NZHerald FIFA match summary - weird little numbers??

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kiwifidget

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#237790 18-Jun-2018 13:26

Hi,

I have noticed that the NZHerald is showing 3 to 4 numbers under the flag for each team in the game during the live updates and match summaries.

For example

Can anyone enlighten me as to what the 4-2-3-1 for Russia and the 4-1-4-1 for Saudi Arabia mean?

Thanks.

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Oblivian

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#2039734 18-Jun-2018 13:40

Falls, I mean penalties conceded?

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Oblivian

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#2039736 18-Jun-2018 13:42

Hold the phone...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formation_(association_football)

wellygary

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#2039738 18-Jun-2018 13:44

Its how each team positions its players on the pitch,

https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=2400458.html

mdf

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#2039741 18-Jun-2018 13:46

Formation from back to front, ignoring the goalkeeper. 4-2-3-1 for example means 4 defenders, 2 holding midfielders, 3 attacking midfielders and 1 striker.

kiwifidget

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#2039764 18-Jun-2018 14:02

cool, thanks for that.

Does that mean a team does not change formation during a game?

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mdf

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#2039798 18-Jun-2018 14:57

kiwifidget:

cool, thanks for that.

Does that mean a team does not change formation during a game?

Absolutely not. Formations are actually far more fluid (mostly) than the numbers would have you believe. e.g. Even in a basic 4-4-2 (four defenders, four midfielders and two strikers), one of the strikers will inevitably be further forward than the other, who is most likely a creative playmaker.

Formations have always been a "thing", but IMHO have become far more of a focus in the last twenty years or so with more data driven analytics about football (along with other sports). The cynic in me says England's focus on why it hasn't won the world cup since 1966's 4-4-2 formation plays something of a role too - alternating between (when playing a 4-4-2 formation) "we need a more modern formation" and (when not playing a 4-4-2 formation) "we shouldn't be trying this fancy foreign tactics stuff, stick to 4-4-2".

For anyone that's interested, I highly recommend Jonathan Wilson's Inverting the Pyramid book.

kiwifidget

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#2039844 18-Jun-2018 15:40

thx @mdf, clearly I'm not a soccer guru.

That was really helpful. :)

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wellygary

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#2039885 18-Jun-2018 16:22

kiwifidget:

thx @mdf, clearly I'm not a soccer guru.

That was really helpful. :)

I am not sure you can ever be a "guru" if you use the word Soccer :)

Handsomedan

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#2040987 20-Jun-2018 12:01

wellygary:

kiwifidget:

thx @mdf, clearly I'm not a soccer guru.

That was really helpful. :)

I am not sure you can ever be a "guru" if you use the word Soccer :)

There are a number of North Americans who would beg to differ, but I concur.

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