U.S.A. Soccer Formation

Lineup (3-4-3)

Base Formation: Generating quality offensive chances and staying solid on defense.

This formation is designed to allow the offence to create scoring chances easily, while providing defensive cover and making it very difficult for opposing teams to get scoring chances in front of goal.

The Center Backs stay pinched into the center to force the opposing team to play down the wings. Their main responsibility is to push dribblers toward the sidelines and away from the center of the field, and to prevent point blank shots in front of goal.

The Center Defensive Mid defends the space between the back line and the attacking third, and pulls back to plug the hole between the CBs on defense. He occasionally goes up-field to aid the attack, but stays out of the opponent's box (except for on corners). In the course of attack, he should look to shoot from distance any time he has a clear opportunity (think Yaya Toure at Man City).

On defense, the striker should put themselves into position to receive an outlet pass and go at goal. They should also look for opportunities to steal the ball from unsuspecting opponents looking to start their own attack.
On offense, the Striker is equal parts poacher and target-man. He stays high up-field to pester the opponent's defense into making mistakes and force them to stay near their own box, leaving space for the MIDs to work in. He can check into the "hole" to receive entry passes to either lay off to either MID, or play back for the CDM to play a through ball to either MID making runs up the wings. He stays active in front of goal to be in position to score from crosses and shot deflections. If he gets the ball with space to turn and go at goal he should do that and look to score.

Wing Mids hug the touchline look to receive the ball on the wings and either charge upfield to create chances, or to pass into the ST or CDM and look to run onto either lay-off passes from the ST, or through-ball from the CDM. When receiving the ball in space, MIDs should look to either cut inside and shoot on frame, or get by their defender or the wing for a cross or a dribble into the box.
On defense, MIDs will pull back and protect the flanks defensively, looking to prevent opponents from getting into the box, and preventing passes and crosses into the center.