Sint-Truiden Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Kokubo (Coppens) · Van Helden · Godeau (Lambotte) · Taniguchi · Vanwesemael (Ananou) · Yamamoto · Ito · Ogawa · Fujita · Zahiroleslam · Bertaccini (Nhaili)

Sint-Truiden look to play a vertical style of football that relies on quick transitions. This 3-5-2 formation is built to control the center of the pitch while using wide players to stretch the defence. The formation allows the team to stay compact when the opponent has the ball and strike hard once the ball is won.

Kokubo stays between the posts to guard the goal. The defensive unit sits in a narrow defensive block with three center backs. Godeau acts as the central defender to win headers and clear the lines. Taniguchi and Van Helden play as the wide center backs to cover the spaces left by the wing backs. Taniguchi focuses on defending the left channel while Van Helden handles the right. This back three works together to hold the line and pick up runners in the box.

The midfield consists of a central trio and two wide players. Fujita operates in the middle to connect the defensive and attacking lines. Ito and Yamamoto play as the central midfielders to help win the second ball and drive forward with the ball. To provide width, Ogawa and Vanwesemael push up the flanks as wing backs. Ogawa provides cover on the left while Vanwesemael attacks the right. This helps the team squeeze the space in the middle and move the ball forward.

Up front, the team uses two forwards in a partnership. Zahiroleslam and Bertaccini work together to press the opposition back line. Zahiroleslam often looks to make runs in behind to stretch the defence. Bertaccini stays closer to the play to hold up the ball and find the feet of the striker. The wing backs, Ogawa and Vanwesemael, look to deliver crosses from wide areas to help the strikers in the box. This creates many combinations in transition to catch the opponent out.

One strength for Sint-Truiden is the ability to create numerical superiority in midfield. With Fujita, Ito, and Yamamoto all in the central zone, the team can easily win the second ball and recycle possession. Another advantage is the wide overloads provided by the wing backs. When Ogawa and Vanwesemael push high, they allow the team to spread wide and force the opposition to defend large areas of the pitch.

This 3-5-2 formation focuses on central control and quick transitions through the middle and flanks. It is best suited for matches against teams that play with a high line or leave space behind their full backs.