Rafa Benitez Official Website

4-2-3-1: love it. give balance to the team attack and defend. but getting the right player in the right position is key. that why not all team can play and succeed with this system.

4-2-3-1. Because teams now defend deeper because of the change to the offside rule a number of years ago, gaps became bigger between defence and attack and so having 4 'bands' of players like 4-2-3-1 has means that this space is shut off.

I like the balance it gives to the defence and attack. You have the two holding midfielders stopping angled short passes being played straight to the forwards and blocking the space for central penetration. You can push your wingers slightly further up because of this protection and they can press high or back off, changing the formation to a 4-4-1-1.

I also like having an attacking midfielder there. They can take advantage of any space in the hole and if the team is pressing the opposition back, then they can become an extra forward and the pressing formation has the ability to turn into a 4-2-4 with the wingers pressing high as well so all 4 defenders are directly up against someone.

All depends on the players you have at your disposal but if i had to pick one i'd go for 4-2-3-1 as it should lead to more possession and a greater fludity to play. A player like Dirk Kuyt who can play on the right or up front can easily make these formations interchangeable

i do prefer 4-2-3-1 formation . i choose this because in this attacking and defending both can be good the striker can get well support from the center forward and we can do attack well from the right and left attacking midfielder and the i think instit of 2 defensive midfielder one can play as cake a great center midfielder and. as in this formation defensive and attacking both became good this is better than 4-4-2. and i think having a great center midfielder make a great impact in the game in this formation.

the formation i prefer more...

it's 3-5-2 in this formation i want one center back just sweeper and left two back as right back and left back and my two defensive midfielder to come little low than always and two cover the gap of right center back and left center back but being out of D-box and i want one right and another left midfielder and i want a center attacking midfield who even plays as the center forward and as a play maker as the time desire and i want him as an very good runner and with a good vision, good long and short pass and with a shot accuracy and a capability of to score the shot called as what a hit and i want remaning two as a wide forward. and my game will depend upon the ceenter attacking midfeilder.

I definitely prefer the 4-2-3-1 as is is far more conducive to playing between the lines which in today's game where defence is so well structured is a key requirement.

It is also far more flexible with the right players.

Allot of games seem to be won and lost in the midfield and 4-2-3-1 does give more bodies in the midfield.
As a Liverpool fan I would be quite happy to never see 4-4-2 as we have seen it in the last two years.
With hardworking players who understand their role you can play these different systems depending on the opposition.
Possibilities no?

4231

442 is a more static, regimented system where the creative impetus depends on the movement of the 2 strikers.

4231 is a defined but fluid system. The 2 DM's are a radar shield that give assurance to everyone ahead of them thus allowing creative movement. They can drop diagonally backwards to cover for fullbacks or work together as herders for nullifying counter attacks.

The lone "sharp shooter" can drift in and out and roam creatively, constantly switching the attention of the defenders, working in-between their zones to force decisions on who covers who. The lone striker can act as the tip of the triangle to the side of least resistance.
3 across the field allow fast transitions of attack from one side to the other.

442 lines are defined and the space between them is the threat point. Who covers the middle ground? Football is about probing. Checking an electric fence to find a break in the circuit.

4231 - options going forwards, solid going backwards.

Response:

Thanks for your very good analysis.

I remember it's u who makes 4-2-3-1 popular in the world!Thank you for your contribution to REDS!

Response:

There were other managers using the system, the question is, if you have a good team you can win more games and the people will discover the system. Thanks anyway.