Hi folks I am interested in ideas for a formation for a youth soccer team. The team's 1st soccer game is this weekend. I am trying to decide between a 3-3-2 or a 3-2-3. I see a lot of 3-3-2 when I watch rec/travel teams but also noticed that US soccer suggests 3-2-3. It's youth soccer with a pretty wide mix of players abilities. I know that regardless of what we go with will choose to be strong in the center. I guess my thinking is that with a 3-3-2 I can have a strong center back, a strong center mid, and 2 forwards with the weaker players playing outside mids. With a 3-2-3, i feel like I'd need 2 strong players at the midfield. of course since this is youth soccer, the players will play all positions so they can learn aspects and not be just a forward or just a defender. I'd love to hear people's comments. thanks,
Re: Youth soccer 9v9 formation It doesn't matter as much as you think: 3-2-3 or 3-3-2 or 2-3-3 I play a 3-2-3 because (and this is the critical part): what do you want them to learn for the future? I want them to, among other things, gain exposure playing as wide attackers/defenders and learn to work in tandem in the midfield. In a 3-3-2 they learn different things; how two strikers play together, how wide midfielders play, etc. The behavior of wide defenders is different when they have wide midfielders in front of them. But as I started, it doesn't matter as much as you think. Think of your problem as you're starting with a 3-3-3 and you need to remove a player from a "line". Through the course of a season, not one game, will that one player in one line alter your outcome that greatly? Like I said, I play a 3-2-3. When we're overrun in the mf, I ask a forward to drop back (3-3-2), if I feel inspired I tell the outside backs to join the attack (1-4-3), if we're holding a lead late then wings drop back (3-4-1). Be dynamic, respond to the needs of the situation.
Re: Youth soccer 9v9 formation Good points. Two CM's with four wide players will make it a lot easier for a team to play a possession style passing game. As the kids learn you can also adjust the system as you mentioned. Ultimately you could defend with 7 behind the ball (341) with a low line of confrontation (or press high with the 323 shape). Ultimately you could attack with a 143 shape. Both of those changes would be fairly easy for kids to understand, get four kids interchanging lines regularly with a minimum of running, and if you keep the lines close together be very competitive as well. I would even be tempted to have the fullbacks play very aggressively on defense with the whole team pressing in almost a 143 shape with 8 behind the ball. The advantage to this is if you win the ball your team is in a very good shape for the short passing possession attack. You also remove the temptation to make a long pass that a single forward in front of the ball would provide, encouraging a more indirect buildup.
Thanks to both of you for your thoughtful and helpful comments. I agree that it doesn't matter too much but I like to get various points of views. And, thinking about what the players should be learning is good to think about too. We only have 1 hour a week to practice so we spend much more time on skills than on formation/tactics. The main priority is helping the 10 and 11 year olds develop skills. Maintaining some shape on the field would be nice too. Thanks again.
I think you're going about it correctly. Skills before shape. In a perfect world where we have more than enough time to cover everything, sure. But pretty much at any level at any age, a player who can dribble past another player and shoot well will be more valued than one that can merely "stay home".