FORMATION · 3 AT THE BACK
The 3-5-2 formation
Three centre-backs, wing-backs on both sides of a midfield three, two up front.
The shape
1
GK
2
CB
3
CB
4
CB
5
RM
6
CM
7
CM
8
CM
9
LM
10
ST
11
ST
Formation 3-5-2
What it gives you
Wins the midfield by numbers and still keeps two strikers on the pitch.
What it costs you
It lives or dies on wing-backs who can do both jobs for ninety minutes.
Positions
GKCBCBCBRMCMCMCMLMSTST
Who plays it
The 3-5-2 is the 7th most-used shape of the 22 we track: 254 of the 7,434 lineups we hold from the leagues we cover this season, 3% of them.
- Inter100% of lineups12 of 12
- Venezia100% of lineups9 of 9
- SC Paderborn 0786% of lineups6 of 7
- Al-Qadisiyah FC73% of lineups8 of 11
- FC Cincinnati52% of lineups17 of 33
- Egnatia Rrogozhinë67% of lineups6 of 9
- FSV Mainz 0571% of lineups5 of 7
- FC St. Gallen80% of lineups4 of 5
- AFC Wimbledon47% of lineups7 of 15
- FC Lugano50% of lineups4 of 8
- Port Vale29% of lineups5 of 17
- Lincoln Red Imps FC33% of lineups3 of 9