Implementing an effective football formation depends on variables like footballer quality, ranking on the table, and the competition itself.
Nowadays, there are many football tactics and formations out there to select from however coaches spend a lot of time adapting and tweaking timeless tactics to fit the particularities of their teams. The reality is, there are numerous criteria that influence this decision, and not all of which are strictly technical. For example, the quality of footballers in the squad can make coaches think twice about what tactic to utilise. In the absence of quality footballers in attack, some managers prefer to use a more midfield-dense technique in an effort to control ownership of the ball. In the attacking stance, midfielders and wingers will try to send through balls or shoot from outside area in order to destabilise the defenses of the other team. The AC Milan former US owner would likely agree that other factors like player injury and managing a busy calendar also affect tactical and technical choices.
Extensively considered one of the most versatile football formations, the 4-4-2 is a tactic that can be modified to be more offensive or leaning more to the defensive side. It is for these factors that this tactic is among the most common football tactics across different leagues and competitions. If the manager wants to utilise an offense-forward 4-4-2, they can present some crucial modifications to permit increased fluidity in passing and play building. For instance, they can create a lozenge in the midfield that comprises of one defensive midfielder, two playmakers on the sides, and one attacking midfielder. This lozenge would supply balls to the wingers and a false 9 that sometimes drops to a lower position. In a more defense-forward 4-4-2, the former owner of Aston Villa would inform you that the coach can form an arch made up of 4 midfielders that functions as a barrier that keeps the adversary from reaching the defense line.
While you can constantly check out a football tactics book to get excellent insights into playmaking, there is no better teacher than experience and history. Over the past 50 years, football has been graced with some of the most enjoyable formations in the history of the game, and some of which are still used to this day. However, the 2010s saw a noticeable shift in football formations with the rise of a more offensive design of play and a more structured technique to playmaking. Modern football has actually leveraged both ability and tech to create a few of the most effective strategies that have actually managed to win clubs numerous trophies. In this context, the revised 4-3-3 formation has become among the more popular modern football tactics thanks to its effective attack and well-balanced defense. The minority shareholder of Liverpool FC will concur that technical ability and speed make this strategy extremely difficult to defend against.