The role of the more defensive central midfielder also requires lots of discipline and skill, as they will often be outnumbered in key central areas.

Firstly, the wide midfielders need to be able to quickly mount counter-attacks and carry the ball forward with pace, but they also need to constantly track back and give their full-backs protection. As we mentioned before, it's a highly demanding formation that requires discipline and hard work all over the pitch. This might all sound rosy so far, but unfortunately, there are also some clear disadvantages to playing 4-4-2. What are the weaknesses of a 4-4-2 formation? Passing the ball out from the back will also be much harder with two attackers closing you down at all times. Opposition central defenders are under constant threat of being left in a 1v1 situation, which will tend to favor the attacker. Defending against a strike partnership can be really tough, because you have nowhere near the same amount of time and space as you would against one central striker. It's worth focusing a little more on the benefits of having two strikers, especially because this is something you don't see too often in the modern game. The four defenders and four midfielders can line up rigidly in front of the 18-yard line, forming 'two banks of four' and allowing the two forwards to remain high up the pitch, ready to pounce in the event of a counter-attack. If a coach wants to set up defensively, absorbing pressure and allowing the opponents to have possession, this shape is great for it. With its solid defensive line, its attacking width, and its ability to ensure that players can quickly flock into forward areas, the 4-4-2 is the perfect system for counter-attacking football (this will become abundantly clear later on, when we explore which teams have favored this system). Best utilized for the purposes of counter-attacking football, this formation can be demanding (more on this shortly), but when played right, it can also be super effective. Perfected during the early Premier League era of the 1990s, 4-4-2 was the go-to system for most English teams for the best part of two decades. What are the strengths of a 4-4-2 formation? Having these bodies occupying advanced positions throughout a match can cause real problems, which leads us smoothly onto our next area of focus, the key strengths of a 4-4-2. Finally, the 4-4-2 shape uses a strike partnership, relying on these two forwards to press opposition defenders and consistently provide an out ball for the midfield and defense. Of those two central midfielders, one will usually sit back and provide more defensive cover, while the other will roam forward and create attacking opportunities. Sandwiched between those two winger positions is a central midfield partnership, which completes the midfield four. The right-back and left-back (also called full-backs) focus primarily on defensive duties, because offensive width is provided by two wide midfielders ahead of them.

This formation uses a back four made up of two center-backs, a right-back, and a left-back. The basics of a 4-4-2 soccer formation are pretty simple. But let's start with the basics what does a 4-4-2 shape look like? It still has its advocates today, although its popularity has certainly reduced over the years.īut why is that? And what made the 4-4-2 system so widely used in the first place? In this article, we'll take you through the key uses, positions, benefits, and weaknesses of this formation.

Before the Spain and Barcelona teams of the late noughties started to rip up the script and make possession-based football the Premier League norm, there was one system that totally dominated English football: 4-4-2.

Soccer position numbers 4 4 2