When I moved to Spain in 2006 I quickly became aware that the majority of teams played in a 4-3-3 formation. As a result, over the years through playing and coaching this formation, I have come to really understand how the formation works.
The main strengths of the 4-3-3 are:
- Attack minded
- Numerically strong in midfield
- Many passing options
- Tactically flexible
- Rotations
The main weaknesses of the the 4-3-3 are:
- Vulnerable in wide areas
- Can be dragged out of shape
- Lack of options in the box
In this blog post I am going to explain, in greater detail, how these strengths and weaknesses relate to game situations and the individual roles of each position.
Strengths
The 4-3-3 has become very popular due to the many strengths it has when a team is able to tactically execute these strengths.
Attack minded
Since there are three forwards, there are good options when the team is attacking
Depending on the types of players the team has, the front three can frequently interchange positions causing problems for the opposition’s defence, if the players are collectively dynamic, or if a less mobile but strong centre forward is used, they can be utilised as a point of reference for others to work around.
Numerically strong in midfield
With three players lined up in the midfield, the team is set up to dominate the central areas.
The midfield horizontal line is split (from one line in the 4-4-2) into two lines which provides more cohesion in progressing the ball up the field.
Almost like providing more steps on a ladder to make it easier to advance up the field with a deep lying defensive midfielder connecting the defensive line with the midfield.
Many passing options
Whatever football formation is used, teams try to create triangles all around the pitch when they have possession to create multiple passing options for the player on the ball.
The 4-3-3 creates these triangles automatically with its set-up.
Tactically flexible
The 4-3-3 is very flexible with the ability to rotate players into positions that can take advantage of the rival teams weaknesses. An example of this could be, the defensive midfielder dropping in between the two centre-backs, creating a back three, with the full-backs pushing further forward to form a 3-4-3.
There are other formations that the 4-3-3 can be morphed into which makes it a very adaptable formation.
Also, teams playing in this formation can still line up differently in the midfield area.
Some teams will position their 3 central midfielders in an upright triangle, with two defensive midfielders and an attacking midfielder in front whilst another team might use an upside down triangle with just the one defensive midfielder and two attacking midfielders.
The third option is for a team to place their three midfielders in a horizontal line.
Whichever way a team sets up in the middle of the park, the emphasis is on dominating the midfield zone and therefore having a greater percentage of the possession and control of the game.
Rotations
The 4-3-3 can be a very fluid formation when executed correctly. The set-up allows the players to rotate positions during the game and with this constant movement and inter-changing of positions, the opposition can find it difficult to keep track of who they should be marking.
An example of this (as seen in the image below) could be the wide attacking player moving inside, the full-back moving forward into the more advanced wide area and the attacking midfielder occupying the full-back position.
Weaknesses
As with any formation there are always pros and cons, but by recognising the weaknesses a coach can then organise the team in a way that will minimise those frailties.
Vulnerable in wide areas
Since more bodies are committed to the central areas of the pitch, wide areas can be a problem or at least a potential weakness that the opposition might attempt to take advantage of.
The rival team may target the full-backs by switching the play with diagonal passes to their wide players, pushing their own full-backs forwards making overlapping runs to create 2v1 situations.
Can be dragged out of shape
As with any formation, if a team is not organised and well drilled in various tactical scenarios then players will be dragged out of position and the team shape will be lost.
This can happen with the 4-3-3 if players lack discipline out of possession. To avoid being vulnerable in wide areas, as previously mentioned, it is important that the wide forwards track back and in doing so the formation changes to a 4-5-1.
Another possibility might be the midfield three shifting across as a unit, however this may still leave the opposite flank vulnerable to the switch of play.
Lack of options in the box
This might appear to be contradictory as being attack minded was listed as being a strength. However, with certain teams that have wide attacking players who do not attack crosses from the opposite wing, the team might find the central striker is the only player attacking dangerous balls played into the box.
Player’s role and responsibilities in the 4-3-3 formation
As with any tactical formation, having clarity on the individual roles and responsibilities is vital to any team’s success. This will help players to focus on their roles which will make the system function accordingly.
Before we go into the individual roles, I do realise that there are tactical variations within the 4-3-3 formation from coach to coach so the following is a general overview of the roles.
Goalkeeper
The 4-3-3 has been an influential factor in the evolution of a goalkeeper’s role within the team.
For many coaches now, it is not good enough to just be good at shot stopping or collecting crosses but the goalkeeper must also have good technical ability with the ball at their feet.
This means that the goalkeeper becomes an outfield player when the team has possession of the ball which creates a numerical advantage so that the team has a greater chance of beating the opposition’s press.
Note: This is why involving goalkeepers in the teams rondo exercises in training and certain possession games is also an important part of a goalkeeper’s training.
It should not be assumed the goalkeeper will only use short to medium passes. There will be situations in a game, when the opposition is pressing well, that the goalkeeper will need to be able to execute a long range pass to beat the press.
This means that having good vision and awareness when under pressurised situations is now a vital element to a goalkeepers strengths.
Full-backs
The full-back positions play a key role in the success of the standard 4-3-3. This is mainly as a result of the wide attacking players’ role (which we will get to later).
The full-back will be responsible for giving the team width and being an attacking threat going forward. However, at the same time, they must be able to get back in time to carry out their defensive duties.
This means that the full-back must be incredibly athletic with the fitness capabilities of getting up and down the flanks throughout the game. It is more than likely that this player will do more running than anyone else in the team.
Centre-backs
The centre-backs must be physically strong, good in the air and comfortable with the ball under pressure.
These two players must make good decisions such as when to dribble the ball out of defence, when to play long balls into the runs of the forwards and also linking up well with the defensive midfielder to break the first line of the rival team’s press.
Since the team is set up in an attempt to dominate possession and commit players forward, the centre-backs must also be good at stopping counter-attack and possess the capabilities of dealing with one to one situations.
Defensive Midfielder
The responsibility of the defensive midfield player is to be a link player between the defence and midfield when building-up play from the back whilst also providing defensive cover to help the back four when needed.
In order to achieve this, the player must have great awareness of their surroundings, knowing when to play one or two touch passes and when they can turn (if their back is to goal) with the ball.
The player must also be able to anticipate danger so that they can fill in any gaps that might potentially be exploited by the opposition.
This position has been filled by very different types of players such as the athletic proficiency of N’Golo Kante to the less athletic players in the form of Namanja Matic.
Whichever type of player is used in this position, along with the previously mentioned requirements they will have one thing in common… Being good at reading the game.
Attacking Midfielder
The attacking midfielders are required to create chances with penetrating passes that break the lines whilst also making late runs into the box to be in goal scoring situations.
They must also be able to move the ball quickly with precision passes and vision of their surroundings.
Forwards
With the forward three, teams can play with different styles that suit the players in their team.
One particular team may play with a definitive out and out striker who plays within the width of the 18 yard box and or plays on the shoulder of the last defender.
Another team may have a more dynamic centre forward who can drop deep, allowing space for midfield runs or wide players making diagonal runs in behind the opposition’s back line.
The wide attackers will affect the role of the full-backs, as mentioned earlier in the blog. Many teams using this formation like to play with inverted wingers who move into central areas and therefore opening space, out wide, for the full-backs to run into.
In contrast, as with the evolution of Pep Guardiola’s tactics, a coach might demand his wingers to stay out wide and leave the half space (area between wide and central zones) for the full-backs to occupy and make underlapping runs.
A tactical nuance to the 4-3-3 has been the itroduction of the false number 9.
False number 9 in a 4-3-3
Pep Guardiola has shown that playing with a false number 9 can be very effective in certain games and with the right type of player. However, it does have its critics with regards to its sustainability through a full season.
The false Nº 9 is not a typical centre forward who will be sniffing chances inside the penalty area. This player is more of a playmaker who will drop into deeper positions to get the ball into feet, between the midfield and front line, linking play and creating chances for other players.
Guardiola has used the likes of Lionel Messi, Kevin De Bruyner and Phil Foden in this position, giving them licence to roam which usually results in the team being extremely dominant of possession.
Trying to combat this dominant possession becomes a problem for the opposition as it may require a central defender to step out from the back four to get tight to the false 9, stopping their ability to have time and space on the ball.
This however has a knock on effect due to a large space being created between the full-back and the central defender, on the opposite side, which a midfield runner or the wide attacking player can exploit.