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Coaching Soccer Formations & TacticsCoaching Points for the 4-4-2 Soccer FormationThe 4-4-2 is the most used and well known formation in soccer today. For example, 12 of the 20 Barclays Premier League teams use a standard 4-4-2 with several others using modified versions. The 4-4-2 is a very versatile and aggressive formation which opens up the wings for attack as well as spreading the defensive to create holes in the middle of the pitch. With the ability to overlap the fullbacks and the midfielders, you can quickly convert to a 2-4-4 when attacking. Defensive Personnel: The standard 4-4-2 formation that you typically see uses a zonal defensive system with a flat back 4. This means that the defenders area lines up across the pitch in a straight line and each is responsible for his area of the field. To make the 4-4-2 really fly, you will need speedy fullbacks who can attack up the wings and get back to pick up their assignments. In addition to having backs with pace, the 4-4-2 requires strong central defenders who can win the ball in the air with regularity. Midfield Personnel: Your central midfielders work in tandem with one going forward onto attack, while the other drops back into a holding position and provides the first layer of defenses. The two wing midfielders need speed to stretch the defense as well as the ball skills to beat defenders 1v 1 or even 1 v 2 if necessary. The ability to feed accurate crosses into the penalty area is a must! Forward Personnel: The 4-4-2 utilizes two strikers. Each will need speed, tenacity and aggressiveness. It is often very effective to have one forward drop deep to help the transition through the midfield. Attacking with the 4-4-2: The name of the game with the 4-4-2 is to spread the field, force the defense out of position and then punish their weak spots. Continually moving the ball from the inside to the outside and back is of the best way to utilize the strengths of the 4-4-2. 4-4-2 Basics Overview When using the 4-4-2, look to stretch the defense from touchline to touchline. Use your outside midfielders and overlapping defenders to feed quality crosses to your finishers. Remember, with your defenders pushing forward, you are susceptible to counter attacks. Be careful with your possession and don't give the ball away foolishly when you are exposed. Strengths:
Okay, we've covered the basics of how to attack from the 4-4-2. Not it's time to take a look at some of the formations you will most likely face. Going Against the 3-5-2 One of the first formations that you may see is the 3-5-2. Your opponents will use this formation to lock down the midfield and outnumber the 4-4-2 in the center of the field. Even though the 3-5-2 is strong in the midfield, it has some weaknesss on defense. The back three are forced to play very compressed to cover the key shooting areas on the field. This leaves gaps behind the Left & Right Wingbacks and RW that you can exploit with the 4-4-2. The wingers are forced to make long runs back on defense to cover the wings. Keep an eye on your opponent's condition. If they don't make frequent substitutions, you can look to really exploit their failure to get back at the end of the half or game. One very strong tactic to use against the 3-5-2 is to have your forwards make attacking runs to the outside. This change in strategy will have them continually looking for space behind the wingers. The defense will constantly be stretched from side to side leaving gaps in the middle for shots on net. Going Against the 4-3-3 - Sweeper Technique The other likely formation you will encounter is the 4-3-3. Offensive minded teams especially like to attack from the 4-3-3 to put a ton of pressure on your defense. Against three forwards, one of your center backs always has to step up to pick up the center striker which wrecks havoc on your flat back 4 zone. To counter this tactic and negate a speedy forward group, you can convert one of your center backs to a sweeper role. Against a standard flat back four, our defense would be in a great deal of trouble as the counter attack brings three forwards against our defense. However, with a sweeper system your can man mark the forwards and still have a floater to cover for any mistakes that are made. When attacking the 4-3-3, you will want to be patient and look to catch the midfielders out of position. Since you have them outnumbered 4 to 3, there are many counter attack options that present themselves to you throughout the game. |
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