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Conditions:
- U14 Boys Recreational Team – boys who sign up are placed on a roster.
- I believe all players can grow given hard effort, focus, and grit.
- I can teach and foster positive change and expect all the boys to learn, and I will strategically place, not hide, kids on the field given my team’s holistic positional composition.
Inherent in the design of any formation is the consideration of your players in reference to positions. What are your thoughts, given my very limited conditional description and player notes (below), on where you would put certain players? I truly value your input.
- I have two kids who are bigger and slower than the other 16. It is their speed more than skill at this point that primarily concerns me.
- Player 1 will readily engage in challenges with no fear, and if on the ball, will use his size to his advantage to win it and distribute.
- Player 2 (used to being stuck at the back of the field and taught to sit and wait for the game to come to you) will engage when the ball arrives in near proximity.
For both of these players, I believe that they have traditionally been given roles on back lines with singular instruction to engage when the action arrives in your third.
- <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>In a 4-3-3 formation, what positions might you place players described above?</span>
- <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>In general and roughly speaking, regarding the three lines of play in a 4-3-3 formation, where might you place players given the following very brief descriptions:</span>
Not including the keeper:
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<li style=”font-weight: bold;”>4 of the 10 players are much more skilled, aware, and technically adept.
<li style=”font-weight: bold;”>2 of the 10 are somewhat skilled, aware, and technically adept.
<li style=”font-weight: bold;”>4 of the 10 much less skilled, aware, and technically adept.3. <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Regarding the three lines (back four, middle three, front three), if you had to build with priority given the varying abilities of your team. Which positions would you place your stronger and weaker players in the aforementioned lines? My strongest player is of course sitting as a 6. </span>
Any advice on any of my questions would be greatly appreciated as I truly value your input.
Thank you,
James Brodie
1. I would try both players at Wid Mid position. I think there they have the best chance to contribute. Set them up for success by giving them and the team specific instructions, e.g. “John when we have the ball, stay wide and away from defenders to give yourself time. When we defend, here is your area. Get compact as fast as you can. Team: John is playing from here to here, he is going to stay back and not get too far forward. Look for him here, you can overlap him here. John if you get the ball here, try to hold it up, look for support. Players in front of John, you’ll need to drop deeper to help him” etc. The more aggressive slow player you can also try at CF, CB, maybe as a second DM. Just know what you sacrifice and instruct accordingly, e.g. if you try him at CF, high pressure may not work as well.
2. At the start of the season I would put the strong players in the back to ensure you can play out of the back and keep possession. As the season progresses and the possession gets better and some players hopefully improve, then start putting your improving players in the back and move stronger players into attacking positions. If A = strong, B = good, C = average, I would start Back 4: AABA, Mid 3 = BAC, Front 3 = CCC. Encourage the FB to get forward (this is 3four3 after all!). So the “mid 4” would be BAC+A. If you still have trouble moving thru midfield, switch a back 4 A with a B (BABA-AAC-CCC) or if comfortable with a C in the back, drop a C to the back (CABA-AAC-CCB), so the “mid 4” is a AAC+A
3. Perhaps you need more criteria than weak/strong. Just off the top of my head: Smart players/decision makers: DM, CBs. Some speed, decent first touch, looks for 1-2s: FB, LM, RM. Flair/1v1 players: AM, Wings. Thunderfoot/nose for goal: CF. Bottom line, put your players where you think they will succeed within your philosophy, but you may need to be practical as well, e.g. if my back line is smart but lacks speed/height, you may need to put “the athlete” back there.
Good luck!
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