First soccer tactical formations you remember playing?

I think when we were 8/9 we only played with 9 on the field so it was 3-3-2

mainly played a 4-3-3 in lower levels with our center mid playing a "rover" style position that had free reign of the entire field.

One of my club teams I remember playing a diamond d specifically so I guess a 1-2-1-4-2 style or something weird like that. I never paid much attention to be honest...If I wasn't a center forward I was in goal. Never had to worry much about the rest of the formation

Played 4-4-2 in rec from 10-12 and then again when I made the move to premier at 13. At 15 I went from striker to center mid and for the first time ever my team played a flat back 4 rather than having a "stopper". Was probably the most difficult transition I've ever been through in any sport.

ETA: I guess the stopper actually made it a 3-1-4-2. So that until 15 and then the move to 4-4-2.

Yes, that was exactly it. The most skilled overall player was the target forward and the sweeper was always a fast kid who could cover a lot of ground. And yes now it seems a little odd but we won a lot and beat some equally and more talented teams.

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Generally by the time I got older (H.S. age) we mostly played 4-3-3 or something like that.

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I can see you have that great soccer IQ that so many soccer fans claim to have that the general public doesn't.

quote:

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I can see you have that great soccer IQ that so many soccer fans claim to have that the general public doesn't.

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By saying that, most of us realize he means they used a 4-3-3, or a mutation of that. No need to list 4-2-3-1, 4-1-2-3, and every other slight variation.

Also, high school used a 4-4-2 with a flat midfield except senior year when we went to a 3-4-3. Club tended to use a 4-3-3 for the most part. The 3-4-3 was actually my favorite to play in as a keeper.

I think the best way to allow minimal goals up through high school is with a sweeper. I really do. Someone who can just roam around with a big leg and tons of speed, picking up anyone who slips through. With a solid offsides trap, this can kill teams.

I grew up playing sweeper. My club team had the same back 4 for 7 years. We were deadly.

The best defense I ever saw was at my high school the year after I graduated.

We had an All-State keeper playing sweeper. He was an all-american at sweeper, and the guy in goal was very solid - plays college. The sweeper played enough games at keeper to be named All-State at two positions.

They basically didn't allow goals. Team lost on a shootout after a 0-0 draw in the state championship when the opposing team never came close to scoring.

3-1-2-4 was basically what we played. The outside wingers/forwards would get back at times but mainly they offense only. generally one of the strikers would play more of the #10 role with the other sitting on the backline. so maybe it was really a 3-1-2-3-1

we scored alot. had a fast athletic back three that were almost interchangeable at the three spots. It was a blast to run