Day 18 – Lineups and formations

Topic Point: The lineup for soccer consists of 11 players: 10 field players and 1goalkeeper. The field players are generally distributed amongst the positionsof defenders (or fullbacks), midfielders (or halfbacks), and forwards. Furtherqualifiers include whether a particular position is central or to one side, ormore attacking vs defending within the line (for example attacking centralmidfielder). There can be more specialized nomenclature as well such as“striker”, “winger”, “sweeper”, or “marking back”. The formation used, and thevariations within those formations, are designed to utilize the team’sstrengths, as well as counteract the opposing team’s strengths.

The conventional reference to a team’sformation is to indicate the number of defenders, the number of midfielders,and lastly the number of forwards (the goalkeeper is implied). A very commonlyused formation is 4 defenders, 4 midfielders, and 2 forwards and is therebydesignated 4-4-2. Note that the numbers of the formation always add up to 10;however, if a player is ejected, the team will play with 9 field players, orless if multiple players are ejected (to be discussed Day 20)

Ted Lasso: CoachBeard regularly reads the book Inverting the Pyramid, a real book aboutthe history of soccer tactics.[1]The coaches also discuss the 4-4-2 formation briefly and Total Football, atactic that was developed in the Netherlands and is utilized by Manchester Cityof the English Premier League.

Soccer-related note: Between the length of season and the variety of opponents, not tomention injuries, the starting lineup changes more frequently than one wouldexpect. The evolution of formations is perhaps similarly unexpected, with thegame originally starting with a very offense-heavy setup (2 fullbacks, 3midfielders, and 5 forwards or 2-3-5). Interestingly, this formation did not necessarilyresult in more scoring. As strategy and skill evolved, and rules changed (suchas the offsides rule), the formations changed as well. There is now a moreuniform distribution of responsibility and unison of movement among the players.Hence the book, Inverting the Pyramid.

The formation indicates whether a playerhas a more offensive vs defensive role, along with whether they will play morecentrally or to one side. However, most of the players, even defenders andforwards, cover almost as ground as the midfielders with dynamic interchange tocatch the other team off guard and create an advantage. Within the midfieldespecially, numbers may be stacked (5 midfielders) with intricate organizationto how those 5 players will cover space, defend, and attack. Other formationsyou may see in the World Cup include 3-5-2, 4-5-1, or even 4-4-1-1 or 3-5-1-1.

American Sports comparison: American football has evolved significantly over the decades.Initially designed to incorporate power, the game evolved by utilizingformations to increase running vs passing options, as well as disguise intentand incorporate misdirection. Famous formation names include the “T-formation”,the “I-formation”, and the “Pro-Set”. Not too long ago, a team would line upwith 2 running backs, 2 wide receivers, 1 tight end, and 1 quarterback (and 5offensive lineman). The modern game utilizes what we can generically term a“spread-formation” with increasingly complex designs and patterns, typicallywith 3-4 wide receivers and only 1 running back (or sometimes an emptybackfield).

Similarly, basketball has evolved from thehistoric tradition of 2 guards, 2 forwards, and 1 center with steady tempo. Therewas the high-paced fast-break era (Celtics and Lakers of the 1970s-1980s)followed by strategic but free movement of the Bulls’ triangle offense of the1990s. The modern game sacrifices size (the center) for tall, athletic (orsometimes shorter but athletic) players that can dribble, shoot, and pass withspeed and agility; and there is an emphasis on long-range shooting.

[1] Jonathan Wilson, the author of Inverting the Pyramid, is awell-respected journalist and author. He has written several books on thehistory of soccer through several different lenses. He supports Sunderland, theteam that Roy Kent joined for his youth development.

Interactive:

First, here is a link to the website of RedBull.com, sponsor of the MLS team New York Red Bulls. The site lists various formations and explains their tactical advantages and disadvantages.

https://www.redbull.com/us-en/soccer-formations

Second, we have a link to a YouTube video explaining some of the common formations and their advantages.

Third, we have a link to a YouTube video explaining various American football formations. While this has no direct bearing on our project of understanding soccer and the World Cup, it shows the similarity between soccer and football about using formations to maximize advantages.

Last, we have a link to a YouTube video narrated by Dennis Rodman and he explains the Bulls' triangle offense. The fluidity of the formation is key here. If you notice the various soccer lineup formations, you can make dozens of triangles with different players all over the field. The triangles move and change, and Phil Jackson created that with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s.

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