Sloboda Tuzla Football Formation
Starting Lineup
12 Lolic5 Marjanovic
14 Kurtalic
33 Bratovcic
19 Fai
21 Salihovic
68 Burekovic
26 Ordagic
22 Hrvanovic
18 Said
9 Hasukic
Sloboda Tuzla aims to play a direct and vertical game through a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup is built to sit deep and wait for the opposition to commit players forward before hitting them on the transition. The tactical identity relies on a strong defensive base and quick forward movements to catch the opponent out of position.
Lolic starts between the posts to organize the defensive unit. The back line operates as a back five with Kurtalic and Marjanovic and Bratovcic forming a compact central block. Bratovcic and Kurtalic act as the side centre backs to cover the wide areas, while Marjanovic sits central to win the header and clear the lines. Fai and Salihovic play as attacking wing backs, tasked to spread wide and provide width when the team wins the ball. This defensive group works to keep the space tight and force the opposition to play wide.
The midfield consists of a double pivot with Burekovic and Ordagic. These two must hold the central zone and protect the back five. Burekovic works to win the second ball and recycle possession, while Ordagic acts to cover the space behind the wing backs. They connect the defence to the attack by playing short from the back or hitting long balls to the front three. This pair must be disciplined to ensure they do not get caught too high when Sloboda Tuzla loses possession.
Sloboda Tuzla uses three attackers to stretch the defence. Hasukic acts as the lone striker, looking to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates. Hrvanovic and Said play as wide attackers, with Said hugging the touchline to create space and Hrvanovic looking to cut inside and run in behind. The wingers press from the front to trigger a press when the opposition tries to build out from the back. This front line moves in combination to create runs in behind and deliver crosses into the box.
One major advantage of this formation is the defensive compactness when playing in a mid-block. The back five and the double pivot make it very difficult for opponents to find space between the lines. Another strength is the ability to use the wing backs to create wide overloads. When Fai or Salihovic push up, they can overlap the winger to send a cross into the box or pull a defender out of position.
This 5-2-3 formation provides a solid foundation for teams that want to defend deep and strike quickly. It is a setup best suited for facing teams that dominate possession and leave space behind their high line.