Advice for a 7-a-side team (6 Viewers)

[gray]

I'm going to start playing in a 7v7 football comp, and I was wondering if anyone had experience with smaller side games.

I don't know exactly what the pitch dimensions will be, but I don't imagine it'll be like 5v5 where everyone does everything, so I was hoping to get some advice on what kind of formation to play.

I know it depends on the strengths and weaknesses of the players, but I'd generally say that we all have a good level of fitness and touch/passing/technique.

Here are a few that I have in mind:

2-3-1

    FW

LM  CM   RM

 CB   CB

3-1-1-1

         FW

      AM

          DM

  LB     CB     RB

1-4-1

     FW

LM         RM

 LCM     RCM

     CB

Bonus: Help me think of a team name

 

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[Bjerknes]

I'd play a 3-2-1 Christmas Tree.

Depending on the size of the pitch, that will allow for some good width as long as the backs understand when to stay back.

I'm thinking of when I played 6v6 on the field in indoor and the best teams we played moved the ball well like that. Just have a great sweeper in the middle.

X

X - X

X - X - X

GK​

Don't make it too confusing like one you have above. Having a DM and an AM is okay though IMO.

 

[swag]

Of course, if you're in Brazil that becomes an upside-down Christmas tree -- with them sending their fullbacks forward all the time.

 

[Bjerknes]

True that.

 

[Hambon]

control the midfield all i gotta say...

 

[Ahmed]

whatever you choose, you gotta have hardworking FWs...can't have lazy f*cks who don't come back and defend

 

[Azzurri7]

The first one, 2-3-1 is your best option Graham.

 

[Red]

Depends how fit your team is.

The best 7 a side team I played in had two fixed position out field players, me at CB and another guy at CF, and relied on the fitness and intelligence of the four 'midfielders' to cover the rest of the pitch as was necessary.

If the team isn't up to that to start with, I agree with Rab, go with 2-3-1.

 

[sateeh]

Agree with Red about the fitness which is the key to these games.

We always played with three at the back though, but you will need a very good striker for it to succeed.

 

[gray]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Our first match is next Tuesday - I'll let you know how it goes

 

[Henry]

Definitely either 3-2-1 or 2-3-1, depending on personnel

 

[Geof]

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The Double Triangle: two defenders, a destroyer, two creative mids/wingers, one goal poacher.
This is what I used to play. The pitch was rather narrow, so it wasn't practical playing 3 players next to each other.

 

[Henry]

Out of curiosity, how is your team made up? Do most players fit specific roles clearly, or is it a mix?

 

[gray]

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The Double Triangle: two defenders, a destroyer, two creative mids/wingers, one goal poacher.
This is what I used to play. The pitch was rather narrow, so it wasn't practical playing 3 players next to each other.

Very interesting formation - you make a valid point about the pitch being narrow, but I think ours is sufficiently wide to play 3 men next to each other. Definitely something I'll keep in mind though, thanks.

Henry: Our squad is made up of pretty versatile players. Everyone's got pretty decent skills/touch, although each player obviously has different strengths and weaknesses.

We currently have 11 players in the squad, which sounds like a lot, but we had 10 guys in our first match i.e. 3 subs, and having the luxury of running your heart out then subbing off for a rest is great, and definitely gave us more stamina than the other team.

We won our first match 3-1. The opposition wasn't very strong, but it gave us a good chance to get a feel for the size of the field and the tactics needed. There are no offsides, which is something that we'll have to get used to taking advantage of and defending against.