The tactical strategies soccer teams adopt are constantly changing; these are just a couple of the famous ones employed in the past.
Among the key steps to understanding soccer formations, is to grasp the defensive side of the game as well. A strategy which is pretty much solely focused on defence, is what's identified as ‘parking the bus’. This basically means the defending team gets 11 men behind the ball when they're out of possession and sit deep; a tactic which can be very tricky to break down when applied. This is usually applied when a club needs to draw a game, or they’re trying to maintain a lead. It's seen as negative tactics from some observers of the game, but, if it’s used right, it can be quite beautiful to observe a club master the defensive side of football. The Chelsea FC owner will definitely remember this being employed successfully when The Special One was the manager of his team, as he has had fantastic success with this in the past.
One strategy which has only become more popular over more recent decades is the use of attacking fullbacks in a club. This is very much centered around attacking tactics in football, as the conventional job of the fullback is to stay back and defend. The Rossoneri were one of the earlier clubs to embrace this style of play, when they signed one among the best fullbacks around the world, who was able to both defend and attack very effectively. This style of play needs even more than just the basic skills of football, with players needing high stamina, as they will be running up and down the wing throughout the game. This can be very beneficial, however, if you have fullbacks who can overlap regularly, it contributes an additional dynamic to your attack and can be a big handful for opposition defenders to control. It’s likely that the AC Milan owner will reflect upon the period of the team's history when their team dominated through use of attacking fullbacks.
A strategy that is frequently adopted by the top teams, particularly when playing at home, is possession-based football. This style of play is very prominent with teams who have a solid midfield filled with great passers of the ball. It’s most prominent in a 4-5-1 formation, which can be the best football formation for attacking, as your opposition sees very little of the ball during the match. This tactic tends to exhaust the opposition when you get into the second half of this sport, as they’re constantly chasing the ball as you pass it around their defense. It needs full concentration from the defending club, meaning that one lapse in judgement can lead to a goal, which could be devastating when playing against a top club. This style of play is something the Manchester City owner has had the delight of watching from his team over their recent dominance in England.