F.C. Barcelona Football Formation

Lineup (3-4-3)

I call this my 3-3-4 extreme attack. Combining 3-4-5 and 5-1-4, i created a high attacking formation with minor defense however. This formation has won me numerous games on fifa 13 & 14. First of the position are quite unique because i deploy alves and alba as right and left wing backs respectively. I make busquests and mascherano center defense midfielders. Rakitic is used as a center attacking midfielder. Neymar and deulofeu are wingers. Messi however is a false nine/ second striker/ centre foward while suarez is the lone striker. This formation is partially organised but more free flowing total football. Every player on the field excluding the goalkeeper and lone center back can score(albeit a corner or crossing freekick) can score. Its also organized because there is hierarchy in goal scoring and assist tallies. The striker is expected to have the most goal tally, followed by the false-nine, wingers, THEN the wing backs, before the attacking mid then defense mid. Assist wise, attacking mid comes first, false nine, wing-backs, before wingers. Free-form meaning it does not have to follow this order. This formation is high attacking because first of all, the use of wing backs will mean 6 players tasked with being forward taking part in breaking down the opponents defense in addition to the contribution of the attacking mid. Like the barca style this will include tiki-taka, but to an extremely less degree as it will be more movement of players and ball to trick and break down defense. Short passes and long passes both work but more short to average passes to keep things more fluid, beautiful, consise, and unpredictable. Long passes occasionally when reading game and opportunity calls for it. This makes this formation effective. Another unique thing is this formation can have the game slowed down like barca's traditional tiki-taka but faster and also speed up to mess with defenders. Keep speed on normal but never slow. NO
OVER PASSING. Crossing and shot taking can be either equal or a team will have more shot taking than crossing depending on height of team. Crossing can never be more the shot taking as this formation will never be effective offensively that way. 85% shot taking with average to short players and 60% shot taking with tall forward to head balls from wingers or eing-backs.The advanced false-nine and attacking mid are the creative brains and the false nine needs to be both a goal threat and passing threat. The wing backs have little defensive roles because of defense tasks shared among them, defensive mids and wingers. the defense mids are tasked with pushing the ball up but being behind a play to stop counters. Wingers also have a customised position because they are also tasked with stopping counters depending on their position of the field. During an offensive play, wingers are either in front of the wing backs or behind them. Whoever is behind will be in the midfield with the defense mids and centre back. Also, whoever is behind has to run back to assist with defensive counters, hence the 5-1-4 formation because five players are tasked to stop counters. These players are the centre back, defensive mids, and either wing backs or wingers. A winger on the left and wing bak in thenright can both drop back. Does not have to be both players from the same position. Just depends on who went forward to attack and who had to drop back as a result. For example alves and neymar will drop back and stop counters if deulofeu and alba happened to be forward helping the attack when it was countered. This defense pattern also creates more attack because the three players in the back can have the ball passed to them and attempt long range shots. This can be effective because one, the 6 players attacking including defenders trying to stop blinds the goalie and two. The players who drop back can be wingers and will have great finishing when striking. Aside from counters normal defense will have defensive mids and wing backs dropping back to create a 5 man defense. No deliberate offside traps. Cover defense, alot of pressure due to attacking mid and wingers taking part of defense helping double team whoever is on the ball. Left winger helps double on the left side of the pitch, attacking mid helps double team middle of the pitch and right winger helps double team left side of the pitch. Wing backs close gaps and shooting lanes. To help better position the goalie. Centre forward and striker have little to no defensive role except stay onside and missing just incase if counters. This creates fluid defense it enables zone as double team defense. And this transitions to great offense on counters because wingers are already on the move when the ball is taken from opposition. On counters, it becomes a 4 man attack because wingers fasle-nine, and striker are mainly tasked to score although attacking mid can also score. Defensive mids are allowed to pull forward on counters and take part in goal scoring and passing to. Only on counters are wing-backs to stay behind and not get involved directly. They are slowly move up the pitch with centre back to have the original three man defense right behind the counter. Just incase the counter is countered, the best three defenders are tasked with stopping it. In conclusion this is my ideal formation. It requires speed from EVERY position. In barca, my favorite team, this is our fast squad. Iniesta for rakitic will be just fine but iniesta at old age lacks the build and strength fir its high tempo and high toll of stamina and fitness. Thats why if barca was to use this formation. These are the players to play it. This will be obviously 85-90% shot taking due to barca's lack of height but fluidity of formation and passing makes shot taking unpredictable and just as dangerous each time.