Defending in the 4-3-3: The Block and the Counter

While a lot of the talk on the 4-3-3 formation is praise for its attacking flair, made famous from teams in Spain and around Europe, there is also a lot of strength in its defensive structure. In this post, we’re going to use an example session run by the late Dick Bate, for fellow coaches at St George’s Park.

The session itself was focusing on the counter-attack, but one of the great features of the session is how structured the defensive set-up is. The goal is simple: remain compact, screen the dangerous central areas, and lure the opposition into a trap before exploding on the counter-attack.

You can see part 1 of the session on this link.

Part 2 of the session is on this link.

The front three “screen”

In a 4-3-3 block, the defensive work starts with the forwards. They are the first line of the screen.

How often do you see a centre-forward aimlessly chasing a ball and tiring themselves out? Rather than this, the “9” stays disciplined. Their job is to stay between the ball and the centre spot, effectively cutting the pitch in half and screening any direct passes into the opposition’s central midfielders.

Meanwhile, the wide players’ (the “7” and “11”) role is similar but focused on the actions of the opposition wide players. They position themselves to screen these passes out, forcing the play back inside where your three central midfielders are waiting to pounce.

The back four – body shape & pressure on the ball

With the front three doing an effective screening job, it may discourage the opposition from playing through the lines, and look for a quick pass over the defensive line, therefore the back four must be on the alert.

If there is no pressure on the player in possession, it make sense for the defenders to give themselves a “yard” of cushion to protect against the ball over the top. The defenders should never be caught flat-footed – by staying side-on, they are ready to sprint back or step forward instantly. If the ball is “pressed,” the line can squeeze up.

The overlap threat

In wide areas, an effective attacking unit will provide threat with an overlap. The key here is for the full-back to stay vocal and instruct the
wide forward what to do. Some full-backs prefer to always be the deeper player, so therefore both players take a screening role until there’s an opportunity for a tackle or interception. The alternative is that the wide player must cover behind the full-back if they are beaten.

The role of the midfield

The central midfield players in the defensive 4-3-3 is often described as a “comb” – that makes it incredibly difficult for the opposition to play through the middle. They stay narrow, sliding across as a unit to ensure that if the ball does enter the central zone, there is immediate pressure from multiple angles.

Transition to attack

The reason we defend in this disciplined shape isn’t just to stop goals…it’s also to create them, and quickly in transition.

The moment possession is won, the 4-3-3 is perfectly “staggered” to hit the opponent where it hurts, but again, players have to be ready to take advantage.

The obvious threat is vertically, either through the middle to the “9” or into space behind the full-backs for the wide players. Upon winning possession, this should be an option. Because of the positioning of the wide players screening passes, they are often in good positions to exploit the vacant wide channels.

The key here is to move the ball quickly and into space. Often overlooked is the “switch”, moving the ball quickly to the opposite flank where there is likely to be more space. The emphasis should be on confident and quick passing, one or two touch.

If the ball is moved forward quickly, it also important that at least one of the midfield three offers support – effectively an “8” turning into a “10”, adding an extra player to the attacking unit. This player can also be useful making a “secondary” move into the opposition box for cut-backs, and likely to be a lot harder for the opposition defenders to track.

“Defending is about patience and positioning. You wait for the mistake, and the moment they give you the ball, you punish them for it.” — Dick Bate