Red Army 4-2-3-1
In the 2011-2012 academic years, Red Army, one of 6
teams in Ashesi University, won all 3 trophies up for grabs; the FA Cup, the
Premier League, and the Super Cup. The FA Cup and Premier League were won
mainly on the 4-2-3-1 system of play.
Starting positions
In this formation, Red Army started
with two center backs, two full backs, two double pivot players, 3 attacking midfielders
and 1 striker.
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| Red Army Normal Movements |
Red Army Player Roles
Center Backs
The center backs were important to Red Army’s
success. The center backs made sure Red Army played with a high block most of
the time. They handled the offside trap and the fullbacks pushed forward to
enable the center backs achieve this. When Red Army was attacking, one center
back would push forward to act as a sweeper/holding midfielder. One center back
was quick so if an opposing attacking player managed to pass through the
defense line, he could recover the ball before the striker got to the penalty
box or would drag the opposing attacker wide of goal, allowing the rest of the
defense to quickly re-organize. Against some of the better teams in the league
Red Army played with two fast center backs.
Fullbacks
I always wanted Red Army fullbacks to act like
wingers to support attacking play, and to counter press or fall back when
needed. This did not happen as the fullbacks did not have the stamina to
implement it. In the end, the fullbacks were required to be closer infield so
that they could cover the space a center back would leave behind should the
center back decide to press an opponent with the ball. The fullbacks were
supposed to drag attackers who passed through their zone wide or if possible
reclaim the ball. If the fullback reclaimed the ball, it was the fullback’s job
to launch the counter attack. A center back would cover for the full back when
the full back moved to launch the counter.
Double Pivot
The players in the double pivot protected the defense
and started most of Red Army’s attacks. One of the double pivot players was a
complete midfielder. The complete midfielder in the double pivot understood
when to attack and when to defend. The complete midfielder protected not only
the center backs but the full backs. The other double pivot player mainly
protected the other center back and covered for the center back that would help
a full back under pressure. Both double pivot players were very good in
attacking. One preferred passing and the other preferred running with the ball
at feet. This was good for us because each holding player presented a unique
problem to our opponent going forward.
Attacking
Midfielders & Advanced Playmaker
Red Army played
two attacking midfielders and an advanced playmaker. The attacking midfielders
and the advanced playmaker were encouraged not to be rigid; they were allowed
to move to make triangular passing movements possible. They were allowed to
switch positions but they had to inform each other before they did.
Defensively, the
attacking trio was supposed to make it difficult for the opposing team’s
defense to pass to their midfield. They were supposed to press the opponent in
midfield. If they could not get the ball from the opponent, they were supposed
to get the second ball. They were
allowed to hard tackle opponents as long as they stood on their feet. When the
opponent pushed our defensive line back, the attacking midfield trio were
supposed to fall back to support the pivot players and defense players.
Advanced playmaker
With
Ball
The advanced playmaker (number 10) operated in the
center space behind the striker. The advanced playmaker primary role is to
create goal scoring chances for the attacking midfielders and the striker. The
advanced playmaker is allowed to switch positions with any of the attacking
midfielders.
Without Ball
Red Army’s advanced playmaker was expected to press
the opposing team when Red Army did not have the ball.
With or Without Ball
When Red Army was winning a game, to stifle the
opposing team, he was supposed to drop into the center of the pitch to limit
space for them. Red Army kept better possession when the advanced playmaker
dropped into midfield.
Attacking
Midfielders
With Ball
The attacking midfielders played in the left and
right spaces behind the striker. When an attacking midfielder had the ball, he
was supposed to do one of the following things:
·
Pass the ball to the advanced playmaker or
striker and then move forward into space for the return pass. With the return
pass, the attacking midfield was expected to score in a 1v1 situation with the
opposing goalkeeper.
·
Move into the penalty box; instantaneously
decide whether shoot for goal or to release the ball for the striker or other
attacking midfielder to score.
·
Spread the play to stretch the opponent defense.
Without Ball
When an attacking
midfielder loses the ball to an opposing full back or winger loses the ball,
the attacking midfielder is to immediately recover the ball. A defensive
midfielder normally would move to stop the attacker, when this happens, the
attacking midfielder is expected to occupy the space left by the defensive
midfielder. When the attacking
midfielder loses the ball in the penalty box, the attacking midfielder was
expected to break up possible counter attacks by occupying spaces the opponent
would most likely pass the ball through.
With or Without the
Ball
When Red Army was
winning a game, the attacking midfielders were expected to drop into center
midfield to reduce the space for opposing teams; when the attacking midfielders
dropped into center midfield, the team kept possession better.
Striker
The striker was supposed to not only score goals but
create chances for the attacking midfield trio to score goals. The striker was
told to operate between the left full back and left center backs, or the right
full back and the right center back.
This is because, in this league, the center backs were typically the
best defenders on each team. If a striker operated between them, he could
easily be marked out of the game. The
opposing fullbacks in Ashesi always stood very far (almost hugging the touchline
even) from their center backs. So, when our striker operated in between a full
back and center half, he would be harder to mark; mainly because he was usually
left in a lot of space and both defenders did not know whose responsibility it
was to track him. The center half thinks that if he moves from his position to
go closer to the striker, he leaves space for the attacking midfield trio to
exploit. Meanwhile, the fullback would believe his main duty was to protect
against attacks from the touchline and leave the striker to the center back.
The striker was not allowed to be stationary, he was
constantly supposed to either be walking or jogging. This is because it was
easier for a defender to stop a striker who begins moving from a stationary
position but harder when the striker is already in motion. The striker was not supposed to stay in one
zone. He was supposed to rotate between taking the space of the opposing team’s
left back and left center back, and the space between the opposing team’s right
center back and right back. The striker was supposed to press the opponent’s
keeper to make poor goal kicks; he was supposed to press defenders into making
poor passes or mistakes that Red Army could benefit from.
