Is Three Better Than Four?

Is 3.5.2 making a resurgence?
The prominent formation over the last several years has been 4.2.3.1 or an altered version; 4.3.2.1, 4.1.3.2, 4.2.1.3, etc. Italy, which always pushes the tactical envelope, has gone against the trend of four defenders and has opted for 3.5.2 or 3.4.3. Napoli, Udinese, and Juventus are just a number of clubs who routinely employ three defenders rather than four.

Where do you want the free player?

Is it better to put a free player in front of your midfielders or behind? Many teams at the youth and college level play with two forwards. Ideally the forwards would be diagonal of one another and the player in the hole would function as the free player.

The shadow striker sits between the opposition defenders and midfielders and always tries to position himself at a 45 degree angle to the ball. Offensively this player creates problems because the opposition defenders cannot step up and mark this player or a hole is created in the back line. Opposition midfielders are also leery of dropping back to mark this player as the midfielder may already have a player to defend against.

Below shows the red shadow striker receiving a pass in behind the blue midfield but far enough in front of the center backs they are not comfortable stepping up to mark.

Defensively, the shadow striker is only needed if the opposition plays with three midfielders. Against a 4.4.2 the shadow striker has few defensive responsibilities because there is a 3v2 advantage in the middle of the field.

Below the red team have four backs and two center midfielders while the blue team has four midfielders and two forwards. The green box highlights the numerical advantage for the blue team. B2 has no defensive responsibilities as B4/B5 can mark R5/R6.

Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo has raised another possibility for the free player. Pirlo, similar to Busquets at Barcelona, acts as a deep lying midfielder and sits in front of the center backs and in behind his own midfielders. Pirlo’s strength is his passing ability and range of passes. As a deep lying midfielder Pirlo has very few defensive responsibilities and he is involved heavily in the build up from the back third to the middle and attacking thirds. Pirlo’s position enables him to be closer to the ball and he often times has the game in front of him rather than behind.

Three better than four?
The hardest part for defenders to judge and read is whether to follow a forward in if they check back for the ball. If defenders choose to follow they leave a gap in the defensive line and if they remain connected to the backs, they leave a forward unmarked as he checks back to find the ball. If teams play with two forwards you are numerically superior as you have three backs. If they play with one striker then you have two free center backs (while playing with three at the back).

By playing three at the back the decision of whether or not to follow is straightforward, you follow the forward in as far as he checks back. You are able to follow the forward in because there is always one free player at the back who is able to fill the space left by the defender marking the forward.

All players want time and space and by following the forward in you are minimizing the amount of time and space available to make a decision. If the forward is left unmarked you allow the player to turn unopposed and attack the backs. If the opposition plays with only one forward then your back three has two free players rather than one.

Juventus has shown with their recent success in the UEFA Champions League that 3.5.2 is a viable formation and can get results in the modern game. In the next posting ASET will provide several ways for the back three and two wide midfielders to shift and rotate to defend against teams using the 4.4.2 and 4.3.3 formations.