Portable Sports Coach – Premier coaching on the go

As a youth soccer coach wanting to play competitively, there are a lot of advantages that you can give your team over your competitors. One of these advantages is the soccer formation you choose, and that will entirely depend on your tactical game plan. The same holds true in the professional league, where formations can make or break your team’s success. What is the best formation for my team? Well, it will most definitely depend on your team’s strengths and weaknesses. Some formations will gravitate and benefit your team’s skillset, and others may not. Distinguishing between them is necessary and crucial in the game. In this article, I will break down the importance of soccer formations, its tactical advantages, as well as how to decide which formation you should be doing for your team. The Importance of Soccer Formations Even in the professional league, we always see commentators give their opinions on a team’s formation. This is primarily because some formations are better than others, given the coach and the players. There are a lot of modifications to each formation and comes with a lot of benefits and drawbacks. One of the benefits of using a soccer formation is its foundational stronghold. From the pros, formations have been used in the game of soccer for the longest time. Without it, your players will be overly disorganized. Players would not know where their spots are, and there will be pure chaos on the field. The importance of a soccer formation is timeless and has helped teams across all levels of soccer win games. A second benefit is due to the tactical advantages given to your players. Of course, as a coach, your team will have strengths that come with its own specific weaknesses. For example, you may have a great scorer, so you do not want to hinder their progress and talent. On the other hand, if you have an excellent defender or midfielder, execute a position that will suit the team’s needs. Although a one-player or star player approach could work, you have to take into consideration the team. The team has to be put above all else. To do this, you have to analyze the strengths of your team and what kind of formation they would excel in. If your team is attack heavy, generally, then have a formation that will suit to the offensively-minded team that you have, like a 4-3-3. On the other hand, if you are weak on the defense, adapt a 5-3-2, or some modification of the sort to solidify the defensive line. One of the most important things as well as knowing when to adjust. One formation will not be the end all be all formation that your team will need. Sometimes, during the game, if you are losing, then you should switch up to a formation that is more defensive-minded. Do not stick to that formation. This, out of all the benefits of soccer formations, is of paramount importance. As a coach, you want to be able to see things from the sidelines and adapt to the game. If your players are losing, you have to choose to switch to the offense while still balancing a good defensive line. If you are winning, keep the lead by having a defensive midland formation. Essentially, think of the formation as a player blueprint. It will essentially start the game off right or wrong and dictate the type of direction that your team will be doing moving forward. Each position, from defender to strikers, compliments each other, and finding the right formation to balance them out, is key to space out the field and demand the best from each player. Most importantly, a great formation can make a team bulletproof. If you find the perfect formation for your team, you can be almost invincible. By hiding all your weaknesses and showcasing all your strengths, tactically, you have won. For example, a formation that is midfield heavy will emphasize the short passing skills of midfielders and building the attack through there, and other formations will utilize the wings, which is key if you have speedy players. A Quick Note on Formation Anatomy In soccer, there are so many formations that it may be impossible to keep track of them. It is important to note their anatomy so that you can relay your knowledge to the players as well. Usually, the first number is the number of defenders. For example, a 4-4-2 formation has four defenders. A 3-5-2 has three defenders, and so on. Each has its own benefits and negatives, and we will go on to that later. The last number in the formation set is the number of strikers on the team. So, in a 4-4-2, there are two strikers, and in a 4-3-3, there are three strikers. What gets a little bit more complex is the midfield position. As you know, there are three main positions in soccer, which are the defenders, the midfielders, and the strikers or forwards. The defenders defend and try to stop the other team from scoring while the strikers’ purpose is to get a goal. The midfielders usually do both. In a formation like 4-4-2, there will be four midfielders. A good rule of thumb is that whatever isn’t last or first will be a midfield position. For example, if we have 4-4-1-1, we know the following: there are one striker and four defenders. However, there are five midfielders. The reason why they are separated off into two (4-1) is that there is that one midfielder who simultaneously plays both roles and therefore acts as a different position than the other four midfielders. A good way to think about formations when you see them is that the more right you get in a formation scheme, the more offensive those positions are. A 4-4-1-1 is four defenders, four main midfielders, one midfielder/attacker, and one striker. The Golden Staple: 4-4-2 Out of all the formations that have evolved over the game’s history, this is one of the most standard positions that one can ask for. Essentially, it has four men on defense, four men in the midfield, and two men on the attack. What it requires is for two great center midfielders who contribute on both ends of the field, as well as speedy wingers to generate opportunities. If your team has two great passers, put them in the center midfield. They will be the essential conductors of the offense. It would be even better if these midfielders knew how to defend since they would be the essential line of defense if needed. Out of all the formations, this is one of the simplest ones to understand and grasp. As a youth coach, regardless of who your players are or their strengths, a 4-2-2 can serve you well. Each player will be able to understand their roles, and this formation also has an amazing balance. It can attack and defend with ease and gives you no negative aspects. In terms of its structure, the 4-4-2 is when there are four defenders, four midfielders, and two strikers. In this formation, without the ball in their feet, the defenders and midfielders act as defensive line of eight to confront the opposition. With the ball, there are a variety of options, whether that be trying to provide a strong presence upfront or through long balls and even through short channels and through passes. However, the real danger in the formation is when the two strikers upfront really get each other’s game. Most of the time, there will be a big man striker, the target for long balls and crosses. One of this formation’s downside, forever, is that it is too rigid, and if your opposing team is really tactically sound, you might lose the game. If they are more flexible in positions than you, this weakens your team. Furthermore, with the four midfielders, two of them will act as left and right-wing players who play near the sidelines, being ineffective against opposition offense. 4-2-3-1 Formation This formation, although not as popular and old as the 4-4-2, is still a staple in the world of soccer and highly applicable to your youth team. This formation includes four defenders, two defensive midfielders, three offensive midfielders, and one primary striker. This formation essentially splits players into four bands, where the four defenders and two defensive midfielders almost act as a collective unit while the three midfielders and strikers act as an offensive unit. Generally, with this formation, it would work well if you three midfielders on the offense are great dribblers who like to cut inside the box. As a lone striker, no matter how good you are, you are almost always going to need support. The attacking central midfielder is usually a creative passer who can use either foot to channel the ball into the box to the striker with ease. One of the greatest benefits of this is that it can absorb pressure without breaking formation but also recover so quickly with a surprising amount of offense. In the game of soccer, this can only be seen in seconds, but it is very effective. Although the defense may seem to crumble, the moment they get the ball back, it is a full load on offense and, therefore, a versatile and safe formation to use. Also, in the defense, it covers space very well, with two main midfielders helping out the center backs and the wing defenders. In fact, the back four can play a high line, compressing the space even further. One of the negatives of this formation, although a master of versatility, it can be played poorly. When played poorly, it can be a very slow offense. Sometimes, it turns into a 4-5-1, where the striker can be left without support from the midfield. Therefore, the full-backs can be trapped and congested along with the midfielders. The opposite can happen, as well. There might be too much offensive focus in the 4-5-1 when midfielders solely focus on the offensive end and not the defensive end. Having players know their roles and making them play that role is what will make or break the 4-2-3-1. 4-3-3 Formation The 4-3-3 formation is set out with three strikers (left and right-wing along with the center forward), three midfielders, and four defenders. The key to having success with this formation is that the wide forwards, or the wing forwards, are able to flank the lone striker and cross the ball well. Usually, these players have great pace, shooting ability, and speed. For example, think Ronaldo. The lone striker should be a powerful target man that can take the ball in his own hands. The midfielders play many roles, from creator to scorer, as well as maintain possession and defend the ball. In fact, if it is more compact, some of the full-backs can join the attack. One of the greatest benefits of this formation is the fact that it is just so overwhelming. There is a good reason why Chelsea and Barcelona use this formation. It can really overwhelm the defense of the opposing team. In a single possession, a 4-3-3 can be quite strangling. This comes from the three midfielders who dominate possession and the three strikers who can push the ball. Therefore, the opposing team finds it hard to recuperate for an attack and, at the same time, get in position. A lot of people like to think of the 4-3-3 like a tide against a sandcastle. It might take a long time to break through the defense, but it will happen. However, this also has some drawbacks. If the offense cannot be maintained, the defense is left winded out. If you are countered and countered well, it will be hard to play defense. Anything less than a top defensive line with awesome positioning and accurate passing can leave the goalkeeper exposed. One mistake and the other team can be dangerous. 3-5-2 Formation This formation is a bit different from the last ones we have spoken about, as there are three defenders in the last line of defense. However, it can still be effective, as there are five midfielders and two attackers on the field. The three center backs are there, as well as wing-backs in the midfielder line, acting as another two players who play defense. One of the best aspects of this is that it counters the 4-2-2 the best. If the other opposing team is a 4-2-2 formation, s 3-5-2 is the way to go. Defensively speaking, it matches up well, neutralizing the two strikers and wingers. Now they are confronted with three defenders and no space in the middle to advance the ball. Pep Guardiola, for example, uses this formation when in possession, but when in defense, does a 4-2-2. However, one of the biggest downsides to this is that if the midfield line fails to defend, you are only left with three men. In a center back pair, the defenders always have a great reference point due to their partner, but having three limits the space between them. Sometimes, they would have to shuffle against each other to fill the space they are not occupying. The biggest challenge comes when there is only one striker when all three defenders are focusing on that one man. That striker could easily be a decoy and pass out, leaving the goalkeeper vulnerable. 4-2-2-2 Formation This a formation we will be speaking on, as it is one of the other fundamentals that your team has to grasp. This exploits the spaces between opposing attacks and, at the same time, maintaining great shape. The objective is that, on either offense or defense, six players will be active. So, for example, on the offense, the 2-2-2 men will be on the offense. On defense, the 4-2-2 part will be active. Having this formation allows two defensive midfielders to sit back and protect the last line of the back four. It also simultaneously allows the wing-backs to build-up plays, from short passes to long balls. One of the best benefits of this formation is that the midfielders have so much freedom. If your youth team’s midfielders are multi-skilled, this might be the formation to go. They can either stay in the center or cut inside while on the offense. For this to work well, having great technical skills is a must. Another aspect of the formation is that it builds off of this central core of players, and as well as explosive defensive men that can advance the ball. One of the negative aspects is that against high-level attackers and midfielders, this may be detrimental. The entire field is thinned out since the midfielders are all spread out. There is a large gap between the attack and defense midfield that can be exploited. Therefore, when choosing this formation, have a good line of defense at all times. If your players are not good at defense, this formation should not be sued. 5-3-2 Formation This formation, unlike the rest, was used primarily in the past. However, the options now in regard to soccer formation is quite different. Most coaches opt for different ones, but having this as an option can actually take aback your opponents by surprise. It contains five defenders, three defensive-centered midfielders, and two strikers. In this particular formation, the strikers can be either the right target man with an out and out goal scorer. Typically, this target man is the guy you pass the ball to for a quick goal. They should be big and physically imposing. Furthermore, they should be able to keep and hold the ball. Some teams opt for the opposite. Sometimes, a more creative player may be desired to be paired with an in and out striker. The midfielders, on the other hand, have more specific roles. One of them should sit back and act like a man to help out the defenders. A good example of this would be someone like Yaya Toure, that allows attacking midfielders to push forward. The second midfielder has to join in on attacks and, at the same time, have defensive responsibilities. As a youth coach, when you analyze your team, make sure that this role is filled by someone who can do both. 4-1-4-1 Formation The 4-4-1-1 formation is another version of the 4-4-2 formation, but a more direct in the way that its offense works. However, this is one of the most unconventional ones used, and it has remained popular in recent years due to that factor. Some people even call it the hybrid of the 4-3-3 and the 4-2-3-1. The backbone of this formation is the lone defensive midfielder. In essence, there are four defenders, one defensive midfield, four attack midfielders, and a striker. This player, the center midfield, is to help cover the defense and add that extra layer of protection against opposing offense. They also have to be the link between going forward offensively and retreating back defensively. If you look more into the anatomy, that one defender is really at the center of the field, doing tow things at the same time. If you have an awesome defensive midfield, this would be one of the most beneficial positions. They can add value to your defense and differences. The central midfielders have differing roles. One plays the box-to-box role, where they are the conduit of channeling the ball into a goal. The other midfielder is the main attacking threat. The defensive midfielders, the ones above the last line of defense, need to give wingers a bit more freedom when attack. In fact, they should float into the center of the field and even act as forwards. The main benefit of this is that it is very, very flexible. In a game, although formation is key, flexibility within that is key as well. You can tweak it to a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, depending on where you are in the game. One of the cons is that it is almost too specific for players to fit in the role. Executing each role is imperative, and doing it precisely even more so. This requires heavy film study and for each player to understand where they belong. Conclusion Choosing and picking a formation for your youth team is of paramount importance. It can actually make or break your team, but it will all depend on you. To pick on a formation, you have to analyze your ten-man team and adjust accordingly. If you have a weak defensive line, then maybe a heavy midfield would work wonders for you. If you have an amazing offensive line, then the heavy and attack ready 4-3-3 could help you out. R Regardless of the formation, it has to suit your team’s strength and hide their weakness. Furthermore, acknowledge that it may take some time to get to know your team and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. In fact, we see this hard adjustment with the pros. Every time a new player comes into play, there are a lot of changes to the formation and to tactics. Sometimes, it immediately clicks. Other times, it will take much longer. However long, it will depend on your team’s abilities, willingness to listen, and your ability to really think about the type of formation you want to follow. Also, note that a lot of these formations are fluid. For example, the 4-4-2, the golden staple of formations, that it has four defenders, four midfielders, and two strikers. As you can imagine, a lot of players will line up as if they are standing on a straight line. However, there is something also called the 4-4-2 Diamond, where the four players in the midfield form a diamond shape. This gives some more flexibility in both the offense and defense but may come to your detriment when players do not get their roles. Do not confine yourself to the strict definitions of these formations, as there are a lot of tweaked versions. For example, there is the 4-3-3 flat, where everyone positions themselves as if they were in a straight line and a 4-3-3 where the three midfielders are in an arrow-esque position relative to the goal. However, one of the most important aspects that are equally as important is your team’s ability to pivot. Seldom you see the exact same formation through the entirety of the game. Great coaches know how to pivot and change up their game plan given scenarios. For example, if you are leading 1-0 with 20 minutes to go, do not go for the 4-3-3 offensive. A win is a win regardless if it is 1-0 or 2-0. Instead, do a 4-5-1 formation or 5-3-2, where it is midfield and defense-heavy. This will lead you to be more defensively focused than offensively focused. In fact, it always does not have to be at the end of the game. Always adjust when needed, regardless if it is in the first ten minutes or the last five minutes of the soccer match.

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