Nottm Forest Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Wood (Taiwo) · CHO (Sosa) · Elanga (Jota) · MGW (Anderson) · Anderson (JWP/Danilo) · Sangare (Yates/Dominguez) · Moreno (Aina) · Aina (Nico) · Murillo (Boly) · Milenkovic (Morato) · Sels (Miguel)

Nottm Forest looks to play a high press and direct style of football with a 4-3-3 formation. The team aims to win the ball high up the pitch and move quickly to the opposition goal. This lineup relies on verticality to catch teams off guard when they try to build out from the back.

Matz Sels operates between the posts to command the penalty area. In front of him, the back four functions with Milenkovic and Murillo acting as the central pairing. Milenkovic is dominant in the air and provides a strong presence against long balls, while Murillo is a ball playing defender who can carry the ball forward. Aina plays as the right back and can push high to support the attack, whereas Moreno acts as the left back to maintain the defensive line. The unit works to stay compact and squeeze the space between the lines to deny the opponent time on the ball.

The midfield consists of a three man midfield with a carrier to drive the play. Sangare plays as a single pivot to shield the defence and win the second ball in central areas. Anderson acts as an inverted eight to connect the defensive and attacking lines, often making runs to support the front three. MGW plays as an attacking ten behind the striker, operating in the half spaces to create chances and press aggressively to win the ball high up the pitch. This trio works to compress the midfield and prevent opponents from playing through the lines.

Up front, the team utilizes three attackers across the front. Wood acts as a target man to hold up the ball and provide a focal point for long passes. Elanga plays as an inverted winger on the right and looks to cut inside to threaten the goal, while CHO operates on the left as a wide winger who can stretch the defence. The attack is built to hit in behind on the transition, using the pace of the wingers to exploit space. Wood's ability to win headers allows for quick second balls when the team plays direct.

Nottm Forest possesses significant tactical advantages through their ability to press high in coordinated waves. The presence of Murillo and Milenkovic allows the team to play short from the back when needed, but they are also capable of breaking quickly once the ball is won. Another strength is the speed of transition, as the wingers can immediately attack the space behind the opposition full backs.

This 4-3-3 formation is designed for a high intensity game that forces the opponent into mistakes. It is best suited for facing teams that struggle to play under pressure and leave space behind their defensive line.