A Guide to 4-4-2

One of the most traditional formations in football, the classic 4-4-2, has fallen out of favor with many of the top sides around the world.

Why has it fallen out of favour? How can it be used effectively?

Written by Eric Laurie, illustrated by Philippe Fenner.

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#TacticsExplained

[thMandalorian]

TIFO should do a guide for each formation as a series, maybe the Christmas Tree could be released during the holiday season

[muhammadrifqi]

I'm now convinced that this football channel is partly an outlet to fullfill joe's childhood dream of being a singer.

[timdurgan]

Given the development of the game and the erosion of the formation, would be cool to see a JJ analysis of how Leicester won the league with the old 4-4-2

[shiftos]

Leicester 15/16 was the perfect example of how to maximise the 442 strengths and minimise the weaknesses in the modern era. Narrow laterally and vertically, flexible switching between a 4-4-1-1 (Okazaki dropping off) or Diamond/4-1-3-2 (Kante aggressively pressing the ball carrier ahead of Drinkwater) to help combat different systems, and Mahrez/Vardy providing different types of options on the counter (vardy off the ball, and Mahrez on the ball)

Was an absolute joy to watch, one of my favourite sides ever in the premier league.

[honestarsenalfan]

Baumgart's FC Koln. They play with 2 target man type strikers in Modeste and Andersson. Mark Uth is a good crosser from wide but isn't the quickest. Florian Kainz who is wide on the right is also good technically and a decent crosser. Benno Schmitz, the RB, is the key creative cog though with excellent delivery. The heartbeat of the team is Skhiri, a true 2 way Midfielder. They have been really good to watch and gave both Bayern and Leverkusen a game. Hoffenheim annihilated them but aside from that they keep the ball well and play on the front foot. That defence though🥶 probably the worst in the league. Czichos is a defender who doesn't know how to defend.

[FruduBuggins]

Agree with the other comments: Please do a series where you go through the classic set-ups like 4-3-3, 5-3-2 and so on

[enzotansingco]

Overlapping as a LB/RB in a 4-4-2 is fun until you realize your wingers didn’t cover behind and you suddenly have to track back all the distance

[petercliffe]

For me it was Jose Mourinho's Chelsea that ended the 4-4-2 in the Premier League. Most teams were still playing it in the mid 2000's but when they saw how outnumbered they could be in midfield, even managers who'd had great success with 4-4-2, like Alex Ferguson, made the switch to a 3-man midfield.

[Bagster]

I occasionally use the 4-4-2 but with a shadow striker or false 9 so more a 4-4-1-1. I remember in FIFA 2005 both Australia and England were setup as a 4-4-2. Two-man striker teams of Viduka & Kewell and Rooney & Owen respectively. Those pairings were deadly.

[bri]

At the end of the 17/18 season Klopp used to defend in a 442, with Mané tucking into a left midfield position, while Salah moved more centrally

[fadilsp]

whenever i play games like FIFA or Football Manager i always use 4-4-2 but have the LB and RB in wingback positions. Went invincible one season with it

[Themandalorian]

I actually use 4-4-2 a lot in football manager and i have to say I have been fairly successful

[Goudg]

One of my favourite FM formations is a 4-4-2 with inverted wing back and a striker who drops deeper like a false nine. You still get that width with conventional wingers (even though they are pretty rare nowadays), but pretty sturdy midfield when in possession.

[AvatarN]

Give us an insight into Marcelo Bielsa's 3-3-3-1 formation

[benjamineckford]

I miss watching teams play 4-4-2, used to see it a lot in the Premier League but you rarely see it nowadays. That's one of the reasons I like watching Atletico Madrid these days, they use 4-4-2 to great effect

[uncreative]

Sincere question: Didn't the US use a 442 to beat Spain in 2009? If so, I'd love to see a breakdown in how Bob Bradley used it so efficiently that day.

[nadeemafzal]

More of this please. Looking at 433, 4231, 352

[adn]

Thank you Tifo. That's amazing. Can you please do the 4-1-4-1 next? It's an underrated but flexible system.

[nishanttalukdarmusic]

Currently doing a version of 442 with Arsenal on fm. Won the league with 433 but the team forgot to play football during the second season. Just reverted back to a simple 442 and saved the season with a top4 season.

[thegreathadoken]

It hasn't fallen out of favour with me in Football Manager, that away and 424 at home. Once you've got the right players in, there's no stronger shape, I don't care who you are, from Barrow to Barcelona, it will dominate.