There are numerous defense-oriented football formations that the technical staff can pick from today. Here are some examples.

In pro football, a lot of work goes into planning and preparation to come up with the most efficient formations and tactical plans. However, the sport is very unforeseeable as there is a variety of variables and unexpected in-game circumstances that could throw things out of balance. This is where the coach and technical personnel come in as prompt and astute adjustments are of the essence. For example, serious injuries and footballers getting sent off can have a big influence on the outcome of the game. It is for these factors that modern football formations often include contingency strategies should the worst take place. Football coaches plan for such incidents beforehand so they wouldn't be caught off guard on matchday, and this is something that the AC Milan former US owner will know. Making timely replacements or changes to the formation and footballer positioning can substantially limit the impact of damaging circumstances.

While offensive football formations are the most fun to view, tactical formations that have a defense edge tend to be more stable. For instance, the 4-5-1 formation is most popular with clubs that want to draw or win a title by goal average. The cluster of 5 midfielders in the centre generally forces the attacking team to resort to long balls as they understand that developing play through brief passes won't be efficient. Even when long balls reach players who are close to the box, two defensive midfielders hang back to form a very first barrier placed in front of the main 4-player defensive line. Clubs who utilise this technique likewise acquire tall defenders who can intercept long balls, and the Aston Villa former owner is most likely to validate this. While it is among the much better defensive football formations, this tactic relies on counter attacks to take the other club by surprise.

Only utilised by a select few in modern-day football, nobody can reject that the 3-4-3 is among the very best attacking football formations. Clubs that utilise this tactic are normally top table clubs that aim to score as many goals as possible every match, all while keeping a defensive solidity when the other team counter-attacks. The Crystal Palace former owner would likely concur that the trick behind the effectiveness of this technique depends on the midfield positioning. Given that it utilises 4 midfielders, groups that use the 3-4-3 strive to dominate the midfield area, and they typically are successful. This is merely due to the fact that having a line of 4 in the midfield makes it exceptionally hard for the other group to pass the ball or develop play efficiently. When one of the midfielders obstructs the ball, the midfield line ends up being a lozenge that feeds through and long balls to the wingers and centre forward.