- football coaching and tactics advice - Walter Mains
The 4-5-1 system, made famous most recently by Jose Mourinho, is arguably one of the most adaptable football formations to use. Designed to offer a wealth of options in midfield, this system is increasingly hard to break down.
Defenders in the Four-Five-One Must Be Aware of Opposition Strikers and Wingers
The defenders line up in a classic way, with two central defenders partnered by full-backs on either side. With the midfield so saturated, it is less important to include a “ball-playing” defender who is comfortable going forward. It is important, however, that the full-backs have great pace and positional sense as they will receive less support from the wide-midfielders further up the field.
This can easily be coached and encouraged by having defenders being allocated zones they are responsible for that they must remain in during practice games.
Both Defensive and Attacking Midfielders are Needed in this Formation
With this tactic, the midfield separates into defensive and attacking duties. Usually, the midfield is anchored by two defensive-minded midfielders who take a reserved approach, protecting the defence while passing the ball to the attacking players. One of these defensive midfielders must be confident passing the ball great distances, in a role similar to a Quarter Back in American Football, for the tactic to work effectively.
Just ahead of these midfielders is the attacking midfielder. With those behind him responsible for defending, the sole aim of the attacking midfielder is to assist the striker by breaking into the box, playing short, neat passes through the opposition defence and scoring goals.
The wide-midfielders are of equal importance to the attack and pace and dribbling skills are pivotal. They will need to commit to pressing the opposition back, taking the ball to the by-line before crossing or possibly cutting inside to shoot for themselves.
Coaching drills for midfielders will vary depending on their assigned position. The defensive midfielders passing range must be improved with coaching drills, whereas wide-midfielders will need a degree of pace to be successful. A good drill would be to include these players together, having defensive midfielders pass into the appropriate positions with the wide-midfielders chasing the ball and shooting first time.
Didier Drogba is the Prime Example of a Striker in a Four-Five-One
The lone-striker in a 4-5-1 system must be something of a complete striker, possessing all the correct attributes for such a role, including pace, strength, stamina and being equally comfortable with the ball in the air as on the floor. A prime example of such a forward would be Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, who fulfils the role for both Chelsea and the Ivory Coast.
It’s likely that the striker will be heavily marked by the opposition defence, so a lot of play will be with his back to goal whilst holding defenders off, waiting for support from the attacking midfielders. He will also need to be able to find and create his own space in the box by timing his runs to perfection, and this is something that can easily be worked on in training.
Liam Stoker - Liam Stoker is a freelance sports journalist based in Southend-On-Sea, England. Having graduated from the University of Brighton, Liam ...
