So... uhm... what position is that again?

Let’s talk about positions and formations (yes, I giggled as I typed that sentence too!).  I know MOST of us girls watch that all too important football game (we know all of the matches are important boys!) with our significant other only because secretly we’re in love with the player on the opposing side.  Eyes start rolling because we would ask “What’s his name again? Yes, the one that kicked the ball, the hot one?”

There are 11 players per team on the field, excluding substitutions, and their positions of play would depend on the formation.  The formation is the arrangement or the layout plan of the team on the field.  Naturally my favourite football player is Kaka, former AC Milan player and former FIFA World Player of the Year, who plays in the position of trequartista, pronounced tre-qua-tis-ta (Italian for attacking midfielder).  The trequartista in the team is the playmaker, without which an attack on the opposition will be less forceful.  Now, you have to bear in mind that a team will not have a trequartista if they have a formation that does not allow for one such as the commonly used 4-4-2.

A 4-4-2 is one of the most direct formations used by teams such as Manchester United and Manchester City.  We all know that Manchester United is one of the most successful English clubs, so this formation has to be working for them!

My dream squad in a 4-4-2 formation would consist of:

Goalkeeper – Ika Cassillas (current goalkeeper at Real Madrid)

Right-back – Philipp Lahm (current defender at Bayern Munich)

Centre-back – Fabio Cannavaro (former defender of Juventus, Real Madrid , former Italian Captain and former FIFA Player of the Year)

Centre-back – John Terry (current defender at Chelsea)

Left-back – Jordi Alba (current defender at Barcelona)

Right-midfielder – Cristiano Ronaldo (current midfielder at Real Madrid)

Centre-midfielder – Gennaro Gattuso (former midfielder at AC Milan)

Centre-midfielder – Andrea Pirlo (current midfielder at Juventus)

Left-midfielder – Franck Ribéry (current midfielder at Bayern Munich)

Centre-forward, also known as the striker – Zlatan Ibrahimovic (current forward at PSG)

Centre-forward – Lionel Messi (current forward at Barcelona)

Any formation can be effective for a team, if they have the right player to fulfil the role.  Other common formations include a 4-3-3 and 4-5-1.  The 4-3-3 is a central attacking formation (attacking the opposition with the midfielders).  The 4-5-1 formation is where the potency of the striker (such as Ibrahimovic) is dependent on the crossing balls from the left and right wings.

Team managers and football fanatics have their own opinion on what the most effective formation is and which player is effective in a certain position.  I can go on and on and provide endless examples on this topic, but I don’t want to bore you.  I do however would love to know what your ideal formation would be as well as your dream team.  You can visit http://www.goal.com for the various formations of local and international clubs as well as the position of the players.