When was the last time you used a soccer field diagram to explain soccer formations to the team? If you said “never” or “long time back”, it’s clear that your team is not completely aware of what formations and positions are.
A majority of coaches believe that by just giving oral instructions to the kids, they’ll know everything and this is where they go wrong. Formations on the field are an important subject and you should always discuss it with the players in advance.
These illustrate the soccer positions of the players in each part from the defensive line and as such are the planned choices made usually in the form of numbers. The formations should never be inflexible and so the coach must continue to exchange players in every game. Another thing worth mentioning is that these formations should be finalized keeping in view the individual strengths and weaknesses of the players.
Some commonly used formations in the game of soccer are given below:
4-4-2: This one is the most commonly used formation. The series 4-4-2 is derived from the idea that it comprises of 4 defending players, 4 mid fielders, and two attacking players excluding a goalkeeper.
The most important role in this formation is played by the midfielders who support the forward players during defense. In the event of an attack, they must move to the goal line and help the defenders.
4-5-1: This formation has five mid fielders and one forward player and is a defensive formation. The biggest benefit with this kind of formation is that because the midfielders are all focused in the center, the opposition cannot attack easily.
Also, because there is only 1 forward, it requires the midfielders to push forward which in turn makes the opposition craving to get the possession of the ball.
3-5-2: This comprises of three defenders, five midfielders, and two forwards. This formation can be used to both defend as well as attack as 2 wingmen take up the attacking role and the center midfielder prevents counter attacks of the opponents.
3-4-3: The most forceful form of formation on the soccer field diagram that is brought into play when the opposition is defensive. Benefitting from three defenders, four midfielders and three forwards, the approach is to attack using the forwards and use the defenders if the opposition tears the defensive line.
There is no particular strategy that can be employed for the entire match. It must change according to the changes in the overall situation of the game. So a coach should employ the strategy of rotating the players as and when required. And then, a formation can be either offensive or defensive.
Great soccer tactics for formations play an important role in deciding whether the team wins or loses. As the game improves and becomes more dynamic, there will surely be more changes in the soccer formation strategies.
Now go ahead and use the soccer field diagram to teach the players. Our youth soccer coaching community is the best resource for information on formation with its articles, newsletters, and videos.
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in youth soccer coaching and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun by downloading your free ebook at: Soccer Drills.