Coaching Articles

Deciding which formation to use for your team depends on many factors. There is not any one formation that is necessarily better then another nor is there any formation that is perfect for all teams.

A 4-3-3 formation consists of 4 defenders, 3 midfielders, and 3 forwards. This is an attacking formation where you look overwhelm the opposing defense with 3 forwards. The midfielders have to pinch in toward the middle and leave the wide space for the outside defenders. Not too many teams use this formation unless they are losing a game and need to put more pressure on the defense to score a goal late in the game.

A 4-5-1 formation consists of 4 defenders, 5 midfielders, and 1 forward. This formation is a modification of a 4-3-3 and has become more popular with teams in Europe. This formation is considered more defensive since there are players behind the ball and therefore less space for the opposition to use in attacking. When attacking, the formation resembles a 4-3-3 with the two outside midfielders going forward to support the lone striker.