FORMATION · 4 AT THE BACK
The 4-3-3 formation
A back four, a midfield three, and two wide forwards either side of a centre-forward.
The shape
1
GK
2
RB
3
CB
4
CB
5
LB
6
CM
7
CM
8
CM
9
RW
10
ST
11
LW
Formation 4-3-3
What it gives you
Width high up the pitch and a midfield three that can win the ball back where it hurts.
What it costs you
The full-backs cover enormous ground, and if the wingers do not track, that side is open.
Positions
GKRBCBCBLBCMCMCMRWSTLW
Who plays it
The 4-3-3 is the 2nd most-used shape of the 22 we track: 1087 of the 7,434 lineups we hold from the leagues we cover this season, 15% of them.
- New York Red Bulls100% of lineups15 of 15
- Ajax94% of lineups17 of 18
- San Diego84% of lineups27 of 32
- FC Porto100% of lineups12 of 12
- Dundee United100% of lineups11 of 11
- Paris Saint Germain100% of lineups11 of 11
- Excelsior100% of lineups10 of 10
- FC Iberia 1999100% of lineups10 of 10
- Lazio100% of lineups9 of 9
- Inter Turku100% of lineups7 of 7
- Vikingur Reykjavik100% of lineups7 of 7
- Sassuolo89% of lineups8 of 9