The success of attacking formations and methods depends on the work done at midfield level. Here is why.

In professional football, a lot of work enters into strategizing and preparation to come up with the most effective formations and tactical plans. Nonetheless, the sport is really unpredictable as there is a variety of variables and unexpected in-game circumstances that could throw things out of balance. This is where the coach and technical personnel come in as prompt and astute adjustments are of the essence. For example, severe injuries and footballers getting sent off can have a substantial impact on the result of the match. It is for these reasons that modern football formations frequently consist of contingency plans should the worst occur. Football coaches prepare for such occurrences beforehand so they wouldn't be caught off guard on matchday, and this is something that the AC Milan former US owner will know. Making timely replacements or changes to the formation and footballer positioning can considerably limit the effect of damaging scenarios.

While offensive football formations are the most fun to see, tactical formations that have a defense edge tend to be more balanced. For example, the 4-5-1 tactic is most popular with clubs that wish to draw or win a title by goal difference. The cluster of 5 midfielders in the centre typically requires the attacking group to resort to long balls as they realise that building play through brief passes will not be efficient. Even when long balls reach players who are close to the box, two defensive midfielders hang back to form a very first barrier placed in front of the main 4-player defensive line. Clubs who utilise this method likewise purchase tall defenders who can intercept long balls, and the Aston Villa former owner is likely to confirm this. While it's one of the much better defensive football formations, this technique counts on counter attacks to take the other team by surprise.

Only used by a select few in contemporary football, nobody can reject that the 3-4-3 is among the very best attacking football formations. Clubs that utilise this tactic are typically top table clubs that aim to score as many goals as possible every game, all while keeping a defensive strength when the other group counter-attacks. The Crystal Palace former owner would likely concur that the trick behind the efficiency of this tactic lies in the midfield positioning. Because it uses 4 midfielders, teams that utilise the 3-4-3 make every effort to dominate the midfield area, and they frequently are successful. This is merely due to the fact that having a line of 4 in the midfield makes it exceptionally hard for the other group to pass the ball or develop play efficiently. When one of the midfielders obstructs the ball, the midfield line ends up being a lozenge that feeds through and long balls to the wingers and centre forward.