| Systems of play - overview |
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 A plan called a system of play governs the way players act individually and together with others on the pitch. Such a system consists of a starting formation and guidelines for carrying out the primary functions in attacking and defensive play.
In modern soccer, number combinations identify the systems, showing how many players in the team's opening formation occupy each of the three zones: defense, midfield, and attack.  When we talk, say, about the 4-4-2 system, we mean that in the basic formation there are four players in the defensive zone, four players in the midfield area, and two players in the attacking zone. We speak of the back row or defensive unit, the midfield unit, and the attacking unit.The systems' numeric combinations are relatively uninteresting: it is players who win matches, not systems. Still, the choice of a system of play is tactically important. It is vital to decide upon a combination of figures according to the skills of the players on the roster. The coach should designate players' positions and roles with the idea of giving individual players and the team the best options for maneuvering on both offense and defense. |
