Sint-Truiden Football Formation

Starting Lineup

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

Sint-Truiden looks to control the middle and use verticality through a 3-5-2. This lineup is built to win the ball high up the pitch and use a strong central presence to drive forward. By crowding the center, the team aims to use quick transitions to punish teams that leave gaps between their lines.

Kokubo guards the goal as the last line of defense. The back three consists of Taniguchi, Godeau, and Van Helden. Taniguchi acts as a left-sided center back who can cover space, while Godeau holds the center to win the header and organize the line. Van Helden completes the trio on the right. This unit can shift into a back five when the team sits deep in a low block. They aim to stay compact and squeeze the space to deny runners.

The midfield is a five man unit designed to dominate the center of the pitch. Fujita sits in the middle to connect the defense and the attack, often dropping deep to receive the ball. Ito and Yamamoto work as the central duo to drive forward with the ball and press aggressively to win it back. On the flanks, Ogawa and Vanwesemael act as wide midfielders who provide width and track back to help the defenders. This midfield group works to recycle possession and ensure they always have passing options to move the ball through the thirds.

In the attacking phase, Sint-Truiden employs two forwards to stretch the defense. Zahiroleslam and Bertaccini play as a partnership up front. Zahiroleslam often works to pin the last defender, while Bertaccini looks to find the feet of the striker or make runs in behind. The wide players, Ogawa and Vanwesemael, push high to provide crosses and create overloads on the wings. This allows the team to attack in combinations and create space for the midfielders to arrive late into the box.

One major advantage for Sint-Truiden is the numerical superiority in the middle of the pitch. Having five players in the center allows them to dominate the ball and pick up runners before they can turn. Another strength is the ability to transition quickly from a compact defensive block into a direct attack. The combination of wide midfielders and a strong central trio makes it difficult for opponents to track every movement.

This 3-5-2 formation provides a strong central core and effective width through the wingbacks. It is best suited for matches against teams that play with a single pivot or leave large gaps in the half spaces.