Custom Team Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Focusing on a high press and verticality, this team operates with a 3-5-2 formation. The lineup is built to win the ball back high up the pitch and quickly drive forward through the middle to catch the opposition before they can settle. By utilizing a congested central area, the team aims to dominate the transition phases and force turnovers in dangerous areas.

Thissen stays between the posts to command the area and organize the back line. The defensive unit sits in a narrow defensive block featuring three central defenders. Olli operates as the left centre back, while Ali acts as the right centre back to cover the wide areas. Sascha sits in the center to anchor the line, making sure to sweep behind the others if the line is breached. This back three works to defend zonally, ensuring they stay compact and deny runners space between the lines.

The midfield is a heavy engine room consisting of a double pivot and three advanced players. Toxico and Greeny form the double pivot to shield the defence and recycle possession when the team needs to slow the tempo. Marvin and Pascal play as two inverted eights, looking to carry the ball forward and occupy the half spaces. David operates as an attacking ten behind the strikers, looking to find the feet of the attackers or play through the lines. This unit works to compress the midfield and press in pairs to squeeze the space.

In the final third, the team utilizes two forwards in a partnership. Pon and Carsten lead the line, working as a two man attack to pin the last defender. Carsten acts as a target man to hold up the ball, allowing the midfielders to join the attack. Pon looks to make runs in behind to exploit the space created when the defenders step up. The two forwards press from the front, forcing the opposition to play long balls which the back three can then win.

The main strengths of this lineup lie in the numerical superiority in midfield and the ability to press high in coordinated waves. Having five players in the central zone makes it very difficult for opponents to play through the middle without facing heavy pressure. Additionally, the team can shift between a back five and a back three quickly when defending, which provides great compactness when the opposition has the ball.

This 3-5-2 formation relies on intense physical output to maintain control of the middle of the pitch. It is best suited for games against teams that try to build play through the center of the field.