Having a robust defense is the key to stopping sides that have extremely technical players. Much more about this below.
No matter soccer team you support you will likely concur that one of the most common football formations in the history of football is the 4-4-2. Compared to other popular tactics, this offensive disposition utilises two strikers, and that makes it among the higher-scoring football strategies. Defense-wise, it is considered well-adjusted as the midfielders would be put in a lozenge figure and those closer to the defense line are needed to focus more on defense responsibilities while also helping the wingers and strikers in the attacking stance by feeding them through balls and long passes. Moving to the offensive duo, the Arsenal FC owner would confirm that a great deal of clubs tend to utilise a well-built striker alongside a more technically-skilled forward who has the capability to dribble past defenders. These two profiles enhance one another as the latter would produce chances in tight areas whereas the former would score in close proximity to the goalie.
Whilst most football coaches would have various techniques and strategies in their football tactics book, they all often tend to be variations of their signature game plan, given that they only present minor tweaks depending upon the other team's design of play and in-match scenarios. In this context, the AC Milan former US owner would likely concur that one of the most popular football tactics that has actually been used by lots of top teams is the 4-2-3-1. Football coaches ordinarily use this tactic when they want to manage the midfield and impose their style of play on the opposing, especially when taking into account that five or 6 players will occupy the midfield area in the defense stance or when developing play. When in the attacking position, the 3 attacking midfielders have to be technically-skilled as they will have to get creative in order to open more area for the centre forward and the two full backs.
Each coach has a specific tactic of play as some enjoy executing offensive football formations, whereas others go with defensive plays. For example, specific teams are known to have a defensive design of play that hinges on solid defense lines and quick counterattacks, and the Lille former owner is most likely to validate this. When it comes to defensive football formations, the most used and efficient one according to lots of experts is the 4-5-1. This formation places a higher focus on defense, which implies that the adversary would have more ownership of the ball, which might work in the favour of mostly-defensive groups. This puts enormous pressure on the offensive lines of the opponent as the bloc of defenders may either repossess the ball and counterattack while the group is exposed, or the pressure might get to the opponent to the point that they start making errors and lose the ball.