Custom Team Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Sels (Nottm Forest) (Nottm Forest) · Konate (Liverpool) (Liverpool) · Kerkez (Liverpool) (Liverpool) · Gibbs-White (Nottm Forest) (Nottm Forest) · Rogers (Aston Villa) (Aston Villa) · Simons (Tottenham) (Tottenham) · Salah (Liverpool) (Liverpool) · Elanga (Newcastle) (Newcastle) · Baleba (Brighton) (Brighton) · Van Dijk (Liverpool) (Liverpool) · Watkins (Aston Villa) (Aston Villa)

A high press and vertical style of play defines this team, utilizing a 3-5-2 formation. The lineup is built to win the ball high up the pitch and hit in behind on the transition to catch the opposition out of position. By using a narrow central core, the team seeks to dominate the middle of the park before spreading wide to exploit the flanks.

Sels sits between the posts to organize the defense. A back three provides the foundation, with Van Dijk acting as the central anchor who is dominant in the air. Konate plays as the right centre-back to cover the space behind the wing-back, while Kerkez operates as the left centre-back to provide balance. This defensive unit functions by staying compact, with Van Dijk often stepping into midfield to help progress the ball from the back.

The midfield relies on a three-man midfield with a carrier to control the tempo. Gibbs-White acts as the central link, looking to find the feet of the striker or play through the lines. Baleba sits slightly deeper to shield the defense and win the second ball, while Rogers connects the defensive and attacking lines. The wide players, Simons and Elanga, provide the necessary width to stretch the defense, allowing the central trio to operate in tight spaces.

An attacking partnership of two forwards leads the line. Watkins works as a pressing centre-forward to force long balls from the opposition, while Salah operates as a second striker in the hole to find space between the lines. This duo creates movement through runs in behind and link-up play. When the team attacks, Simons and Elanga push high to act as wing-backs, allowing the forwards to isolate a one-on-one wide or combine in the box.

One major strength is the ability to press high in coordinated waves, using the front three to trigger a press. The team also benefits from numerical superiority in midfield when Gibbs-White, Baleba, and Rogers occupy the central zones. This setup makes it very difficult for opponents to play through the middle without facing heavy pressure.

This formation is built for teams that want to control the central areas while maintaining a lethal presence on the break. It is best suited for matches against opponents who play a high defensive line and can be punished by quick vertical movements.