Formations 101: Understanding Positions and Team sheets
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So for those of you who might have watched a football match, you might have seen something like this, usually before the game starts. This is called a team sheet.
Now you might be wondering, why are the players listed in such a weird manner? The team sheet is a depiction of how the team “lines up” on the field, meaning when the game starts, that is exactly where the player will be. And that, is known as a player’s “position”. It’s not like players randomly go and stand where they feel like. The coach/manager of the team assigns each player a specific place to stand on the field, and for most of the game, that is where the players will roam around. And a combination of the positions of all 10 outfield players (except the Goalkeeper), is known as a formation.
On a broad scale, there are three major positions: Defender, Midfielder and Forward. Defenders, as the name suggests, are supposed to… well, defend. They’re usually physically imposing brutes, tackling players and keeping the threat of a goal to a minimum. So if a team has poor defenders, the goalkeeper is often called into action, and chances are they’ll concede a lot of goals. Defenders usually play the crucial role in the defensive third of the pitch. Defenders are mainly four types: Centre backs, Full Backs, Wingbacks and Sweepers.
Contrary to defenders, forwards, or attackers as they’re also called, play higher up the pitch. Their job is to run in behind the defence, and score goals. This is usually the most glamorous position in the sport. Forwards tend to be extremely fast, and mostly tall, and they need to have incredible off the ball movement to get into goal scoring positions. If a team’s forwards are unable to convert their team’s chances, the pressure piles on the defence to keep the opposition from scoring at the other end. Forwards play a crucial role in the final third of the pitch. Forwards are of multiple types: Centre-Forward, Second Striker, Winger, False-Nine to name a few.
Midfielders, on the other hand, literally field the middle of the football pitch. They’re the most creative outlets on the pitch, tasked with creating chances for the attackers to score. They typically travel the most distance in a game, and are responsible for transitioning a ball from defence to attack. They control the central areas of the pitch, also knows as the midfield third. Midfielders are tasked with winning the ball from the opposition, and channeling the ball through and carrying it into the attacking third for the forwards to score. Midfielders can be further classified into sub-types depending on what specific role they play: Defensive Midfielders, Attacking Midfielders, Central Midfielders and Wide Midfielders.
Now it’s important to note that not all players within a position are same. Each player in a team occupies a different role, with the manager responsible for finding a combination of roles in a way that gets the best out of every player.
Okay, so we get what positions are, but why are those players like that in the team sheet? Well, that is called a formation. The manager/coach of the team decides on the formation before the game, based on the style of play he wants and the tactics he wants to use. Most formations use three numbers separated by hyphens, and usually denote the number of defenders, midfielders and forwards. So for a example, if a team lines up in a 4–3–3 formation, it means that they have 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards (along with a goalkeeper, obviously). If a team lines up in a 4–4–2, which is a very defensive formation, the team has 4 defenders and midfielders each, with 2 forwards up front. Offensive formations put pressure on the defense and help set up easier goals. Defensive formations are designed to block attackers and create opportunities for counterattacks. It all depends on the “philosophy”.
So if the goal is to outscore the opponent, why not just play 10 goalscorers?
Playing with 10 forwards in soccer would leave a team dangerously exposed defensively. Soccer is a game of balance, and having fewer players at the back increases the risk of counterattacks. Teams need a solid defensive structure to prevent conceding goals. It’s not a game of individual brilliance, but tactical coherence (otherwise PSG would’ve won back-to-back Champions Leagues when Messi played there).
For example, two players who are both midfielders may excel in different aspects such as passing, tackling, or goal-scoring. The manager’s role is to assess these individual qualities and create a cohesive strategy that leverages the diverse skills of the entire team.
By finding the right combination of roles for each player, the manager aims to create a synergistic team where each member complements the others, leading to better overall team performance. This approach acknowledges the uniqueness of each player and seeks to harness their individual strengths to achieve collective success.
If you “follow” a game on Google, this is what you would see in the Lineups tab. The above lineup shows FC Barcelona lining up in a basic 4–3–3, one of the most common formations. The team has a Goalkeeper, Inaki Pena (a mandate for all teams), a defensive line of 4: Balde as the left-back, Cubarsi and Araujo as the centre-backs and Kounde as the right-back; a midfield 3 of Pedri, Gundogan and Frenkie de Jong; and a front three consisting of Lewandowski as the Striker, Yamal as the Right-Winger and Torres as the Left-Winger. Formations aren’t that difficult to understand, they’re basically what you see on the field. Hope you get a better understanding of your own team the next time you watch the play!
