Hi,

Any football (soccer) fans here who know a bit about tactics?

Here's my question: how does a team playing 4-4-2 formation defend against an opponent playing 4-3-3?

The main problem is that if you play 4-4-2 then your opponent has an extra player on center midfield cause they have 3 midfielders when they play 4-3-3 where you only have 2 center midfielders.

Which of your players is normally supposed to defend on that extra player your opponent has on center midfield? Is there a standard rule about this?

Last edited by Dance123 on Oct-17-2009 at 11:51

Some will say that if you play 4-4-2 against a 4-3-3 then YOU have an extra midfielder cause people will say you have 4 and they only 3.. however it doesn't work that way.. if you play 4-4-2 then you really have only 2 midfielders IN THE CENTER!!

The other 2 midfielders are your wing midfielders and they are supposed to defend against the wing backs of your opponent, am I right?

So which of your players is supposed to defend on the extra player your opponent has on center midfield?!

quote:

Originally posted by Dance123 So which of your players is supposed to defend on the extra player your opponent has on center midfield?!

The free safety

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quote:

Originally posted by shaw The free safety

What does that mean??

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you play with 1 sweeper and 1 centre back.

the left and right backs take the attacking wingers, and your centre back looks after their striker

-------G------
------SW------
-RB---CB----LB
--------------
-W--CM--CM--W-
--------------
----S----S----


or something like that

quote:

Originally posted by lievez you play with 1 sweeper and 1 centre back. the left and right backs take the attacking wingers, and your centre back looks after their striker -------G------ ------SW------ -RB---CB----LB -------------- -W--CM--CM--W- -------------- ----S----S---- or something like that

That's all true.. but which of your players takes the extra player your opponent has on center midfield?! That's what i would like to know. Read my original post above please.

Cheers, Mike.

Your wingers could handle their 2 outside playing midfielders when they are attacking (wingers).

Then 1 midfielder can take on their midfielder, then you still have 1 extra midfielder for defensive and attacking support.


But you better have a strong physical wingers then

Last edited by lievez on Oct-20-2009 at 10:47

I think your wingers have to defend on your opponent's wingbacks, so you can't use them to defend on your oponent's 3 midfielders.. which still leaves my question unsolved..

I am bit disappointed with so little reactions to this topic.. does nobody here know or care alot about soccer tactics.. maybe I am asking on the wrong forum.. any other forum you can perhaps recommend where more people could help with my question? Thanks!

Last edited by Dance123 on Oct-24-2009 at 23:17

quote:

Originally posted by Dance123 I think your wingers have to defend on your opponent's wingbacks, so you can't use them to defend on your oponent's 3 midfielders.. which still leaves my question unsolved.. I am bit disappointed with so little reactions to this topic.. does nobody here know or care alot about soccer tactics.. maybe I am asking on the wrong forum.. any other forum you can perhaps recommend where more people could help with my question? Thanks!

How about a football (soccer) forum?

You're asking on a music forum.

___________________
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you have better players. If they can pass & move, they can beat anything.

you don't play with a sweeper for sure, that leaves 3 forwards on 3 true defenders, you'll get burned every time, and definitely get peppered with mid-range shots. a sweeper is only useful if you're playing against a 2 forward scheme and the forwards are extremely fast, then you drop a sweeper.

in a 4-4-2 against a 4-3-3 you want a diamond midfield. have your midfield play three across just like theirs and drop one into a centre halfback position. like you defense four-across, man-to-man marking, the CHB is basically responsible for "ball-hunting" - when the opposite team comes to your half on the offensive, the CHB will cover (tightly) wherever the ball goes, everyone else marks the open players.

the reason you don't do zone is because, with 3 forwards, a team will gut you with diagonal runs.

if effective this will push their outside forwards closer to the lines, as that's the only "easy" pass that will be available. they'll either try to beat their marker one on one - or the likely scenario is that they put in a shitload of crosses. then you have to pray that your defense can cover in the air.