3-5-2 Explained

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The 3-5-2 formation is incredibly distinctive and can be incredibly effective. But why?
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Tifo loves football. We create In-depth tactical, historical and geopolitical breakdowns of the beautiful game.
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#Football #Soccer #Shorts

[@M4NA5]

Every formation has its merits and flaws. It’s upto the players’ ability to play a certain formation and the opposition tactics to dictate how a good manager would set up their team.

[@IAMTHEGOOCHALMIGHTY]

cheers, Geoff

[@dster345]

@@IAMTHEGOOCHALMIGHTY His comment is a tough cookie, I think he'll carry on.

[@Club420]

I remember Atleti's 4-6-0 formation they did to beat Liverpool b4 the rona

[@lastlonger1351]

​@@Club420No attackers formation 💀💀

[@M4NA5]

@@IAMTHEGOOCHALMIGHTY Staunch rear-guard action!

[@resikin]

Lmao the example of the shaky defender looked like Maguire

[@PerfectOxygen]

Bruh I thought of him too

[@2507ully]

And he wore red and number 5 as well Tifo football😂,i see what you did

[@uwaeholo3785]

Below the belt

[@GuinessOriginal]

He’s not exactly unusually athletic

[@diegoclark7697]

​@@PerfectOxygenwhen it comes to shaky defending everyone thinks of him bro

[@waterunderthebridge2291]

I studied football formation in the last 9 months and i'm in love with 3-5-2 but the simplicity of 4-4-2 is understandable.

[@memememe908]

The 3-2-4-1 guardiola uses is brilliant because you have 4 or more central players, but you really need awesome defenders

[@NFFFFFFFF]

But is vulnerable to the common AM

[@nikolaitregouet]

@@memememe908in attack it becomes a 2-3-5 actually. Always so fun to watch the whole team attack like in basketball😄

[@jacksonboyd02]

I love the 4231 it creates so many triangles you basically have the ability to play mini rondos around the opponents

[@waterunderthebridge2291]

@@memememe908 This 3-2-4-1 Guardiola used is just next level. My bet is that it's not working if you used it defensively, so the squad is always on full attack high pressing with high d-line.

[@azkancut8737]

Maguire at the end got me good. Red shirt, number 5, center back, "not very skillful", "lack athleticism" 🤣

[@friendlyneighbourhoodstoner]

I saw that too 😂😂

[@lavosico]

This formation is very usefull in counter attacks. If you're wing-midfielder can give you a little bit defensive support and join the counter attack. Then you have solid 3 defenders in your box. But you surely awar for full-back area, which is easily use for crossing.

[@magic_2062]

2-5-3 formation is underrated, its the formation of table football

[@cemiwrz9288]

2 cbs wow

[@sreenikuriakose-tr9nf]

Awful Just awful 🤕

[@Akabeche]

The joke flew over both of the other commenters' head lol

[@jameshamilton8720]

​@@cemiwrz9288BRUH....🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@A_Nice_Guy444]

what would a 2-5-3 be?? just being an offensive variation of course, but the goalkeeper would have to help get the ball out, like the 2-3-5 of guardiola?

[@tanaka5395]

Mourinho exposed a weakness in it by playing Lingard and Rashford upfront, 2 quick strikers can put a lot of pressure on the centre back

[@Deathmare235]

Imagine an entire formation getting exposed by lingard and rashford 😂 let me guess the other attacker martial

[@elfelipedlv6950]

Allegri tried the same with Chiesa and Di Maria in Coppa Italia and Juve got their 11th loss against Inzaghi 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@professionalnoob1234]

@@elfelipedlv6950didnt know di maria is a quick striker

[@goldenONX]

@@elfelipedlv6950Di Maria isn’t a striker and Chiesa isn’t as fast as Rashford and Lingard.

[@shokpfeiffer623]

This is very true. ATM always give me a hard time with Griezmann and Cavani (Fifa tings 😅)

[@rickysebastian6386]

Perfect example of 3-5-2 for me is prime AS Roma with Totti, Cafu, Candela, Montella, Emerson, Batistuta.

[@dixoncider8372]

So you’re saying a 3 man CB line of Gvardiol-Halstenberg-St. Juste will be fast enough to counter this weakness?

[@musaddiqmunirliman8267]

In fifa.. Why not

[@surlywombat785]

You'd need experienced as well as fast players who can read the space like bastoni

[@ZAKARIA-MH]

40 year old messi tore garvidol to shreds MF is overrated af

[@carlosgarzonandaluz3966]

@@ZAKARIA-MHNah it’s just that Messi is still very good. Still the best in the world.

[@lucanigotti2926]

Bastoni and Darmian are skilled centerbacks

[@docc_]

Yes, that's why its mostly used by italian teams, which form really good and technical defenders.

[@Mukesh-ri4lt]

Bastoni is best defender for this formation

[@tomiding6947]

With modern centerbacks a 3-5-2 is so effective. With skilled athletic fullbacks like koulibali, tomori, rudiger and many more it’s a big weapon

[@chocolatemilk123]

Imagine your opponent is using a 5-2-3. 💀

[@SoneNando]

That's basically just 3-4-3 but the RM and LM are replaced by WBs

[@wuatdehel]

lack of midfield

[@thenonreal]

@@SoneNandothis then drop a forward or deploy a false 9 and you have 3-5-2

[@josafatmorales7488]

@@wuatdehelthe 9 can just drop down to help or The wingers

[@mohsinmulla8576]

What a voice

[@hassanaslam8487]

Nice voice innit lol

[@cheangizzz]

I was in love with this voice until I got to know Joe

[@MohamedDiinle]

​@@cheangizzzWhat's he like ?

[@frediiofficiel7401]

Don't forget that it allows you also to have superiority in the ennemy box conte during attacks phase has a 3-1-7 composition which create a lot of offensive actions

[@alienduce6755]

Created by Carlos Bilardo, Argentina's manager in the 80's and a legend of the club I love.

[@federicob9103]

🦁🦁🦁

[@matsschenck3688]

when you have centrebacks like bastioni and darmian its very usefull

[@therevolution91]

When you have an animal as a center back then you will win. We tried this system. After 6 months (& some extra strength weight trainings combined with stamina training) we went from 10th place to the 4th place after winning almost every game after the winter. But you have to replace the backs after 45 mins and the left & right midfielders probably, too. (really intensive for the players on the wings both backs & midfielders)

[@magister3278]

Created by Carlos Bilardo, a Legend

[@nrlee0977]

There are many great formations. Personally I just love the simple classic 4-3-3

[@dionysiokouros]

Can you keep on doing formations? This stuff is amazing and good to know. Maybe you will find "the best" formation. Love your content. Keep up the good work!

[@xdiq]

Its a very special formation, out of the ordinary

[@jorgearria5973]

Fore, the 352 works brilliantly for triangles. In otherwords, if done right, you can create an evolution of tikitaka

[@TheOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]

Juventus and the Italian national teams of the past were probably best possible back line using 3 at the back.

[@dionysiokouros]

Thanks for doing more formations, Tifo. I now know why I am vulnerable on the counter-attack using a 4-3-3 thanks to you. You have really captivated my interest in the different formation styles.

[@tcharipapa6971]

The 2 midfielders in between the wingers and the central mid can come back and patch the holes in the defense and fix the lack of fullback

[@jackmathieson1903]

Having just wide players doing all the running allows for a midfield three along with 2 strikers but it gives the widemen a lot of work.

[@Abdullah-Ansari-786]

I am using this formation in fifa right now it's amazing I concede sometimes more than once but it's amazing

[@athosgomesfonseca]

This has been the secret sauce of each of our five World Cup wins however, only our 1994 and 2002 squads played static wingers since our forwards were also static but the 1958, 1962 and 1970 played a quasi-Total Football with the forwards coming back to link play essentially creating a two-man overload out wide.

[@jasson9262]

The best formation right now it’s the 4-2-3-1 4 defenders 2 centre defenders , 1 attack midfielder RM , and LM , and 1 striker If the opponent team try’s to push you , you were always be in save because there’s 2 CDM which’s they can carry out the ball between them and they can pass easily unlike the one CDM in this formation u can control the match u can park the bus too if u want that the attack midfielder can help the striker in the box and he can be ss too

[@Jacob-bx7cs]

Ye, that or 4-3-3

[@prdigy2655]

it's easy to say one formation is the best but any formation with the right personnel and the right tactic for each position can easily destroy any other formation, each one has a merit and a flaw, if you can find solutions for your flaws and capitalize on your opponent's flaws, you're good to go. That's the whole point of tactics

[@changziyang6550]

​@@Jacob-bx7csI'll say that 4232,433,4141 are all very similar

[@miscellaneous69420]

4-2-1-3 is my all time favourite one

[@90PaMa]

So basically we are back at late 00's. Waiting for the great 4-4-2 revival

[@jamanoorabuukhalid3311]

The new thing in town is the 3 box 3 formation that pep used this season I have a feeling that we'll see a few managers adapt to it

[@uscbeckham]

Wonderful variation of the old WM formation. Pep uses it masterfully to get past the midfield and create overloads elsewhere.

[@ldkoelho]

São Paulo, iBrazilian) won 3 consecutive league titles with that formation. Something that had never happened and hasn't happened again.

[@footydocs]

santos did before sao paulo.

[@ldkoelho]

@@footydocs Taça Brasil. The league now is a different format, and basically different competition.

[@aymaanskhan5194]

Simeone now uses it to perfection

[@mohamedhisham4534]

Please make more of these

[@bigrandomun9267]

Also you don’t need tall and physical defenders as the wide-centre backs. You could actually get away with playing defensive midfielders or fullbacks in those positions because their role is to help cover the wingbacks when they go forward so they will usually match up with the wingers if they stay up. You can get away with 5’9/5’10 players as long as they know when to press the winger if they are 1v1 and where to play the ball to in transition. Players like Eric Garcia and Ezri Konsa would suit this role more than they would a usual CB role because they have the skillset needed and their wingbacks/fullbacks usually make overlapping runs so they can utilise the space.

[@mxsthxted]

Correct. Defensive fullbacks are perfect for this role. They are better in 1v1 situations but they have that technical edge to progress the ball in a 3 man backline.

[@theportugueselegend]

This is the future/present of football. 3 at the back, with the 3 5 2 or a 3 4 3 will be the standard in a few years. After the number 10, I think wingers can become obsolete in the next years, because width can be done with the wing backs and two inside midfielders, for example

[@Hafris33]

I used 3-5-2 using Inter Milan in FIFA and eFootball and it works fine. Used Brozovic as DMF to backup the 3 centre backs when getting counter. Other 2 midfield must be agile and good with passing vision like Barella and Calhanoglu.

[@SanusiAdewale]

Excatly, people don't get this about the midfield, they have to be agile and really good with the ball in other to assist the 2 man strikers in front

[@scavengerrx1906]

Hopefully this goes well for Peru since we got a new coach, Fossati who will use this format but is not well know by Peruvians since Peru is good at 4-4-2

[@lugold8766]

I think thats why Bastoni is so critical for inter. He fills out the left CB position extremely nice so that Gosens or Dimarco can go forward a lot while Dumfries on the right always stays a little behind.

[@adamproductions4529]

Those 3 defenders will need to be absolute beasts to carry the defense

[@bruh-dq3ze]

Acerbi darmian and bastoni are no absolute beasts but they performed very well

[@jauadoglah7744]

Beautiful content and I love the animation/design

[@TheFinalSummonFFX]

Yes! More formation shorts!

[@HeWhoLaughs007]

Tifo explains everything so well

[@HistoryEditsyt]

This is my favourite formation

[@handfullofsean]

Dorking Wanderer’s play the best iteration of this system. A lovely mix of attacking football bombing down the flanks with virtuosic center backs covering behind 😊

[@muhammadsyukurmuslim]

I remember when Pep was trying to do this in 17-18 season. I think that was the reason why they gone for Walker and Mendy as FB targets because they have a lot of energy to go up and down. Unfortunately Mendy went injured and Pep opted for the inverted fullback with Delph.

[@CFCEDITS24]

My team has been playing this formation and it’s just starting to work although we play it with 2 cdms and 1 cam instead of 3 cms

[@pineapplewatch41]

I use 3 defenders ,2 central defenders , 2 Wingers , 1 CAM , 2 strikers (3-5-2)

[@swarnimzanwar1869]

The CAM can play SS with less defensive role whereas one wing back will be more attacking and the other defensive with two Good CDMs, My team uses this 👍

[@Japauro]

there are many benefits. fmany defenses are not used anymore to face 2 centre forwards, the 3 defenders are perfect to cover the middle spaces. In systems very fluid the thirds can do internal overlapping very complex to absorb

[@yigo310]

The ideal formation for an offensive minded team has always been 4-3-3. Good wing players and a strong and tall striker is lethal in that formation.

[@hakki368]

You should also feature the unique Napoli formation.

[@BJABALLER]

You should do a short on the 4-1-4-1 formation

[@Hyperman416]

We use 4-4-2 and now we reach semi final in our tourny we will play in this monday

[@blueskyalchemist623]

3-5-2 can be flexible in the way that it can be 5-3-2 when played defensively. Basically, if you are playing a counter-attacking playstyle, you have 5 defenders and 3 midfielders at disposal. The drawback is ofc, lacking offensive presence, but if you are playing against a stronger team, this formation works much better. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used this tactics when he won against Paris Saint Germain in the first leg of UCL 2020-2021. However, he lost against the same opponent 0-2 on Old Trafford with a 4-4-2 formation, which was dominated by PSG' 4 midfielders (PSG played 3-4-2-1). It was even worse when Fred received a red card and sent out.

[@Il_Demone872]

That s why inter is so strong, bastoni is the most technical central defender right now

[@user-zd1sz8py7g]

So in theory very fast and highly skilled fullbacks like Theo Hernandez and Kyle Walker would be perfect for this?

[@slenderman2697]

the 442 is very simple even cave man can understand it

[@aminerkin9844]

the new formations congest the middle because although 4-4-2 divides the pitch evenly. Areas in the middle are much more important due to goal threat for both attack and defense hence why modern systems have inverted full backs and usually only use 2 traditational wings. Also, If you pack the midifield, you force the oppostion to run into space from wings diagonally into the box which allows your defenders to catch up.

[@fuzon9895]

But, Ferguson once won the treble with it

[@IAMSOUND99]

@@fuzon9895 in a weak era! (just kidding i don't know sht)

[@killercaos123]

It brings me much pleasure to see how trendy the 3-5-2 has come back into the spotlight. Gone are the days of boring stale formations that kids play after school. Now my football teams youth team is repping a 3-4-3. It’s so exciting to watch

[@therealMeastro]

A 352 with timber on the right and martinez on the left would be amazing

[@raidzldn8873]

We play a 3-5-2 at my team and it works bc our wing backs track back and our cb’s (I’m one of them) our quite athletic compared to others on the team

[@mohanshyam2395]

i will try it

[@stuartpenman6387]

my problem with the 3 5 2 is teams play only 1 up front these days

[@krissblade5330]

Put Mandzukic and Perisic at the wings and you have 5-3-2, 3-5-2 and 3-3-4 at the same time

[@dhrupadkumarmalakar5580]

Dude Italy been using this since before I was born.

[@yuraskaTheGuydoesstopmotiom]

my idea is 4-1-4-2 an 4 defender. 1 defending midfielder 4 attacking midfielder and 2 attackers. (the attacking midfielder 2 players can go to defending to make and 7 defending people, it can stop 4-4-2, 4-3-3, and lastly 3-5-2 and other good line ups.

[@remove7618]

Thats 12 players not 11

[@yuraskaTheGuydoesstopmotiom]

@@remove7618 well remove the defender from 4 defenders then

[@MrAhmed-dx5hw]

3-5-2 is my go to structure in fifa.

[@mashuraakhterruma7224]

3-4-3 my favorite

[@paulakpeti6142]

Please do other formation shorts like this most especially 4-3-3, 4-5-1 and 4-2-4

[@Putin264]

4-2-4 is just a 442 which is bad

[@daipayanhore3726]

did the goat dirty

[@LameTuber420]

Did you make a video on 4-2-4 formation if not please do it😊

[@aboudi1562]

In a defending format I feel like players like camavinga or marcus alonso or kounde would thrive in formations like 3-5-2 as wing backs

[@Avnish787]

Federico dimarco's role was soo important for inter

[@jaydenthemaster7886]

Can you explain the 4-2-3-1 please

[@whufc-essex]

I wish we would do this, Aguerd and kehrer with zouma in the middle

[@alexandermonto5886]

Ah, yes. The Italian propositioning formation, worthy of more than a piping hot spaghetti bowl

[@udeanbambang1703]

bring back full video tactical analysis with animation like this, im tired watching people with modern board explaining it with less visualization

[@dragoslavrandjelovic6421]

I have always thought that this formation would have been perfect for 2002-2006 England and their players. 3 center becks in Rio, Terry and Campbell left Cole , central Lampard, Gerard and Scholes/Becks with only questionable right full beck and Rooney and Owen up front.

[@johnbenedictthan755]

Can you do a video on what is the best formation in football

[@marshallandrzejewski]

The best formation depends on what players you have.

[@cheangizzz]

Currently? It's the box midfield formation, but the meta changes all the time, used to be 442, then 433, now 4 midfieldes is the fashion again, important to note is that the fourth midfielder is usually a false defender (zinchenko, stones, trent) or a false winger (valverde or gavi)

[@jamie9063]

This formation truly is the backbone of *calcio* isn't it

[@scforever9592]

And right now. Leverkusen and Inter dominating their leagues

[@davidshoppe4121]

3-5-2 with that W shape with middlefield kills offensive and defensive teams

[@chombus2602]

Brazil won his last World Cup in 2002 with this formation

[@nose1999-co8ir]

3-5-2 also have a variation with a CAM,that was used by inter in 2010 ucl

[@felixmagath1471]

Inter played 4-2-3-1 in 2010

[@michaelchandra9069]

Tifo please make video about new offside rule that been tested i wanna know how tifo think about the new rule and if possible also give suggestion on how could offside rule be more fair for attacker and defender

[@elpetemujica244]

Also in 1986 argentina won the world cup with this formation

[@jamanoorabuukhalid3311]

Contes biggest weakness is the constant use of this formation He is such a good manager but he should have some flexibility....this is why he is yet to go far into the ucl stage, he's been a manager for a decade

[@AlexDerLoewe]

Useful

[@LucaWatts]

Pioli taking notes

[@kephas-media]

Please go back to this format, I miss your formation and tactics videos

[@kakalimandal9351]

Can you make a video on 5-2-1-2 Formation?

[@romanempire8529]

I like how pep uses it puts a cb into midfield that can fall back to 4 at back on a counter

[@memememe908]

Also just a single striker and 2 10s with 2 cdms

[@COYG-xj5ok]

I feel like Gvardiol would be great in a 3-5-2

[@IntrusiveThoughtz1234]

Personally, I like using a 5-3-2. Mostly because I like having 2 strikers, I hate one because if im getting heavily defended, I have nowhere to pass forward with one striker, with 2 I can pass forward and possibly score, and having 5 defenders just gives me a stronger defense.

[@viallyyakbar113]

Tbh, I agree with this explanation, and in FM23 my 3-4-1-2 formation can be really effective. 😁

[@SweatSquad8]

You need players like… Kounde, Walker in RCB and Gvardiol as a LCB. As they have the experience in playing fullback and centre back

[@wilberts.cubero3629]

Dude Kounde is awful at RB. There's a reason Xavi always plays Araujo at RB in clásicos to cover Vini. He definitely watched a 34 years old Di Maria have a feast behind his back in the WC final.

[@mobo204]

To me this is still the best formation for chelsea with Cowill, forfana and silva at the back

[@trimusentertainment]

nice!

[@youwillknowfootball]

Hard to find a wide CB , need very fast and have some skill to play the ball like other player on pitch , i prefer bastoni is a great example for what im sayin .

[@CuriousPug12]

This formation is literally Italy's football back in 1990's

[@alexzero3736]

Actually, there is a cure for slow defenders, which Juventus used a lot before Conte - artificial offside. Just keep all 3 CBs in one line.

[@SimoNemo7]

Italy circa 2012 3-5-2 was pretty badass with Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Maggio, De Rossi, PIRLO, Marchisio, Giaccherini, Balotelli, Cassano…we just couldn’t beat Spain lol