By Matt Carroll
The 2-3-1 for the 7v7 game is probably one of the most common systems of play seen at that level. It provides an adequate number of defenders, and when you are generally facing a lone striker you are always numbers up. You can match or overload nearly any other opposition’s system with the three but also allows one of the players from the midfield to move forward in support of the lone striker.
With the defenders, this formation is a great way to exemplify the relationship between centerbacks and outside backs. When the opposition has the ball out wide the ball side back will slide forward to contest or cover for the winger. This will force the other back to slide centrally and cover for the other defender, while scanning for runners through the middle of the field, just as they would in a 3 or 4-back system in the 11v11 game.
The midfielders will get a number of transferable defensive looks including, defending the opposition wide players, sinking back defensively on the non-ball side, and finally the CM covering the middle of the pitch/dropping into the back line to support. Essentially the CM will play as a 6/8/10 at different stages of the game so the lone center mid allows for that player to get a number of specific looks where they will need to defend 1v1 and also essentially cover for every other player on the pitch (other than the goalkeeper) at some point in the stage of the game. Attacking wise the strongest player will likely be your CM since they will likely have the most possession of anyone on the field. The key here is for this player to be able to hold their own technically, but also to not get sucked to far in any given direction. If the CM drifts too far wide to support a wing player they risk giving up the entire middle of the pitch to the opposition. It is important that they find ways to support their teammates by looking for angles that they can support the rest of the players on the field while not surrendering the center, or finding ways for the players to practice interchange of positions to cover for the support.
Finally, the striker needs to provide the depth in this formation. Often times strikers in this formation will become impatient and drop into the midfield. If the centermid does not interchange positions with them that means the midfield is a flat four and it allows the opposition to push their defenders forward and trap their team in their own third. By providing depth the striker in this formation stretches the defense and allows for more space and time in the midfield.
By Matt Carroll
