4 2 3 1 Soccer Formation
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The 4-2-3-1 splits players into four bands. The defensive unit consists of the standard centre-backs and full-backs và two defensive midfielders screening them, often called the ‘double pivot".
The attacking unit consists of a band of three attacking midfielders và a lone central striker. The wide midfielders are generally fast dribblers who like to cut inside or make runs into the box. The attacking central midfielder, often the ‘No. 10", is normally a creative passer who can play balls into the feet of either the wide attackers or the lone striker.
Pros
A good 4-2-3-1 is a formation that has a wonderful ‘springy" quality - it absorbs pressure without breaking and then snaps back with surprising force.
In defence the 4-2-3-1 covers space very effectively, with the band of three và the lone striker able to lớn press the opposition high up the pitch while the two defensive midfielders ensure that there is no space left in front of the defence. Then the back four can either play a high line, compressing the space even further, or drop deeper as preferred.
Video analysis: Jose Mourinho"s 2014-15 xanh wall at Chelsea
Chelsea were dominant in 2014-15 as Nemanja Matic and one of Cesc Fabregas or John Obi Mikel formed a stable ‘double pivot" at the base of the Chelsea midfield to release the attacking unit of Hazard, Oscar, Willian & Costa up top.
This Sky Sports analysis of their December 2014 win over Stoke đô thị shows how Jose Mourinho set-up Matic & Mikel to win the ball in midfield và then release the attackers. A good example of the 4-2-3-1"s flexibility as Mourinho opted for a more defensive double pivot against a physical side.
Once the ball is won back, often by the defensive midfielders, the 4-2-3-1 can spring into attack.
The full-backs can surge up the wings in the knowledge that the defensive midfielders can drop into the space left behind if needed. As they come up the wings, the wide attackers come inside and they tend to be fast dribblers who look khổng lồ get into the box. The attacking central midfielder, often the ‘No. 10" who is the most creative player on the team will look lớn play them or the lone striker in via fast passing combinations.
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Video analysis: Arsenal"s attacking 4-2-3-1 destroys Manchester United
Arsene Wenger loves an attacking midfielder và the combination of Theo Walcott as a lone striker, supported from left to right by Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil & Aaron Ramsay ripped Manchester United apart inside đôi mươi minutes in October 2015 with their rapid passing combinations.
Note for the first goal how first Hector Bellerin provided width from the full-back position but lost the ball & then Francis Coquelin, playing as one of the two defensive midfielders, won it back behind him to lớn continue the attack. A perfect demonstration of the how the 4-2-3-1 covers space.
If the rapid attack fails, the 4-2-3-1 is well set-up khổng lồ either retain possession, with a large number of passing triangles naturally formed by its four bands of players, or to press and regain the ball quickly.
Cons
While at its best the 4-2-3-1 is a masterpiece of flexibility, when played poorly it can be slow & cumbersome.
If the midfield bands are forced back & compressed into a 4-5-1, the striker can be left isolated with very little support. The full-backs, key lớn modern attacking football, can also be trapped behind their midfield line.
Or the opposite may happen, where the attacking band of midfielders neglect lớn track back and help their full-backs, allowing opposition wide players khổng lồ overload the defence. This is similar to the possible problems in a 4-3-3, if the attacking wide players forget their duty to help the team when out of possession. However it can be even more pronounced as the two defensive midfielders are left with a huge amount of the pitch lớn cover.
Video Anaylsis: Chelsea"s 2015-16 nightmare
After dominating the Premier League one season in the 4-2-3-1, Jose Mourinho và Chelsea had a horrific start khổng lồ the season with the same formation. The most obvious problem was the failure of their defensive midfield to lớn cover their back four, as they were left isolated by the attacking band of midfielders - as analysed in this Sky Sports video clip of their 3-1 loss lớn Liverpool.
How the 4-2-3-1 took over the world
Juanma Lillo, former Real Sociedad coach, is generally accepted khổng lồ have been the first to lớn consciously use the 4-2-3-1 in pursuit of the best distribution of players across the pitch to lớn achieve two key aims - possession and pressing, retaining the ball và regaining it quickly.
Since its adoption by many teams in Spain in the 1990s it spread rapidly in the early 2000s as detailed by Jonathan Wilson of the Guardian here. The switch from a 4-4-2 is relatively easy - one striker drops back to become the creative, attacking midfielder, the wingers push forwards and instead of staying out wide và putting in crosses they become dribbling attackers và the central midfielders drop deeper to make the ‘double pivot".
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Since then the extraordinary success of Pep Guardiola"s 4-3-3 ´tiki-taka" at Barcelona (see my analysis of the 4-3-3 featuring that team here) has provided an alternative to lớn the 4-2-3-1 but the principles that Guardiola adheres khổng lồ - retain the ball & regain it quickly when lost - are the same identified by Lillo and for teams which want lớn achieve those aims while also having flexibility the 4-2-3-1 is still the most popular choice.
More articles in the bellelook.vn Football Tactics Basics series can be found here:
