Football/Soccer Session (Advanced): 4:3:3 System

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Name: Frank Greenawalt

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4:3:3 System

4:3:3 System

The 4:3:3 is an ideal system to learn because of its tactical flexibility. Minor adjustments in positioning and mentality
easily allow the system to become a more defensive 4:5:1, or a more attacking 4:2:4. These adjustments are easier to
make in the 4:3:3, than in most other systems.

Showing players the patterns of movement in a 4:3:3 on paper enhances their understanding of the system, and allows
for quicker learning on the training field in functional training. Players that are familiar with the basic concepts of every
line in the system, both in attack and defense, will be smarter and better prepared to make quick decisions during
matches.

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4:3:3 in Defense

General Defensive Concepts

Pressure must be applied to the ball before defense can begin. Until there is pressure on the ball the

team must drop towards their own goal/18. When pressure is applied the team then can step and compress space.

Coaching Points:
+ Pressure must be immediate.

+ Pressure must force that attacker’s vision down.

+ Pressure must make play predictable.

+ Pressure must prevent passing penetration.

Pressure must be accompanied by immediate cover. Covering players are responsible for filling space

behind the pressure to eliminate the threat of dribble penetration. Quality defending requires a team to get numbers up
around the ball everywhere on the field. The team defends together. When pressure is applied, the entire team must step
together to stay compact. Space can not exist between lines on the field, or between pressuring players and the rest of the
team. The team must also shift across the field together as the ball moves. In general, the team must move as one unified
block whenever the ball moves. This puts high demands on work rate and coordination. The team must step and
compress space every time the ball moves backwards. On both their own clearances and on any backpasses played by
the opposition the team must step to recover space and to eliminate time the opposition has to make decisions.

Defense Play of the Back Four: Combination Man/Zone:

Defending in a 4:3:3 should be done primarily with zonal defending. Players are not solely responsible for marking an
individual opponent but instead are responsible for filling areas of space and marking any opponents in those spaces.
Zonal defending allows the team to keep a better defensive shape, and

reduces some of the physical demands of man-marking. Because the 4:3:3 does not have outside midfielders, the back
four must not play with a sweeper-stopper system. Instead, the two center backs are always staggered depending on
where the ball is. If the ball is on the left, the right center back is deeper than the left center back. Playing with 2
centerbacks will allow the outside backs to step into wide spaces more effectively defensively to address the weakness
within the system. Inside the penalty box, the system switches to purely man-to-man marking. Proximity to the goal
does not allow for space to zone.

Defensive Play of the Midfield Three:

The midfield three will also function under zonal principles, however, this group must be much more aggressive and
attack the ball on defense. The work rate of the three midfield players is going to determine if this system works. These
three players are primarily responsible for the middle vertical third of the field—the area between the sides of the
penalty boxes. Wide space must normally be covered by outside backs and wingers. The outside midfielders will be
pinched in, so that the midfield works as a tight triangle wherever they go on the field. If the outside midfielders get
stretched too wide, the team will get beaten up that middle, as the central midfielder will constantly be numbers down
defensively. In the attacking and midfield thirds of the field, this group should force the ball centrally, where the team
will have numbers up most of the time. Forcing the ball inside will reduce space for attackers to play in, and is
uncomfortable for most outside backs. Also, turnovers in this area create natural counter-attack opportunities. One
player must always be in the “hole” in front of the center backs. This player is most important to prevent counters up the
middle of the field, and to “protect” the center backs. This player acts partially as a screen, preventing balls in to the feet
of center forwards.

Coordination Between the Backs and Midfield:

The inherent defensive weakness in the 4:3:3 is the lack of outside midfielders. If this outside midfield space is not
defending appropriately, the team will have major difficulties. Because, the
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4:3:3 in Attack

4:3:3 General Attacking Concepts:

Attacking width will come from the 3 forwards and the outside backs. The midfield triangle will primarily remain in the
center of the field to penetrate centrally, to distribute wide, and to prevent counter attacks.

The outside backs must be technically competent to attack space on the flanks, and must be tactically

aware of when and how to overlap into attack. These players should be considered credible weapons in buildup and in
penetration. The midfield must play quickly wide or forward to relieve pressure. One attacking midfielder will be
responsible for late runs into the box on wide services, while the deeper midfielders will be responsible for sealing space
behind the ball. The center forward will always be responsible for attacking the near post on crosses. The weak side
winger will be responsible for far post runs. Players coming from deeper on the field will fill all other spaces. The first
option upon winning possession is always to one of the forward players—either a penetrating ball into space, or a ball
forward to feet. The forward three should always be pushing the restraining line as far back as possible.

Starting Positions of the Forward Three:

When the ball is on the side: The ball side winger should always stretch the field as wide as possible. The center forward
should stretch the field as high as possible. The weak side winger will pinch in 15 – 25 yards in order to create another
threat behind the defense, and to give the center forward a teammate to play in combination with.

When the ball is central:

Movement Options of the Front Three:

There should always be at least one run checking back to the ball. This run can come from the ball side

winger, the center forward, or both players. Other runs should occur in coordination with this run to use space created by
defenders pulled out of position. A particularly dangerous run comes from the center midfielder recreating length by
moving past the center forward when the center forward checks back to the ball. The most dangerous ball is always one
played behind the defense, so one run should always look to attack or exploit this space.

When the wingers receive the ball wide:

When a winger receives a ball in a wide position, they must look to attack their defender with speed when possible.
Several options will be available to combine with other forwards or to play through balls behind the defense. In the
attacking third, the winger should be confident to beat his mark 1 v 1.

Movement

Custom Movement

Pass

Custom Pass

Pitch Line 2

Pitch Line 3

Pitch Line 4

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