wingers and three central midfielders. It’s up to the Coach whether those three central midfielders are attacking, defensive or somewhere in the middle of the two, which would be a traditional central midfielder. The reason this formation is the best in my eyes, because the wingers can be utilized in attack and defence.

2^nd– 4-5-1

Having four defenders doesn’t mean that a team is playing a defensive system. There are only two centre backs in this formation, with two wing backs in defence who can attack at times. Having five midfielders and one striker, doesn’t equate to a team being too defensive. The two wingers can be attacking and one or two of the central midfielders can be attacking central midfielders. Only having one striker doesn’t make the formation of 4-5-1 too defensive. That view that it isn’t an attacking enough midfield is a misconception.

3^rd– 4-3-3

A team that chooses to has four defenders and three midfielders can still be classified as attacking. On the contrary, having three central midfielders can allow the two wing backs can play an attacking brand of football. The three central midfielders should be adaptable; they can play as a defensive or attacking midfielder as in between the two, which would be a midfielder that is purely a central midfielder. Three Strikers usually means that there are two attacking wingers in the forward line, like Sadio Mane or Mohammed Salah of Liverpool.

4^th– 4-4-2

This formation is the standard structure that a lot of teams chose to put in place. Like the other formations with four defenders it allows for the wing backs to be attacking. In the midfield the two wingers can attack or defend whenever its appropriate to do either. The system that resonates with me for the formation of 4-4-2, is playing one defensive central and one attacking midfielder, which mixes things up a bit. Of, the two strikers, one of the two can stay forward permanently, while the other striker can play with more freedom.

5^th– 5-4-1

This is a formation that would contain two attacking wing backs. It’s not as defensive as it looks on paper. The two wing backs have a license to go forward on the wing and put crosses in. Of the four midfielders a narrow system would be the most appropriate, with two central midfielders, one defensive midfielder to help out the three centre backs and one attacking midfielder to assist the striker. Whatever way it can be analysed, a formation of 5-4-1 is unpredictable and intriguing.