How does a 3/2/4:1 work?

The 4-2-3-1 is a commonly used formation with a back four, five midfielders, and a center forward. The advantage of this formation lies in its flexibility: it can easily be changed into a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3. In addition, defensive stability and offensive firepower are balanced well. A lot of top international teams currently use this formation, for example Paris Saint-Germain with their midfield axis of Kylian Mbappé – Neymar – Angel Di Maria behind center forward Mauro Icardi. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also operates this formation regularly, in addition to a more classical 4-3-3. Two center backs and two defensive midfielders, or “double six,” provide stability in the center and yet you are still doubled-up on the wings, each side with a fullback and an offensive outside midfielder. The configuration of this formation also prevents the opposition forming any attacking phases, even when situated in their own half. The targeted steering of the opponent’s attacks to one side is difficult with just one striker in the basic formation. Typical variations are passes from the center backs into half-spaces to attacking midfielders or, if the fullbacks create enough space, to a defensive midfielder who drops in to the space between (especially when the opposition is attacking with two strikers). Two players that were extremely good at it were Xabi Alonso and Andrea Pirlo who would drop in this space between the center backs and play long balls in behind the opponent’s defense.