best formation.

[richard]

Hi i after some advice.
I've just started coaching an under 14's team. I've coach other age groups before, but this team has a unquie problem to me. The last coach had the attuide of it dosent matter if we win just as long as we have fun. Which is fine. After 4 years of picking up a couple of points a season a change of direction was needed. Thats where i come in.

The problem is i'm top heavy with attackers and all my defensive players stuggle to say the least. Any one know of a formation where i can strengthen my defence. Bear in mind though none of them seem to have much postional sense.

Any ideas and any details you can give me in trying to get this across would be helpful.

Thanks Richard
edd1e@supanet.com

[Val]

I presume you're playing 11 a side. Just based on what you told me, maybe a 3 - 5 - 2.

Two definite forwards and two definite wingers. Take your three best players and explain that they are going to be broadened a bit, and play them as your back three. Then have your defenders play the central 3 midfield positions. You'll have a defensive midfield and an attacking back line so you should be able to get some mismatches. You'll have enough adjustments, but don't try to play an offsides trap.

Oh, and welcome to GrassRootsCoaching.

[74offsuit]

I agree with Val on this, I also use 3-5-2 for my U15's.

The main reason is that I believe, it is a good formation to make all my players 'footballers' rather than imposing labels which may or may not be relevant in the future ie 'You are a defender etc'

The other point I would make, is to make all your players aware that without the ball they are all defenders, until you get the ball back.

This is a good starting point for drills and practises aimed at defending.

[chris.wildy]

Originally Posted by 74offsuit

I agree with Val on this, I also use 3-5-2 for my U15's.

The main reason is that I believe, it is a good formation to make all my players 'footballers' rather than imposing labels which may or may not be relevant in the future ie 'You are a defender etc'

The other point I would make, is to make all your players aware that without the ball they are all defenders, until you get the ball back.

This is a good starting point for drills and practises aimed at defending.

i would agree with top two but if your getting bate more than wining i would go with 4-5-1 i use this with kids and my auldt team have a good strong guy who good in the air and put him in to center back always work with a lone stricker it confuse the other manger `s and the 5 in mid feild is two wingers who run there we socks of all day one holding in mid field at all time one free man who is a defender and a mid feild and an attacker and the other is a sneeky forward to will team up with the lone strikker when your i na attack mode so all in you should have 3 att 1 mid holding and 4 def and you play this wright you coulden losse

[74offsuit]

My main argument against four at the back is, I tend to find my right and left backs stick too rigidly to their position.

This may sound like a good thing! but what I mean is, when we have posession, and are in the attacking third, the two full backs stand on the half way line!

I know that top level professional clubs use their full backs as attacking wing back type players, but I have found this to be too much of an advanced concept to coach to youngsters.

In a 3-5-2 I can say to my wing backs, 'You are a midfielder, but a defensive midfielder' this appears to resonate with the players.

I also play a central defensive midfielder, so I still have kind of four at the back anyway, but in a more fluid way, enabling good potential for counter attacks.

Tactically, I find the vast majority of opposition coaches, conservatively play 4-4-2, I like to be able to out number their midfield, as this is where the main battle is.

[Jerzy]

So, Richard, how has it gone with the team thus far? Did you move your kids around any?

[richard]

Hi,
Yeah sorry i havent kept you all informed.
First match the team we played against were bottom of the league so the timing of the change was perfect, we won 7-0.

Second match should have proved more of a problem they are second we beat them 1-3, and there goal only came when we had changed our goalie to a player who is intrested in going in goal. He has only had 1 hours training for goal as well.

As for moving players around.

We put our fastest player as LCB and our second as RCB. Put our playmaker as RCM and a left footed player as LCM instead of out on the wing. We put Dm as the Cm and we havent looked back since.
Thanks for the help and advice.

If you have any drills you could email over to help would be a great help.
edd1e@supanet.com

[daava]

I have been trying a 4:2:4 formation with my 4th defender acting as a deeper midfielder to cover the midfielders when they are attacking. I then have a 4th forward who stays back at the point and can pick up the balls at the top of the formation. It works if your 4th attacker has a stong solid kick.

[djasha68]

"We put our fastest player as LCB and our second as RCB. Put our playmaker as RCM and a left footed player as LCM instead of out on the wing. We put Dm as the Cm and we havent looked back since.
Thanks for the help and advice."

I dont mean to be rude, but I do find this reply a little hard to believe. I have swapped formations before, but without your team fully understanding their role in the game, and as we all know it takes time to coach formations properly, even to adult teams, especially when you only see your team once a week, it does not make your team instantly better. It could be down to you now have players playing in positions that are more suited to them, or just that your team is better than theirs. Very few youth teams I have watched play formations anything like they need to for them to be really effetive.

[mj.cameron]

This is kids football isn't it?

Surely the emphasis should be on producing players comfortable on the ball rather than worrying to greatly about formations?

I coach U12s and generally move them about (position-wise) so that they can learn to operate all over the field.

If the kids are focusing to much on their positional play, then they are missing out on focusing on their skills and techniques.

Having said that. I generally use a 4:3:3 as I find it helps encourage attacking football