Nifty Football (Beta) Formations: 3–5–2
Let’s take a closer look at another formation 3–5–2 — otherwise known as ‘the Italian’ — the third in a series of community-led articles on formations and tactics.
A Formation Created for One Player
As with many other tactical settings, the creation of the 3–5–2 is attributed to various coaches. Jonathan Wilson, author of ‘Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Soccer Tactics’, cites Carlos Bilardo as the first coach to use it in a high-level game. He led Argentina’s national team to victory at the 1986 World Cup and was prompted to use the 3–5–2 tactic by desperation.
In the first fifteen games he managed, Argentina won only three times. When he brought three central defenders onto the field, the national team’s game changed as if by magic. Using the 3–5–2 tactic made it possible for Diego Maradona to become a second striker and have more importance in the attack. At the same time, it did not weaken the centre of the field, where he had previously held the role of playmaker.
The 3–5–2 tactic never dominated world football because the peak of its glory was at the same time as the golden period of the 4–4–2 setting. However, not only Argentina played this way, but also the defeaters of the Bilardo team in the final of the next World Cup, West Germany. So what are the advantages that allow some teams to be successful to this day with the 3–5–2?
3–5–2 Is Excellent Against Tactics Based On Ball Possession
The ingenuity of the 3–5–2 setup is in the creation of a numerical advantage in all three sections of the pitch. The two strikers effectively absorb the attention of the defenders, while the wingers (called here ‘shuttlers’) can generate passes from the wings and be part of a defensive line of as many as five players. This makes it so that there should always be an extra player on hand to get to the ball, then either remove it from the danger zone or create a threat. Moreover, a third defender allows you to move the ball out more easily and deal with aggressive pressing.
The 3–5–2 tactic is considered an extremely effective counter-attack against teams that base their game on ball possession. It not only gives an extra player to dominate in the middle of the field, but also makes for effective stretching of the game. This was perfectly exploited by the Dutch in a group match against the Spanish at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where five inexperienced defenders were able to cope with La Furia Roja’s offensive temptations on the one hand, while experienced strikers in the form of Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben were able to wreak havoc on the defensive ranks of the team from the Apennine Peninsula.
Drawbacks
Unlike the aforementioned 4–4–2, the 3–5–2 formation is not as simple and natural. The fact that it forces players to be more tactically committed is an obvious downside. This is because not all players are positively minded, preferring to rely on fantasy and biting the grass. It also naturally takes more time to rally three central defenders than two, especially when it comes to setting up offside traps. Communication problems may also be more common.
For a 3–5–2 setup to work, you need shuttlers gifted not only with high offensive and defensive skills, but also with iron lungs. Running from one back line to the other requires incredible stamina, and there are not enough players with the right characteristics of a shuttler on the transfer market. An injury to one or two side defenders can end up putting an intricately devised tactic to waste due to a lack of players who can replace them.
Why ’Italian’?
Although the 3–5–2 tactic has never actually dominated football, and at the international level its greatest successes are associated with the Argentine and German national teams, in the last decade the name ‘Italian’ has clung to this setup. The Italians themselves, by the way, consider it a natural development of the defence-focused catenaccio (‘chain football’). A big part of this is the fact that in club football, the 3–5–2 has had strong ties to Serie A over the past few seasons.
It is coaches from that league who have tried to graft it onto other backyards, and often with considerable success, for this is how Antonio Conte’s Chelsea team set up in the victorious 2016/2017 season, and other coaches from the Premier League followed in his footsteps. It’s hard to name a team in the English league that hasn’t tried a setup with three defenders and versatile wing-backs in at least a few games over the past few years. Even when these teams eventually reverted to four defenders, they still pulled out the 3–5–2 for individual matches. More than once with great results!
3–5–2 in Nifty Football
As mentioned above, 3–5–2 requires the right type of players and with a squad of just 18 in Nifty Football Beta (in anticipation of the marketplace), most managers out there will be lucky if they have what is required.
One interesting caveat however, is that 3–5–2 in Nifty Football currently classifies the two external defenders not as central defenders but as left back and right back. This saves you scraping the bottom of the barrel for three centre halves.
The midfield is made up of one central defensive midfielder, two central midfielders and two wingers. Note as in previous articles however, the subtle yet pertinent difference between left or right sided midfielders, wingers and forwards: while these terms are basically interchangeable in real-world football, they are distinct in Nifty, so if you don’t have players marked RW and LW specifically, you’ll end up with sad faces.
Finally, another way in which Nifty differs from real-world football, but this time in a way that is positive for managers, is that you don’t particularly need tactically intelligent players to play this (or any) formation. As you can see from the Nifty Football Wiki, formation choices boil down to a numbers game in any given area of the field. You’ll quite simply be strong in midfield, average up front and a little light at the back.
Share your Thoughts
Join the Nifty Football Discord community to share your tactical lessons learned and glean a few tips from others — we’d love to have you on board! If you’re not already playing Nifty Football in beta, go to our official website and sign up! Whitelisting is no longer necessary, so see you soon in the Niftyverse!
