Custom Team Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Prass (Hoffenheim) · Laimer (FC Bayern) · Danso (Sunderland) · Lienhart (Freiburg) · Schlager (Nottm Forest) · Seiwald (RB Leipzig) · Baumgartner (RB Leipzig) · Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund) · R. Schmid (Frosinone) · Wanner (PSV) · Schlager (Werder Bremen)

Focusing on defensive solidity and quick transitions, this lineup utilizes a 5-4-1 formation. The goal is to sit deep and frustrate the opposition, relying on a compact block to force errors before hitting teams in behind. This system is built to play a reactive style of football where the priority is protecting the central areas and waiting for the right moment to launch an attack.

Baumgartner stays between the posts to command the penalty area. In front of him, the back five operates as a narrow defensive block to deny central access. Seiwald acts as the left centre-back to cover wide areas, while Schlager occupies the right centre-back position to win headers and clear the lines. Sabitzer sits in the middle to organize the unit and sweep behind the line if the press is bypassed. The wide defenders, R. Schmid as the right wing back and Wanner as the left wing back, are responsible for tracking back to form a back seven when defending deep, but they must also provide width in transition.

The midfield operates in a flat four to maintain a compact middle. Laimer and Prass act as a double pivot to shield the defence, with Laimer looking to win the second ball and Prass working to intercept passes. This pair provides the platform for the more advanced players. Lienhart and Danso occupy the lateral roles, where they must work to press in a mid-block and protect the spaces behind the wing backs. Laimer and Prass link the defensive unit to the attack by recycling possession and quickly finding the wide players.

Up front, Schlager acts as a lone striker to hold up the ball and target long balls. The attacking movement relies on the width provided by R. Schmid and Wanner to stretch the defence. When the team wins the ball, Danso and Lienhart push forward to support the striker, looking to exploit the space between the opposition midfield and defence. The aim is to create runs in behind or use the striker to lay it off for arriving runners. This front line must press the opposition back line to force a long ball.

One major strength of this formation is the compactness when defending, making it very difficult for opponents to play through the middle. The presence of Laimer and Prass allows for a high level of intensity in winning the second ball in the middle third. Additionally, the wide players can create overloads if R. Schmid and Wanner push forward at the right time to support the midfielders.

This 5-4-1 formation is designed to be a defensive wall that strikes on the break. It is best suited for games against teams that dominate possession, allowing the side to stay compact and counter at pace.