Football Tactics 4-1-4-1


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3-1-4-2
3-2-3-2
3-2-4-1
3-3-1-3
3-3-3-1
3-4-1-2
3-4-2-1
3-4-3
3-5-1-1
3-5-2
4-1-2-3
4-1-3-2

4-1-4-1

4-2-1-3
4-2-2-2
4-2-3-1
4-3-1-2
4-3-2-1
4-3-3
4-4-1-1
4-4-2
4-5-1
5-3-2
5-4-1

For practical reasons
4-4-2 diamond
is represented
4-3-1-2
or
4-1-3-2


Numbering Systems

4-1-4-1 formation
GK - Goalkeeper
DF - Defenders:
    RB - Right-back
    SW - Sweeper
    CB - Centre-back
    LB - Left-back
MF - Midfielders:
    RM - Right-midfield
    LM - Left-midfield
    CM - Central Midfielders
        DM - Defensive midfielder
        BX - Box-to-Box CM
        AM - Attacking midfielder
FW - Forwards:
    RW - Right-wing
    ST - Striker
    LW - Left-wing

11-Jul-07 05:58
riostrioff
chelsea

negative football
12-Mar-08 11:00
guest 213.131.90.163
it s very similar to 4-5-1 by the way,
09-Nov-08 19:56
guest 90.206.114.119
This can be classed as very defensive but,also when attacking you can move forward with 5 players. With the defensive midfield player moving up to act as sixth attacker playing in the hole.
26-Nov-08 08:18
alandrew
Attacking (Lokomotiv Moscow 2008).
By the way, attacking or defensive approach depends not on formation but on style of midfield players. In Loko center midfielders (Torbinsky, Glushakov, Mujiri) as well as flanks (Bilyaletdinov, Cocis, Sychev) have attacking mind, though they also work at rebounds and defense.
This formation easily converts in 4-2-3-1 (for example, Glushakov in more defensive role alongside Gurenko) with one of two holding midfielders regularly mounting to support the attack, or in 4-1-3-2 with one of flank midfielders (Sychev) playing as second forward.
04-Mar-09 23:59
minikolas
i believe is the antidote for 4-4-1-1 , if your team has a very good DM to mark the FW of the other team and your 4 midfielders are fast.
05-Mar-09 08:37
guest 203.219.160.133
It s defensive, but look at how good Spain were at Euro 2008! You must have a good striker to use this formation....seriously, David Villa or Fernando Torres at that time....two of the best strikers in Europe (and prolly the two best). Marcos Senna did a great job in the holding role. and when you have Xavi, Iniesta, Silva and Fabregas playing in front of you, your team will create plenty of chances, despite only having the one striker
09-May-09 13:02
guest 123.243.113.9
very defensive formation, usually used to stifle the midfield by packing it with players, generally requires the use of wide players to create goals. The striker must either be very quick or very strong to break away or bring players into the game respectively. Very negative tactic with its main focus being the clean sheet.
29-Oct-11 16:13
guest 92.8.57.49
This isnt a negative tactic. This is actually the defensive phrase of the 4-3-3 formation.
11-Jan-12 21:39
swannie
GBBirmingham
the team i play for uses this formation. and it is negative and unless you have superb wingers and a strong fast striker you will find it frustrating (striker especially)ideal if ya wanna sure up a leaky defence! but if you are looking for goals this probably isnt the way forward! i would use this formation if playing a team superior in quality to your own!!
08-Sep-12 02:41
Adam
USMaine
I use this formation with a women s team and it has proven to be very effective and creates a good balance between offense and defense. It has improved our overall ball possession and encouraged creativity from the midfield and striker. I agree that one of the keys to success is having a fast and talented striker. I would also add that it fits a team that has speedy and skilled backs.
04-Jun-14 00:47
guest 108.47.235.47
I use this with my boys team I coach. It does not have to be defensive at all. It s basically a twist of a 4-3-3.., but I incorporate my fullbacks into the attack.. & when they are forward the CDM falls in between the CB s. Basically play with 3 backs until we lose the ball. It s an amazing formation, just have to have the right movement and purpose.
29-Aug-14 09:12
guest 36.253.232.149
To consider this formation Defensive is OLD approach.
This formation is finding more popularity nowadays for its more versatile approach in midfield.
Only the type of player you use can determine the mindset(Defensive or Offensive).
The main advantage of this formation is no matter how you use it you are able to cover more ground in offence or defence.
But the main disadvantages being the LONE STRIKER
and the link-up between striker and midfielders.
But this formation would get a big thumbs up from any team with plenty of good midfielders and a overall good striker.
13-Jan-15 14:36
guest 92.253.110.59
can anybody explain why it is defensive when u have 2 wingers and 2 playmakers behind the striker and only 1 defensive midfielder?
11-Feb-15 03:20
guest 192.103.180.181
Agree with previous post. This isn t necessarily a defensive formation. It is a balanced formation. You have four mids that are free to get involved in offense, as they have 4 defenders and a holding mid/stopper behind them.
I believe if you control the middle of the field, you are probably going to win the game in the end, and this formation will let you do that. Having a talented striker definitely helps - it always does! - but I think having a striker with talent focused on ball distribution to overlapping mids or drop to center mids is going to be the key. A team with good ball control mids could really dominate with this formation.
30-May-17 20:53
guest 5.127.244.222
This is a formation which the manager can play with both sort of football, negative or offensive
-Negative in condition that make these four midfields which are behind the striker play in own half
-Offensive in condition that make them play forward . For example Manchester city 2016-2017
13-Jul-18 20:18
guest 77.216.198.118
Dalic’s Croatia formation, while officially on paper a 4231 in actuality is an 4141, with Brozovic playing the defensive mid and both Modric and Rakitic given free reign forward, all while the side players tuck on the same level on the start and soon as the ball is lost.

We’ve seen both some great attacking football from Croatia, we have seen equally as much great defensive football from the same side. It’s a formation that gives a good balance to both and doesn’t promote one over the other, and it’s an excellent formation to fit in two playmakers of similar skills on the same field.

Due to the nature of the midfield the Croatia mostly sought to press high up the pitch, with five players, while leaving only one up when out of possession - packing two banks relatively deep and tucking in to keep compactness, leaving only the absolute sides open.

In this iteration it’s a very balanced and stable formation perhaps the only glaring weakness is lack of direct ball penetration, there’s a high reliance on running down the channels from the creative two, and constant switching sides - which can get obvious and easy to read after a while.

Perhaps the best formation for a small team playing against a bigger, better team?
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