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Tactics

Formation Visualiser

Pick a formation, click any dot, and read what that player is actually meant to do. No signup. No auto-play videos.

Click a player dot to read what that position is supposed to do in this formation.

Who this is actually for

If you coach U-11s and just want to know what the left back is doing, this gives a one-line answer. If you write tactical articles, the “show attacking variants” toggle gives you the inverted, false-9, and half-space rotations people argue about in pubs. If you’re a fan trying to follow a broadcaster’s “double pivot” ramble, hover the dots in the middle of the pitch first.

How to read this visualiser

  • The numbers on each dot are the shirt number convention for that position (e.g. “6” for the deepest midfielder). They are not literal.
  • Click a dot to load the duty description on the right. The same position (e.g. “right winger”) has different jobs in a 4-3-3 vs a 3-4-3 — we show that, instead of pretending every winger is the same.
  • Press Show attacking variants to re-render the dots in their higher starting positions (e.g. an “inverted full-back” tucking infield). This is not a real-time tracker — it’s a teaching aid.

What this visualiser will not do

  • It will not tell you which formation “wins”. There’s no such thing — only better or worse for the players you have and the opponents you face.
  • It will not auto-refresh during a match or use any background data feed. Open it, read it, close it.
  • It will not record what you clicked. Nothing is logged.

FAQ

Why is the central midfielder wearing 6 and the other one 8?

It’s a long-standing convention. The 6 is the deepest of the midfield unit (the “sitting” midfielder or “anchor”). The 8 is the box-to-box runner. The 10, if used, is the creator. Coaches swap these, but the convention is so well-established that even non-football viewers associate “number 6” with a holding midfielder.

What’s a “false 9”?

A centre-forward who drops deep to receive between the lines instead of staying on the last defender. It pulls a centre-back out of position and creates a pocket for runners. Use “Show attacking variants” and pick a 4-3-3 — the 9 will drop a few metres.

Why do 3-at-the-back systems look weaker defensively here?

They aren’t. A 3-5-2 has 5 players across the back line (3 CBs + 2 wing-backs) when defending. The visualiser shows the starting shape — defenders have to slide across to cover wide areas when the wing-backs push up. Read the right-hand description when in doubt.