The three central midfielders can end up numerically overloaded against four central players – for example, in a 4-4-2 diamond.
The three central midfielders can end up numerically overloaded against four central players – for example, in a 4-4-2 diamond. The central midfielders can also end up with a lot of ground to cover. If they don’t get across the pitch following a switch of play, the full-backs can be left exposed and isolated with no wide midfielder ahead of them, and the winger usually high up the pitch. Opponents can also target wide areas on the counter-attack, particularly if a full-back has pushed up.