Alavés Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Sivera · Manu Sanchez (Diarra) · Diarra (Tenaglia) · Abqar · Tenaglia · Guevara (Guridi) · Blanco · Conechny · Guridi (Stoichkov) · Carlos Vicente (Romero) · Kike Garcia

Alavés relies on a high press and a vertical style of play to catch opponents off guard. This lineup uses a 4-2-4 formation to stretch the pitch and put immediate pressure on the opposition. The goal is to win the ball high up the pitch and move quickly toward the goal.

Sivera plays between the posts to act as the first point of distribution. The back line is a flat back four that maintains a high line to keep the team compact. Abqar and Diarra operate as the central defenders, where Abqar uses his aerial strength to defend set pieces. Tenaglia and Manu Sanchez act as full backs, with Tenaglia looking to overlap the winger and Manu Sanchez providing width on the left. The defensive unit works to squeeze the space and force a long ball when the opponent tries to play out from the back.

The midfield consists of a double pivot to provide stability. Guevara and Blanco work to protect the center of the pitch and win the second ball. Guevara acts as a carrier to drive forward with the ball, while Blanco stays deeper to shield the defense and recycle possession. They connect the defensive line to the attack by playing short from the back and finding the runners in the final third. This duo must be ready to track back quickly if the team loses possession in the attacking half.

Alavés uses four attackers to overwhelm the defensive line. Kike Garcia and Guridi operate as two forwards in a partnership, with Kike Garcia acting as a target man to hold up the ball. Conechny and Carlos Vicente stay wide as wingers, with Conechny looking to cut inside and Carlos Vicente to pull wide and deliver crosses. The forwards press from the front to force turnovers in the opposition half. This setup creates runs in behind and allows the team to attack in combinations during transitions.

The formation offers the advantage of wide overloads when the full backs push high to support the wingers. Alavés also benefits from the ability to press high in coordinated waves, making it difficult for opponents to build play. This can lead to isolating wide players in one on one situations once the ball is won.

The 4-2-4 formation is a high risk, high reward setup designed for aggressive pressing. It is best suited for games where Alavés needs to hunt the ball high and attack with speed on the transition.