Udinese Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Udinese aims to win the ball high up the pitch through a high press and uses a 4-3-3 formation. This lineup is built to hit in behind on the transition and play through the lines with speed. The team wants to squeeze the space in the opponent's half to force a long ball and win the second ball.

The goalkeeper 1 stays between the posts to command the area. The defensive unit works as a flat back four where 3 plays as the right back and 2 plays as the left back. In the middle, 6 operates as the right centre back and 5 acts as the left centre back to defend zonally. These two central defenders must hold the line and cover for each other to prevent runners from getting behind. The wide defenders, 3 and 2, must track back to prevent crosses and stop the opposition from spreading wide.

In the middle of the pitch, the team uses a single pivot to control the tempo. 10 sits in front of the defence to shield the unit and recycle possession. Alongside 10, the players 4 and 8 act as the links that connect the defensive and attacking lines. 4 and 8 are tasked to carry the ball forward and arrive late into the box to support the attack. This midfield group must press in a mid-block to deny the pivot of the opposition and win it back high up the pitch.

The attacking unit features three players across the front. 11 and 7 act as wide wingers who look to cut inside and create chances. 9 operates as a lone striker to lead the press from the front and find the feet of teammates. The movement of 11 and 7 is designed to stretch the defence and isolate wide players in one on one situations. This allows 9 to pin the last defender and create room for 4 and 8 to make runs.

A major strength of Udinese is the ability to press high in coordinated waves. The front three can trigger a press to win the ball back high up the pitch and break quickly. Another advantage is the compactness when defending, as 10, 4, and 8 can sit deep and deny the turn to keep the opposition from playing through the lines.

This 4-3-3 formation is built to dominate through high intensity and quick transitions. It is best suited for matches against teams that try to play short from the back.