Soccer Coach Weekly Issue 131

Soccer formations can be a little bit daunting.

There's numbers everywhere, numerous formats with different numbers of players and, sometimes, formations within formations. 

It can all get a bit overwhelming - so we’re breaking it down for you! 

This week, we have got an overview of what formations actually are, how you might choose them and the most common formations across the four-a-side, five-a-side, seven-a-side, nine-a-side and 11-aside formats.

Then, our consultant coach Carl Wild, breaks down a specific shape for us: the 7-a-side 2-3-1 formation. 

We have chosen this one to start with because it is perhaps the most common formation at seven-a-side and captures a lot of the principles that run through all soccer formats.

Carl looks at the benefits of using this formation from a player development perspective, both in terms of the in possession and out of possession principles of the game, and breaks it down by position.

Look out for more formation guides over the coming issues – we will be covering all of those listed on page four!

The session this week is from John Williams and it works on your attackers taking their shooting opportunities in the penalty area.