The shape
Three centre backs with two wing-backs outside two central midfielders, and a front three of a striker and two wide forwards. With the ball it is bold, five or six players in the final third. Without it the wing-backs drop in to make a five, the wide forwards tuck in and the shape becomes a 5-4-1, which is why the running load is so high.
Roles
- Goalkeeper. The spare man in a back three build-up. Quick off the line, because the back three is often high with space behind.
- Centre Backs. The middle one covers and the outer two step out to press or carry the ball. All three must be comfortable one on one in open space.
- Wing Backs. Provide the width for the whole length of the pitch. Attack to cross and cut back, recover to make a back five.
- Central Midfielders. One always holds while the other joins the attack. They defend the space in front of the back three together.
- Wide Forwards. Play narrow, between the full-back and centre back, or run in behind. Tuck in to make a midfield four when the ball is lost.
- Striker. Occupies the centre backs, finishes what the wide forwards and wing-backs create and starts the press.
Strengths
- Overloads the final third with a front three plus two wing-backs.
- A spare man at the back makes passing out under pressure easier.
- Wide forwards playing narrow pull full-backs out of position.
- Pressing from the front is natural because five players are already high.
Weaknesses
- Two central midfielders can be outnumbered by three.
- The space behind the wing-backs is the obvious target for every counter.
- Demands fitness from seven of the ten outfield players.
- A bad day turns it into a 5-4-1 with no outlet.
When to use it
Use it when you have more attacking talent than a back four shape can fit, three capable centre backs and two tireless wing-backs. It is a good choice against a team that sits deep, because it gets more players around the box, and against a side with weak full-backs. It suits older youth and adult teams with the fitness to recover their shape. Do not use it with a slow back three against a quick counter-attacking side.
What to coach in training
- Final third overload: 6v4 in the attacking half, the wing-backs and front three plus one midfielder against a back four, scoring within ten seconds of the first pass.
- Counter defence: the attacking team loses the ball on the edge of the box and the coach plays it to two forwards; the back three must delay until the wing-backs recover.
- Press rehearsal: the front three and wing-backs press a back four and keeper on a half pitch, with any pass back to the keeper as the trigger.
Works well against
It is effective against a 4-4-2 and 4-5-1 that sit deep, because the wing-backs and wide forwards create two on one situations down each side. It struggles against a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-1-2 that packs three in the middle and plays quick passes behind the wing-backs, so against those the wide forwards must drop deeper in defence.
