Coaching the 3-5-2

[Jerzy]

Interesting handout I found, but I'm leaning trying to build this a system, and at the youth level, I think I don't need four defenders, so I like the idea of dominating the midfield and still having two attackers.

What's anyone think?

[ian.curry]

It's a very difficult thing to ask of a child to play as a wing back, certainly before their spurt.
I agree, at times 4 defenders is excessive, so what good 4-4-2 teams do is have their full backs push on beyond halfway. If my right winger has the ball, the right back needs to be within 10-15 yards of him, for a pass behind - or making the overlapping run to cross.
As he moves, the 3 remaining defenders slide across, with the opposite FB still high up the pitch.

Playing 2 central defenders and 1 sweeper lieaves the offside line a bit wonky for starters. It is also important that one midfielder plays the defensive role(Geremi, Essien).
It does dominate the midfield battle, but how will you work back against counte attacks? This is where a formation/system needs to be precise.

[74offsuit]

I use the 3-5-2 with my U16's. We have been playing this way for about three years.

I do not agree it is difficult to coach wing backs. I have many players in my squad who can play this position. Once you have explained to a wing back that it is not possible to cover BOTH attacking and defensive duties at the same time, they easily concentrate on one of those at a time. Pace, stamina, dribbling, intelligence are all good skills for wing backs.

The key position in my opinion is the defensive central midfielder. This is the player who guards the back three, and begins offensive operations. It needs a player with a mature attitude, because although labelled 'defensive' this position is all action.

For further reading I can recommend 'Coaching the 3-5-2' by Kevin Thelwell. It is fairly advanced and designed for coaching older players.

[Val]

I was leaning towards the 3-5-2 as well. Since most teams around here try playing the 4-4-2 it seems to me that having a flat back four has too many defenders. But I'm leaning towards the 3-4-3, which was used by the best girls soccer program here in the US, by Anson Dorrance at University of North Carolina. More than a diamond in the middle, he ran pretty much a flat-line 4 across midfield which meant the good support angles were easier to create.