Australia Soccer Formation

Lineup (4-1-4-1)

A variant of the popular 4-4-2 formation. Was designed for teams that relied in the midfield plus forwards to score and have trouble in the backs.

Have the defensive line drop back, particularly the central defenders. The sweeper is in charge of pressuring the opposing mid and forward players. One striker as the team relies in a solid midfield that can push up. Another reason is to have an extra player in the sweeper so it is less prone to counter attacks after corners, as the sweeper takes the middle marking the front of the striker. This keeps the number of players in the box as the 4-4-2 formation the same but adds an extra player because it fills the role of a central defender marking a striker.