England's 3-5-2 formation explained: A blueprint for success?

Attack

Fluidity

in formation

means, attacks can commence from different areas of the pitch

England’s 3-5-2 becomes more of a 3-3-3-1 during the attacking phase, with the defensive midfielder staying close to the back three, while the other two centre midfielders push up to occupy the space behind the opposition midfield line. From there they can drop deep in their inside channel to form a diamond. Sterling is given the license to roam free, as he often drops deep to collect the ball from midfield.

The 3-3-3-1 can quickly switch to 3-1-3-3 as the wing backs push extremely high up the field. The high position of the wing backs means there can be quick switches of play and this can be extremely advantageous against sides that sit deep.

Issue of creativity

Loftus-Cheek: Potential wildcard?

Despite the advantages, the issue of creativity still remains. With the likes of Adam Lallana and Jack Wilshere left out of the squad, and Jese Lingard and Sterling more of traditional wingers, England certainly lack a deep lying creator. Given the lack of alternatives, Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus Cheek could be the wildcard. Having enjoyed a wonderful season at Crystal Palace on loan from Chelsea, Loftus-Cheek could be the one to watch out for.

Defensive line up

England become very compact while defending

Defensively, England shape up as 5-3-2, with the wing-backs dropping into the back line. A position focussed possession game ensures vertical compactness. Shifting from side to side, this England team is mainly focussed on denying space and blocking passes into midfield, only pressing the ball when it goes out to an opposition full back.

Drawn in group G with Belgium, Tunisia and Panama, there is a likelihood that England will dominate possession at least against the latter two. Thus, there would be more likelihood of an aggressive pressing game without leaving gaps at the back.

Better in possession and more compact without the ball, England have come a long way under Southgate. However, only time will tell whether these improvements will compensate for the lack of midfield creativity against the best teams.

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