6-a-side Formations – Winning Tactics

Not having a structure or enough organisation in the game of 6-a-side is going to immediately kill your team’s chances of being successful on a regular basis. Whilst the best 6-a-side teams don’t apply a formation too rigidly (more on what the best teams actually use at the bottom of the article), not having any formation at all is just going to make you look like cannon-fodder to other teams, instead of the contenders you should be.

Much of the game of 6-a-side is reliant on the skill of your players, but a good proportion of your success is going to come from experience, good organisation, and playing the percentages.

That’s where it is absolutely vital to think about the 6-a-side tactics and formation that you and your team are going to use. Good tactics can transform any ramshackle band of misfits into a competitive team that other sides will fear!

The key principles – whatever your formation

Exactly which of the formations below is going to be the best for your team will depend on a lot of factors: who you are playing against; what sort of players are in your squad; and your fitness levels.  However, bear in mind that whatever formation you come up with, there needs to be 2 very simple principles behind it:

1. Somebody has to be committed to attacking – you need someone to provide an attacking outlet and relieve the pressure from the defense. Remember, playing with depth is as important as playing with width (you can find loads more detail about this important point in our article on having a dedicated attacker, the “pivot”).
2. Somebody has to be committed to defending – we’ve covered in a previous article how important it is going to be to have someone staying back, or in other words a “last man“.

That might sound a bit like stating the obvious, but it’s common to see teams playing with either nobody attacking, or more often nobody defending. If you play against a good team and neglect either of these principles, you’re going to find it very difficult indeed.

The good news as far as designing your new formation goes, is that as there are only five outfield players, there are only a limited number of ways to arrange your team – so start by considering the following formations:

2-2-1 Formation

The 2-2-1 formation is a good starting point to consider for 6-a-side. It’s exactly half of the more common 4-4-2 formation that you see in 11-a-side, and offers a similar balance.

Pros:

+ Two defenders are assigned, giving a good stable defensive base, which the team can build on.
+ The midfielders are able to support the defense, whilst also having responsibility to join the attack.

Cons:

– The midfielders need to be able to keep a balance between attacking and maintaining a defensive line. If they’re split then this could become more like a 2-0-3, which could result in some chaotic end-to-end action.

1-3-1 Formation

One of the most popular 5-a-side formations is the 1-2-1, as it gives teams the maximum flexibility between defense and attack. This is the 6-a-side variation of that. The formation commits one player to solely focus on attacking, and one to be the main defender (or last man), but then the three in the middle can shift their focus as the game requires. It’s a very dynamic formation.

Pros:

+ Allows the 3 middle players to switch between defense and attack as the game requires.
+ The 3 midfielders have the potential to provide lots of attacking support to the front player and to vary the person attacking each time.

Cons:

– Players seem naturally inclined to attack, and if the middle 3 don’t get the balance right then there is a risk that the defense is exposed.
– It requires a little more man-to-man marking than the 2-2-1 system, but not necessarily a negative thing as long as everyone is prepared to muck in with their defensive responsibility.

3-1-1 Formation

This is really just a more defensive version of the 1-3-1. It will be of more use to teams who like to sit back and defend, then play on the counter attack, which can be a very effective strategy for 6-a-side if you’ve got the players to do it.

Pros:

+ Lots of defensive cover
+ Good for teams who like to play on the counter-attack with one or both of the wing-back defenders exploding forward to join the attacks.

Cons:

– Some teams might find this a little too defensive to play all the time
– It needs a lot of coordination between the wing-backs, not to mention a lot of fitness to join the attacks but still provide enough cover defensively.
– Really just a variant of the 1-3-1, which offers a bit more flexibility.

2-1-2 Formation

This is the only formation we’ve featured that has more than 1 in attack. If you’ve got a great pair of attacking players and want to get them working together then you might consider this, but there’s a risk that it leaves the rest of the team struggling on their own with the defensive duties.

Pros:

+ Two players in attack gives the possibility of a good front partnership being formed and gives lots of attacking outlets to the rest of the team
+ Makes for lots of end-to-end play
+ A decent alternative if you’re trying to accommodate two excellent attackers

Cons:

– Playing 2 in attack can be quite risky if neither of those players is going to track-back.
– The midfielder is expected to bridge the gap between both defense and attack, which could be challenging if he’s outnumbered in the middle.
– This will only work with two very good attackers who are able to make things happen, and they will need good service.

What do the best teams use?

Choosing any of the above formations is a good start but if you apply it too rigidly then it probably isn’t going to work well. 6-a-side is a fast paced game and players ideally should be comfortable in filling in any role at any time – for instance, if your most defensive player goes forward then somebody else is going to have to cover for him. It’s the same if your striker is up against a defender who is comfortable running forward with the ball; he might have to track him all the way back to the edge of his own area.

Picking a formation should give you a rough idea of where each player should play and help everyone understand their responsibility on the pitch, but it shouldn’t be something that teams should obsess over. If a player gets dragged out of position then that might be fine, depending on the circumstances. The idea of the formation isn’t to put a straitjacket on the shape of the team, it’s just to give a basic structure, focus and balance to the play.

In fact, the best teams use a mix between these formations. 

Elite FC have had lots of league success with a mix of the 2-1-1 on defense and the 1-3-1 on attack:

Soweto are a really good team that have won national competitions so you should take note – they’re also nice guys too! They use a radical 2-3-0 in defense and then switch to a 1-3-1 in attack. A coincidence that they use the same formation to attack as do Elite FC? You decide…

Charlie, who has had lots of experience, goes for the 2-1-2. It can be difficult to pull off, but certainly gives you attacking options at all times.

 So What is The LAST MAN? And What is The PIVOT? 

The Last Man – A Vital Defending Strategy

Solid, dependable, consistent. The Last Man (or woman) is the furthest defender back and the foundation on which a team’s defense will be built. Nearly all good 5-a-side teams play with somebody in this position and in this article we explain what it is all about and how your team can improve by focusing on it.

This is just one way that you can tighten up your defense for 5-a-side or 6-a-side.

What is the Last Man?

It might sound like the last person alive in a post-apocalyptic world, but the Last Man refers to the player who has the primary responsibility for providing defensive discipline and organising the defense from the back. As they’re often the player furthest back they earned the term ‘Last Man’.

Although teams may like to think of themselves as playing ‘total football‘, with all players freely rotating between positions, most teams struggle without dividing up at least some responsibility for defending and attacking. Formations can be quite fluid when it comes to 5-a-side but most of the best teams play with someone who commits to stay back and sort out things from a defensive point of view – it’s this gatekeeper of the defense that we refer to as the Last Man.

Key attributes of the Last Man

Although they’re often selected as being the first person who says “I’ll stay back”, the key attributes required to play this role well are:

• Discipline to maintain a defensive position and not simply maraud forward abandoning all defensive duties out of heroism / boredom. 
• Leadership and communication to give clear instructions to the rest of the team.
• Reading of the game  – as the Last Man is often the furthest player back, he might be the only person who has a full view of all of the opposition players and is usually in the best position to decide how the team adapts.
• Consistency and decision making – a good defensive player will know when to try to intercept the ball and when to hold position; when to tackle and when to jockey a player; when to run with the ball and when to play a simple pass.

It’s worth selecting the right player to be your key defender. It’s not simply where you should look to hide your weak link, as this is one position which will be quickly exploited by decent opposition.

Defensive Responsibilities of the Last Man

The defensive unit rises or falls on his performance. Although the goalkeeper plays a role in the organisation of the defense, it’s the Last Man who is out there on the pitch. His three main responsibilities are detailed by reference to the following diagram:

Defensive responsibilities of the Last Man (player A)

1. Marks the opposition player furthest forward

Most of the time the Last Man will be marking the opposition’s player furthest forward (player Z in the diagram above). If the ball is passed forward by the player in possession (player X) the Last Man should be ready to see if he can intercept the ball and cut off the supply.

Making an interception as the last defender requires careful judgment since if the interception is missed, this will leave the opposition player through on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat. If there is any doubt, err on the side of caution and instead position yourself to stop the attacker turning when he receives the ball.

By getting close to the attacker and pressuring him so that he is not able to simply turn and face the direction of the goal, player A can prevent the opponent having the opportunity to dribble past him or shoot.

If the player has already turned to face the goal, then player A, must decide what to do to prevent him having a goal-scoring opportunity. The cardinal sin in this situation would be to dive in with a speculative tackle missing the ball, leaving player Z with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Instead, a patient approach of both being close enough to stop the shot, whilst avoiding being dribbled past, is required. It is usually most effective to shepherd the opposition player away from goal and into the corner in this situation.

2. Organises the marking of his teammates

As the furthest player back with the best view of the action on the pitch, the Last Man is able to direct teammates to make sure that each player is marked.

In the diagram above, player X has the ball for the opposition. If he brings the ball forward, defender C may be tempted to move towards him to try to win the ball. This would leave attacker Y in lots of space on the left side of the pitch and, if his teammates were able to find him, it would lead to a goal-scoring chance. Defender C might not be aware of Y running in behind him but the Last Man should be able to alert him to the danger.

A clear, simple instruction such as “Dave, left shoulder” should be enough to make sure that C holds his position, leaving defender B to instead apply pressure to the man with the ball.

Through reading the game from the back and communicating with the other players the last man can really tighten up the defense for a team.

 3. Covers the space behind his teammates

Not only does the Last Man need to be aware of the player he’s marking getting in behind him, but he also acts as a sweeper for any balls played in behind the other defenders and himself.

In the diagram above, if attacker X plays a pass in behind defenders B or C then the Last Man (A) should be looking to meet the pass and regain possession, especially if the ball is played into the area shaded in the diagram behind him.

Should the Last Man Always Stay Back to Defend?

No. The best players of this position will also be very comfortable bringing the ball forward. If the Last Man is not able to provide some offensive threat then play will become predictable.

They should provide depth for the team when attacking, looking to be an outlet for a pass and to distribute the ball on to teammates. Because the Last Man is usually attacking from deep, the position also lends its self well to players who are able to accurately shoot from distance.

The opposition will not expect the Last Man to dribble the ball so, when it is safe to do so without fear of giving away a goal if they are tackled, an occasional run can be an effective way of creating chances for themselves or teammates.

The Last Man Requires Support from Teammates

It often goes wrong for teams when their defensive player moves forward to attack and nobody drops back to offer temporary cover. Inevitably this leads to the opposition having a player free with only the goalkeeper to beat. Other players therefore need to be aware that they need to cover for the Last Man if he ventures forward. After a short time the defender should be able to return back and release forward the covering player.

It is important that when the Last Man gives defensive instructions that teammates respond to him. They too should also be giving defensive instructions and not just relying on his instructions.

Power-up Your Team’s Attack Using a Pivot

An extremely effective way to make sure that your 5-a-side (or Futsal) team carries an attacking threat is by using a dedicated attacker. This role is one of the most important to your team and, if you get it right, could be the spark that gets you creating space and playing impressive attacking football.

Why we call them the Pivot

In the Futsal world, the most advanced player on the pitch; the one who is in attack, pinning back the opposition defense is called the Pivot¹.

A high quality pivot lives up to this name in two senses:

1. They will be a focal point for the attack, acting as a pivot for the attacking movement of the rest of the team, bringing in their teammates for scoring opportunities through intelligent hold-up play and shrewd lay-offs.
2. If they’re strong and quick with good technique, they will be able to turn ‘or pivot’ around their marker, creating scoring opportunities for themselves.

The pivot is the furthest player forward – they’ll be tightly marked

Played well, this position will give the opposition defenders nightmares, keeping them busier and more stressed than Luis Suarez’ dentist.

Key skills of a Pivot

When selecting somebody to play this role, you want to look for somebody with:

• Strength to hold the ball up. That doesn’t necessarily just mean they have to be big, it just means that they must be able to put their foot on the ball and hold it, withstanding the pressure that the defender will put them under.
• Anticipation both to read when a pass is coming and to latch onto any loose balls for scoring opportunities.
• Technique to be able to receive a pass, controlling it quickly, and be comfortable with the ball at their feet. It’s also very useful if they’ve got a couple of moves to be able to turn a defender.
• Speed for turning quickly and for making little darting runs.
• Shooting accuracy for putting the ball in the net when the chance arises.

With those raw materials you should find that you can make yourself a very good pivot, as long as you have a little bit of tactical knowledge. Here’s what you need to know to play the position:

How the Pivot can Be a Target and Create Space (and why ‘depth’ is crucial)

Even without the ball, the pivot plays an important positional role. By maintaining a position high up the court they pose a continual attacking threat, pinning back a defender giving ‘depth’ to the play.

Depth is really important. People often talk about creating space by a team having ‘width’, but you must not overlook ‘depth’.

It’s a key way that a team can enlarge the space in which they are attacking, giving lots more options to the team and making a lot more difficult for the defence. Take the following example:

In diagram A the team in blue are attacking upwards, but all of the players are within their own half. Nobody has pushed up at the top and the result is that they team are playing possession in a very cramped space, which makes it hard for them and easier for the opposition.

This sort of problem can arise when the attacking players feel they need to move towards the ball, but it’s not always helpful to do that.

On the other hand, in diagram B, where a pivot has taken a position high up the court, much more space (the treasured ‘depth’) has opened up for the team to play in. Not only can player A receive the ball and have much more chance to turn the defender, but it also allows the other players space to attack.

How might the pivot pushing up help the others attack? Consider these examples:

The additional space created opens up more areas for others to move into, and also more space in which they can play, such as in the one-two (or ‘wall pass’) in the diagram on the right.

The way the pivot should look to receive the ball

It might sound easy to receive a pass, but anyone who has played as a pivot will know that any half-decent defender will be breathing down your neck.

To deal with this, the pivot needs to get their positioning and body shape right as they receive the ball. In practical terms, this means that they need to receive the ball with their body half-turned. In all the diagrams on this page, you will notice that the pivot is pictured on the half-turn, not turned straight back towards their own goal, but turned sideways.

Playing on the half-turn is something that can improve your game in all positions of the pitch. It’s so important that we’ve covered in an article of its own, but it’s especially important to do this when you’re playing as pivot. It allows the pivot both to see more (including having more sight of the defender marking them), but also to allow them to hold the opponent off and receive the pass on the foot furthest from the defender (safely out of their reach).

A good first touch is vital – controlling it out of the reach of the defender. This can often be done best by using the sole of the foot – a technique you really need to know for futsal / 5-a-side.

Receiving the ball as a pivot requires good technique under pressure.

The important job a pivot does when they’ve got the ball

Having received the ball, the pivot is going to have to use all their strength and cunning to keep the defender stealing it. Now, if the defender gets their positioning wrong – by being too much either side of they player, or getting too tight, that would be the time to try to turn.

Some pivots will tell you that the moment they try to turn is when they feel the defender’s arm on them – as that’s usually an indication that the defender has just planted themselves in a position. Experiment with this, try turning both ways round opponents and see what works for you.

Often, rather than turn, it can be more appropriate to look to lay the ball off with a pass to a teammate who is making the run forward. The diagrams below illustrate an example of this (note that the team in blue are now attacking downwards).

In the above diagram on the right, the teammate has passed the ball into the pivot and then managed to run past their marker. In this instance the pivot, having received the ball, can perform a lay-off (in this case it might be a case of rolling the ball behind them into the teammates path) to set them up for a shot.

Supporting the Pivot – it’s not a one-man crusade

Even the best pivots will struggle to do it all alone. They will need support from the rest of the team, but the two things they will thank you for the most are: playing them quality passes and making good runs.

The quality of the pass you give to the pivot is important. They want to receive a pass that is easy to control (that means that it should be accurate, not over hit, and not bouncing).

The rest of the team need to back the pivot by making good supporting runs. In fact, if your pivot can hold the ball up easily then you can cause havoc with supporting runs.

Over time you can develop combinations that will help you take other teams apart. Here’s an example where the blue team are again attacking downwards:

Here the pivot has run into the channel to receive a pass from teammate X (yes a pivot doesn’t have to be glued to a central location).

As soon as X has made the pass, they fake one way to confuse the marker, before looping round and making a run directly into the space that has been vacated by the pivot. The pivot simply pops the ball into the path of X who has a clear shot at goal.