formations

[byouth]

My son goes from under 10s to under 11s this season, but the league he plays in gives the option to go to 9 aside or 11 aside, his team has gone for 9 aside which i feel is the best option, i also beleive they do this at academy and CofE aswell.

[Chezz]

This is my first season as a coach having decided to get into developing the girls under 10's football in England.

Formation wise, I know that I would have to rotate players as like someone else mentioned, it's good for all the players to have a go in every position. For example I played a girl in midfield who looked had a lot of energy and looked up for it, she had an okay game. After a few games I put her in defence and she was excellent, made some great tackles and even set up a goal! I didn't want to start off the season teaching formations and positioning to young kids because at the end of the day they probably can't stick to it on a pitch all the time, but it's looking okay at the moment so i'm keeping going with formation work

I have started the season with a 2-2-2 formation and have tried to build little friendships and understandings in defence, mid and attack. This seems to be working with the two defenders covering eachother when one goes for the tackle, same in mid and attack.

Now that they are getting used to how to play, i'm going to start looking at triangle football, the best way you can play for me. Here I can ask one of the attackers to make a triangle with the two mids which will help when players have the ball. This works in mid when the defence have the ball a mid can come in the traingle.

I don't think it's complicated but helps players to support eachother, look for the easy pass and move for the easy pass. I work on this in training and it's staring to work on the pitch.

Anyway that's enough from me!

Cheers

[Jerzy]

Originally Posted by Chezz

This is my first season as a coach having decided to get into developing the girls under 10's football in England.

I'm sure Val will be happy to hear of that decision.... Welcome aboard.

[mcolwell1959]

Originally Posted by Chezz

This is my first season as a coach having decided to get into developing the girls under 10's football in England.

Formation wise, I know that I would have to rotate players as like someone else mentioned, it's good for all the players to have a go in every position. For example I played a girl in midfield who looked had a lot of energy and looked up for it, she had an okay game. After a few games I put her in defence and she was excellent, made some great tackles and even set up a goal! I didn't want to start off the season teaching formations and positioning to young kids because at the end of the day they probably can't stick to it on a pitch all the time, but it's looking okay at the moment so i'm keeping going with formation work

I have started the season with a 2-2-2 formation and have tried to build little friendships and understandings in defence, mid and attack. This seems to be working with the two defenders covering eachother when one goes for the tackle, same in mid and attack.

Now that they are getting used to how to play, i'm going to start looking at triangle football, the best way you can play for me. Here I can ask one of the attackers to make a triangle with the two mids which will help when players have the ball. This works in mid when the defence have the ball a mid can come in the traingle.

I don't think it's complicated but helps players to support eachother, look for the easy pass and move for the easy pass. I work on this in training and it's staring to work on the pitch.

Anyway that's enough from me!

Cheers

I think that 2-2-2 does encourage a long ball game to an extent? As i have said previously i much prefer 2-3-1, which is more fluid and aids itself well to 'triangles'. I am a strong advocate of triangles and encourage my 3 midfield players to link with the lone forward to from these triangles. You do have do practice it and keep reinforcing it but it does work at under 10 level because it did work for me at under 9's (boys mainly but a few girls here and there in this part of England).

[Val]

I agree with colwell that the 2-3-1 is a more effective formation overall, but it is harder to teach, esp when starting out. Much easier to teach the forwards to stay up and act as targets then to teach 3 midfielders the nuance of space. Last year with U10s playing 6v6 I played a 2-1-2 and this year I've transitioned to the 2-2-1. Next year when we move to 8v8 I'll transition to a 2-3-2.

[nelson]

what about under-11 lads? is the basic 4-4-2 the best option from anyone's experience?

i'd love to hear if anyone's had success with other formations or this one?

[Jerzy]

That is the English standard, right? That's why the magazine is 4-4-2 and not 4-5-1...

I play more of a 4-3-3. 1) because I love wingers and I've never had the players who can cover the wings if I play when I have tried the 4-4-2. 2) I still prefer the sweeper system, which at this age is more of a diamond back four.

[74offsuit]

I use a modified 3-5-2 with my U16's

Really 3-1-4-2 with 3 CB's 1 Def Mid. 2 WB's 2 Centre Mids and two strikers.

But you are right, every other team we have played in the last three years has been 4-4-2.

The biggest weakness I can see with my formation, is if we play against good quality intelligent wingers. These can really stretch our defensive resources.

The main point of this formation is to overload the midfield 3 v 2. I believe it leads to better attacking football.

[nelson]

Thanks for the input. Yes this is the basic 4-4-2 used commonly in England.

I've been playing this system rigidly every game since we went to 11-a-side this season, results haven't been what i'd hoped and i'm just wondering if anyone else had success moving away from a 4-4-2. I'm loathe to experiment in a league game but it might come to that....

[Jerzy]

Well, the only reason to change would be if you felt your players would benefit from something else. First off, what are you comfortable teaching? I've tried to like the flat back 4, as it is called in my neck of the woods, but I just don't like it. I prefer the sweeper system: I like depth in defense, I've got players who can play the sweeper and distribute well, and I think it is easier to have the sweeper move forward to play offsides than an entire line. You should only play with a formation you like. Secondly, where are you getting beat? One guy in my league plays both his center mids very defensively and he gets beat in midfield all the time. Where are you weak? And lastly, where are you strong? You've got young players: I've always found the 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 to be good for younger players because the channels/thirds of the field seem to be more easily understood, so spacing is less of an issue.