Custom Team Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Kern (Germany) · Ballantyne (Scotland) · Mirza (Poland) · Hobin (Republic of Ireland) · Muller (Germany) · Almanzar (Mexico) · Khalil (Egypt) · Hone (Republic of Ireland) · Becker (Germany) · Saputra (Indonesia) · Bergquist (Sweden)

A direct and vertical style of play defines this team in a 5-2-3 formation. The intention is to use the width provided by the wing backs to stretch the opposition before quickly finding the front three. This formation is built to exploit transitions and use the wide areas to create chances for the central striker.

Kern operates as the lone goalkeeper behind a back five that can shift to protect the center. Saputra anchors the middle as the central defender, while Bergquist and Becker act as the wider centre backs to cover the spaces behind the wing backs. Bergquist and Becker need to be dominant in the air and ready to cover when the wing backs push forward. Ballantyne and Hone act as attacking wing backs, tasked with providing width and delivering crosses from deep. The defensive unit stays compact to ensure they are hard to break down when the team sits deep.

The midfield consists of a double pivot with Khalil and Almanzar working to control the center of the pitch. Khalil and Almanzar must work to win the second ball and connect the defensive line to the attack. They need to press aggressively to win the ball high and immediately look to progress through the thirds. One of them often drops between the centre backs to receive the ball to help play out from the back. This duo is responsible for shielding the defense and ensuring there is no space between the lines for the opponent to exploit.

Up front, the team uses three attackers to pin the opposition back line. Mirza acts as the lone striker, tasked to hold up the ball and find the feet of the midfielders. Hobin and Muller play as wide attackers, with Hobin cutting inside from the left and Muller looking to get to the byline on the right. The front three press from the front to force a long ball from the opposition. This attacking lineup relies on runs in behind and quick combinations to catch the defense out of position.

The main advantages of this formation include the ability to create wide overloads from the overlapping wing backs of Ballantyne and Hone. By using a back five, the team stays very compact when defending in a mid-block. This setup also allows for quick transitions where the ball can be moved quickly from the pivot to the wide players to isolate one on one situations.

This 5-2-3 formation is built for a team that wants to be difficult to beat while remaining dangerous on the break. It is best suited for games against high pressing teams where the ability to absorb pressure and counter at pace is required.