I
n my formative years as a football fan the 3-5-2, particularly in Europe, was the preferred formation. The German Euro ’96 winning team played it with Matthias Sammer as sweeper; the great Juventus side of mid to late 90s, and the Bayern Munich Champions League winning 2001 team, used it without a sweeper; and on a more provincial front, Martin O’Neill’s extremely direct Leicester City, marshalled by the unyielding centre back trio of Walsh, Elliott and Taggart, with Impey and Guppy galloping up and down the flanks, were exponents. The use of the formation dwindled in the noughties and is still seldom used by the elite clubs (Juventus and Liverpool aside). However, post the 2014 World Cup, the formation has made a bit of a comeback, particularly among English lower league clubs including Bristol City and Swindon Town who are thriving.
Bristol City play the 3-5-2 (more
of a 3-4-1-2 in their case) in a fairly conventional manner. The back three (right to left) of Ayling,
Flint and Williams is similar in style to the 2001 Bayern Munich centre back
trio of Kuffour, Andersson and Linke: a slower, aerially accomplished, organiser
(Flint and Andersson) flanked by two pacier, aggressive, ball winning players
(Ayling and Williams, and Kuffour and Linke). For Bristol City, Aden Flint – club captain, and a colossus at 6’5”
– is, arguably, Bristol City’s most
important player. As you would expect,
given his size, he wins everything aerially and is a considerable threat at set
pieces. Ayling and Williams – very quick
for centre backs – use their pace well to cover the pockets of space in the
corners of the pitch: the glitch of the 3-5-2 formation. Confident in their recovery ability, Ayling
and Williams press the opposition high up the pitch, dispossessing the
opposition in advanced areas to start counter-attacks in their opponent’s half. Ayling and Williams could play as
full-backs and, in Ayling’s case, as a box-to-box midfielder. They are both comfortable in possession and
rarely resort to long punts up the pitch, unlike Flint.
Bristol City’s wing-backs, Little
and Bryan, are quick and athletic. Given
Bristol City’s dominance in many games, they are often high up the pitch, but do
not neglect their defensive duties and expose Ayling and Williams overly to
counter-attacks. Bryan is the more
skilful of the duo and better in an attacking sense; he has probably been the
best League One wing-back/full-back this season.
Bristol City’s central midfield is
well balanced with Pack/Elliott and Korey Smith as the double pivot, and Freeman
ahead of them, operating between the lines in a ‘free role’. The midfield trio is similar in style to the
2001 Bayern Munich central midfield of Effenberg, Hargreaves and Scholl. The most eye-catching of the trio is Freeman,
although Korey Smith is the most effective: comfortable in possession, an
excellent passer and incredibly athletic. He is the best defensive midfielder in League One.
Bristol City’s front two – currently
Wilbraham and Agard – perform, essentially, the big man (Wilbraham), little man
(Agard) act. For strikers they have a
very high work rate, but are, perhaps, not good enough for the Championship in
an attacking sense.
Currently, Swindon play a 3-6-1
formation rather than a 3-5-2 which they have played for the bulk of the
season, although badging it a 3-5-2 is a simplification. Swindon’s 3-5-2 has actually been a 1-2-1-4-2
or 1-2-4-1-2, the latter resembling Jorge Sampaoli’s buccaneering
Chileans. It is unconventional;
tactically innovative; progressive some might say.
Swindon’s back three is an
inversion of Bristol City’s: playing with a sweeper flanked by two orthodox
central defenders. Nathan Thompson is
Swindon’s sweeper, club captain and a product of the youth team. Up until the current campaign he spent most of
his career as a right back/right-wing back. Technically, he is excellent: one of the most composed defenders in
possession in League One. Given Swindon’s
expansive style, and susceptibility to the counter-attack, he, on occasions, uses
his pace to move into wide positions to cover in behind the flanking centre
backs, and defend in one-on-one situations (less so as Swindon’s organisation
improves). Branco and Turnbull are
orthodox central defenders – good in the air (the former particularly so) – and
comfortable in possession. Unlike Ayling
and Williams, they are not very quick (but not slow), and would struggle to
play as full-backs in a back four, making them less effective in covering the
space out wide left by the three centre back formation. Although Swindon’s back three is technically
superior to Bristol City’s in possession, it is a weaker defensive unit off it,
not helped by the protection afforded by the wing-backs.
Swindon’s wing-backs, Byrne and
Toffolo are, arguably, not really wing-backs at all. Frequently stationed well into the
opposition’s half their remit (or preference) is to attack more than defend to
pin back the opposition’s full backs and to be in prime position to
counter-attack. This can leave Swindon
exposed defensively, relying on Branco and Turnbull to defend against
opposition wingers in one-on-one situations. MK Dons have been particularly good in exploiting this weakness.
Swindon’s central midfield is the
best creative unit in League One. When
playing the 3-6-1 formation, typically, a diamond is used with Stephens at the
base, Kasim and Luongo ahead, and Swift at the top in the ‘number 10 role’ just
behind the lone striker, Smith/Williams. Generally, most opponents play a 4-5-1 formation against Swindon to
swell their midfield numbers to counter Swindon’s threat, but, unless their
full backs play in advanced roles – which would give them seven in midfield –
they find themselves outnumbered in this area. Swindon have the highest possession per game average in League One by
some margin, dominating most opponents in central midfield. Their share of the possession has not dropped
below 50% in any game this season.
Up front, Michael Smith or Andy
Williams play in the ‘number nine role’, the former more effective than the
latter as a lone striker.
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