The shape
Three centre backs, two wing-backs who provide the width, three central midfielders and two strikers. With the ball the wing-backs push high so the shape looks like a 3-3-4. Without it they drop in beside the centre backs to make a back five, leaving a 5-3-2 with the strikers pressing the ball.
Roles
- Goalkeeper. Has three centre backs to play short to. Should be loud, because the wing-backs leave a lot of grass behind them.
- Centre Backs. The middle one organises and covers. The outer two step out to meet the ball and cover the wing-back on their side.
- Wing Backs. Run the full length of the touchline. Attack as wingers, defend as full-backs, for the whole match.
- Holding Midfielder. Sits between the outer centre backs when they step out, receives from the back three and starts play.
- Two Central Midfielders. Either side of the holder. Support the wing-back on their side, press the opposition midfield and run beyond the strikers.
- Strikers. One drops off to link, the other stretches the back line. Together they occupy two centre backs so the wing-backs have a spare man wide.
Strengths
- Three central midfielders and two strikers give you numbers in the middle and up front.
- Centre backs are rarely one on one because there is always a cover man.
- Wing-backs give width without needing wingers.
- The back three can play out under pressure because there is always a spare man.
Weaknesses
- Exposed down the sides when the wing-backs are caught upfield.
- Asks two players to do the hardest running job on the pitch.
- A team with wide forwards can pin the wing-backs back and turn you into a 5-3-2.
- Needs three centre backs, which most grassroots squads do not have.
When to use it
Pick it when you have three good centre backs and two players quick enough to play wing-back, perhaps full-backs who prefer attacking. It suits a team that wants to pass out from the back and an opponent that plays two strikers, since your three deal with them while the midfield three dominate. Good for under 15s and over, where players understand cover and balance. Avoid it on a very wide pitch with tired wing-backs; you will be run ragged.
What to coach in training
- Build-up pattern: keeper to the middle centre back, out to a wide centre back who draws the winger, into the wing-back, bounce to the arriving central midfielder.
- Wing-back recovery runs: both wing-backs attack a cross in a 7v7 game, and on the turnover the coach counts out loud; both must be level with the centre backs before five.
- Strike pair against a back three in a 2v3 plus keeper, so the strikers learn to pull the outer centre backs apart and open the gap to the spare man.
Works well against
It is well suited to a 4-4-2, where three centre backs handle two strikers and the midfield three outnumber their two. It is weakest against a 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 with high wingers who pin the wing-backs back and starve your strike pair, so against those ask the central midfielders to provide the width instead.
