Skip to content
Black Friday deals open 17 NovemberBlack FridayDeals open 17 November.Reserve your priceEarly access: 12 months for the price of 8Early accessEarly access is open: 12 months for the price of 8.See the dealsBlack Friday: up to 12 months for the price of 8Black Friday3 months for the price of 2, up to 12 for 8.See the dealsIt's Black Friday: 12 months for the price of 8Black FridayIt's Black Friday: 12 months for the price of 8, until Monday.See the dealsBlack Friday ends in --:--:-- Last dayBlack Friday ends in --:--:-- See the dealsGive a coach a season: giftsGive a coach a season.Gift cards for coachesLast-minute gift, arrives in minutesLast minuteArrives in minutes, with a printable card.Give the Studio
Total Football
Open the Studio

Formations

Football formations, explained.

A formation is where the eleven start, not how they play. Each page below plays the shape on a real board, phase by phase: with the ball, without it, where it is weak and the fix. Every distance on them is measured on a 105 x 68 m pitch.

Shapes
4
Phases
18
Pitch
105x68

The shapes

  1. 4-3-3 formation, Three triangles: Two wide triangles and one in the middle. Every man has two passing angles.

    Back four · midfield three · front three

    The 4-3-3 formation, explained

    The 4-3-3 on a moving board: the triangles, the 3+2 behind the attack, the 4-1-4-1 block, the space beside the 6 and the fix. Every role explained.

    34 m

    Back line to the 9, without the ball

    Weak spot

    Space beside the 6

    1. 01Three triangles
    2. 02Five up, 3+2 behind
    3. 03Without the ball: 4-1-4-1
    4. 04The weak spot: beside the 6
    5. 05The fix: an 8 drops in turn
    Explain the 4-3-3
  2. 4-2-3-1 formation, The resting shape: Centre-backs 22 m apart. The 10 sits 16 m below the 9.

    Four lines · two holders · one 10

    The 4-2-3-1 formation, explained

    The 4-2-3-1 on a moving board: the resting shape, four against three in the build-up, the 4-4-1-1 block and the duel that decides it. Every role explained.

    22 m

    Between the centre-backs

    Weak spot

    Their 6 against our 10

    1. 01The resting shape
    2. 02Four against three
    3. 03Without the ball: 4-4-1-1
    4. 04The duel that decides it
    5. 05The fix: the 10 stays on him
    Explain the 4-2-3-1
  3. 4-4-2 formation, Two banks of four: Lines 11 m apart, 22 m from the back line to the front two, 44 m across.

    Two banks of four · two up front

    The 4-4-2 formation, explained

    The 4-4-2 on a moving board: two banks of four, the distances, sliding to the ball, two against three in midfield and the fix. Every role explained.

    11 m

    Between the lines

    Weak spot

    Two against three in midfield

    1. 01Two banks of four
    2. 02Slide together
    3. 03Two against three
    4. 04The fix: the 10 drops onto him
    Explain the 4-4-2
  4. Back three formation, Five across the front: Three behind, two in midfield, and five on the last line, one in each lane.

    3-4-3 · 3-5-2 · a back five without the ball

    Three at the back, explained

    Three at the back on a moving board: five lanes, the back five, two against three in midfield and the centre-back who steps in. 3-4-3 and 3-5-2.

    About 12 m

    Between neighbours in the back five

    Weak spot

    One fewer in midfield

    1. 01Five across the front
    2. 02Without the ball: a back five
    3. 03Two against three in midfield
    4. 04The fix: an outside centre-back steps in
    Explain the Back three

Side by side

Which shape, against which problem.

4-3-3 4-2-3-1 4-4-2 Back three
Measured 34 m
Back line to the 9, without the ball		22 m
Between the centre-backs		11 m
Between the lines		About 12 m
Between neighbours in the back five
It gives you Triangles everywhere before anyone moves: two passing angles for every player.Two holders in front of the back four, so both full-backs can attack.Width without running: four across in each line, so the flanks are covered before the ball gets there.A spare centre-back against one or two strikers, without taking a player out of midfield.
Weak spot Space beside the 6Their 6 against our 10Two against three in midfieldOne fewer in midfield
To beat it Put a man in the space beside their 6. A 10 or a dropping forward there makes him choose.Free your holder from their 10. If he gets the ball facing forward, the 4-2-3-1 has no one left to step.Play with a midfield three. Their holding midfielder is free between the two strikers.Play with a midfield three: two against three in the middle is where a back three loses.
On the board 5 phases →5 phases →4 phases →4 phases →

The Formation Playbooks

Every role, every phase, in a book.

The whole shelf