Maccabi Netanya Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Samu (#2) · Konaté (#6) · Feldman (#44) · Cohen / Morozov (#24 / #2) · Jaber / Morozov (#26 / #2) · Aziz (#32) · Niddam (#13) · Levi (#15) · Davó / Hugi (#83 / #11) · Haziza /Abihazira (#8 / #17) · Bilu (#10)

Maccabi Netanya focuses on a heavy defensive presence and quick transitions through a 5-3-2. This formation is built to sit deep and defend the central areas while looking to strike with speed once the ball is won. By using a back five, the team aims to stay compact and force the opposition to play out wide rather than through the middle.

Samu stays between the posts to anchor the defensive unit. The back five consists of a central trio featuring Aziz, Feldman, and Konaté. Aziz sits as the central man to hold the line and win headers, while Feldman and Konaté act as the wide centre-backs to cover the channels. On the flanks, Cohen and Jaber act as attacking wing backs, tasked with providing width and tracking back to support the defense. This defensive lineup allows the team to stay extremely compact when defending in a low block.

The midfield operates as a three man midfield with a carrier to link the lines. Bilu and Niddam work to control the central zone, while Haziza or Abihazira occupies the left side to help win the second ball. Bilu drives forward with the ball to transition the play, while Niddam stays disciplined to shield the defense. This group works to squeeze the space in front of the back five, making it difficult for opponents to play through the lines.

In the attacking phase, Maccabi Netanya utilizes two forwards in a partnership. Levi leads the line from the left, looking to find space behind the defense, while Davó or Hugi operates as a striker to hold up the ball and link play. The attacking unit is designed to hit in behind on the transition, often relying on the wing backs like Cohen or Jaber to provide width. When the team wins the ball, the forwards push high to pin the last defender and create runs in behind.

One major strength of this formation is the ability to maintain compactness when defending, making it very hard to break down centrally. The presence of three central defenders alongside a three man midfield creates a dense block that is difficult to bypass. Additionally, the team can create wide overloads when the wing backs push up to support the forwards during a counter.

This formation relies on a strong defensive foundation and the ability to break quickly. It is best suited for games against dominant teams where Maccabi Netanya needs to deny space and play on the counter.