Formations. What are they? What do they mean? Why so many numbers? And so forth. As part of a series I'm going to be doing on this blog explaining some of the ins and outs of soccer to new fans, let's ...

Throughout the world, soccer strategy is a hot topic of conversation. There’s debate about employing a 4-3-3 versus the 4-2-3-1 or the trendy 3-5-2; playing possession soccer or absorbing pressure and ...

Since the innovation of the flat 4 in the late 1980’s, most professional and international teams have adopted the system as part of their standard tactics. In its most common evolution, the flat 4 is ...

Are you getting into the World Cup but still not sure about the tactical aspects of the game? This video will help. In soccer, there are nine formations that coaches arrange their players in. The ...

An automated analysis by Disney Research Pittsburgh of team formations used during an entire season of professional soccer provides further evidence that visiting teams are less successful than home ...

With the semifinals of Euro 2012 set to begin later today, the time for intense tactical analysis has arrived. Much of the talk has been dominated by the usual questions. Which team will win? How do ...

This is going to be difficult for soccer traditionalists to swallow, but here goes. Formations in soccer don't matter. Not anymore. Their chief function nowadays is to justify coaches' salaries and ...

Chiefs' Bernard Parker lunges for the ball with Pirates' Issa Sarr in contention. These are some of the duels to expect on 29 July. The 2017 Carling Black Label Champion Cup has given Kaizer Chiefs ...