iNickStuffUnorthodox yes, experimental yes, but doomed? I would like to think not. This formation has few recollections to real football and probably will not be implemented for a very long time until a manager is brave enough to put it into practice. Even then, the results of it could be sporadic and ultimately fail in a trial-and-error basis spanning decades. But the 4-1-3-2 could be a future common formation, if exposed enough to the very extent that it is as widely regarded as the 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or the 4-1-2-1-2.
A formation that retains the simple "four at the back" does not look to venture out of it's means with three defenders and two wing backs that temporarily create a three-man defence and then a five-man. This allows both the full backs to stay in their positions to create the simple back four but yet allow them to roam forward in search of intercepting tackles, passes and distributing the ball back to team-mates in a general fashion; whether forward or backwards in favouring of the central defenders or the central midfielder.
The central midfielder's role, the hub of the centre, looks to retain possession in tackling, intercepting and looking for loose possession. That is then transferred into finding the full backs, wingers or the attacking midfielder infront of them, in turn creates an attacking move whilst they still try to hold the midfield's shape. One large criticism of the formation would, quite obviously, be the fact that there is only one holding midfielder and creates large gaps in the centre for the opposition to exploit. The attacking midfielder dropping deep into the centre, to find passes from the central midfielder, would then allow the formation to convert itself into a 4-2-2-2 formation whilst the wingers can opt to stay further up the pitch or drop further down to the half-way line and cover the spaces. This would then convert it into a 4-4-2 formation.
The attacking midfielder would mainly find themselves in attacking moves, spraying passes left, wide and centre to then find the players in space, exploit the opposition's defensive line and create chances - either on the break or within control of possession. Their main job is to pick up possession, make runs and to find either short or direct passes in the final thirds of the pitch where the wingers would stay compact and against the opposition full backs, or through the centre where one of the strikers would drop deep and look to draw out one of the central defenders from the opposing team. The inner arrows as shown on the diagram indicate the types of passes the attacking midfielder could make, whilst the outer arrows indicate the runs.
Finally, the striker's role descriptions are divided into two sections; (a) making space (b) creating chances. The first, making space, would be temporarily forge the role of an attacking midfielder in order to find a pass from the midfield or the defence that then allows the team to keep possession and not hurry a pass that would often fall into the hands of the opposition. By doing that, they then become what is called a "false nine" and draw the central defenders out of position, allowing the other striker to make a run inside and capitalise on the mistakes made. The second, creating chances, would be to be making runs in and around the 12-18 yard box, looking for passes (long, short, aerial) and crosses from either the wingers or the full backs. When they are in the spaces, the 12-18 yard boxes, they can then have the opportunity to shoot on goal and possibly score.
This is rough, untested and very much in the need of tweaking, it is understood. This may well be a sketch of Barcelona when they are attacking, but nevertheless it's a concept that could be adopted in the future; dependent on who is willing to take the risk.
28.10.2011
nvrDon't you think there's a huge gap between CBs and DM? Your DM would have to be a superhuman to cover that area.
28.10.2011
iNickStuffYes, indeed, that is a huge flaw in the tactic, but that's the point of it being a concept - it's very experimental.
The AMC would most likely drop back to try and create a 4-2-2-2 even.
01.11.2011
