Understanding TFC Tactics

[hulkrogan]

I love watching soccer, but being one of the few of my friends that follows closely, and not having played since I was a kid, I find myself wanting to know a lot more about the tactical decisions that are made. If anyone else is in the same boat, now we have a thread to ask those with more tactical knowledge. If not this will fall off but maybe I'll get some more knowledge out of it.

For example, I see people saying a 4-2-3-1 can be troublesome against a high press because of so many advanced mid fielders. Makes sense. But how is a 4-4-2 diamond any better? Are the wide mids in the diamond generally playing further back than the front 3 mids in a 4-2-3-1 so you basically have 3 deep lying mids when in defense?

Is a 4-3-3 quite similar to a 4-2-3-1 if the CAM is playing further back between the other CDM? Is a 4-3-3 inherently narrower in midfield as a result? Does TFC sometimes play a 4-3-3 in attack and drop off to a 4-2-3-1 while defending?

Are there any good online resources that explain how different formations match up against each other and how the marking generally works?

[PopePouri]

I think the problems mentioned before with the high press related to us and our lack of pace through midfield. The problem with TFC's 4-2-3-1 is that we don't start with a decent field stretcher. Vanney plays Delgado and Osorio on each wing, very possession based players but we don't have someone making smart runs from midfield with pace like an Ethan Finlay or Kekuta Manneh. The only player we have that can do this is Robbie Findley and he's been inconsistent.

https://youtu.be/HR4sNY0n9lo?t=2m33s

But anyways, to the question, my favourite source is Michael Cox's zonalmarking.net.

[CanadaLFC]

4-2-3-1 isn't necessarily bad against a high press, but, as Pope said, the lack of pace is. Oftentimes 4-2-3-1 is a very balanced formation, but it all depends on the team that's using it.

[TFCREDNWHITE]

one thing with Tactics that you have to understand is that they can be very fluid and active. Also there can be attacking shapes and defending shapes. An example is the 433....in most cases(not all) the 433 in attack mode collapses to a 451 defensively.....now a 451 can also be oriented with a flat 5 in the middle or you can different positioning like a 4231.

so defensively and attacking can be different.

then within formations are High Lines, Middle Lines and Low Lines. High Press, Medium Press and Low Press. Zonal responsibilities and Man Marking responsibilities.