These days, you will discover more formations used than there ever have previously been; find out a number of the greatest ones in this article.
A really well-known formation which hasn’t been applied so much by the top clubs all over the world, is the 4-3-2-1, otherwise known as the Christmas tree formation! The Rossoneri used this formation during a massively dominant period of their history, when they had some of the greatest footballers around the world. This is one of the most unique soccer formations, as, when you look at it on paper, it looks pretty non-traditional. This formation features a packed midfield, which makes it one of the, if not the best football formation for possession. This system allows for two number 10’s and no out-and-out wingers, which lets the club dominate the midfield against pretty much any team. This is a formation which will surely be considered by the AC Milan owner, as it's a staple of the team's history.
The first formation that comes to mind whenever anyone thinks about the most distinguished systems in soccer history, is the timeless 4-4-2. This formation has been utilised throughout English football history and is still popular to this day, particularly in the lower leagues. The Red Devils historically used this setup during their glory era, a time where they collected all there was to win. This setup provides a great balance between attacking and defensive football strategies, so is very dynamic and versatile. Normally, this would use the little and large strike force techniques, where one player would muscle the defenders and win headers, whilst the other attempted to get in behind and score. Although it isn't really used as commonly as before, the Manchester United owners will surely see it as one of the very best formations of all time.
The 4-3-3 formation is something that has been embraced under more recent years by The Reds, and has been particularly successful under their new manager. This system calls for high levels of energy and movement in midfield, with a fast-paced striking setup. If employed properly, this can be amongst the most deadly formations in contemporary soccer; using high pressing off the ball, and swift attacking with it. The system features three attacking footballers, with the wide attackers commonly cutting inside to shoot; they can also be set up more defensively, to track back if required. Because it is such a dynamic formation, it’s often used in numerous ways. Some clubs use it for a possession-based game, but it is also possibly the best formation for counter attack football. Over the past few years, this style of play has delivered amazing success to the supporters and owners of Liverpool FC, with even some of the best clubs finding it difficult to understand how to contain other clubs that use it correctly.