Goals are a rare commodity in soccer. It is not uncommon for games to be won in which just a single goal is scored combined between both teams. Defense, then, can be a very valued -- and decisive -- commodity. A team's quality of defenders are important, but in many cases the advantages and disadvantages of a team are created before the players even take the field -- the formation chosen is extremely important.
Formation Alignment
Formations are typically broken down into three general groups: the defenders, midfielders and strikers. Strikers are on the field primarily to attack the opposing goalie and score, while midfielders swing in between scoring and defending and work to control the ball in the middle of the field. Defenders are assigned the task of preventing attacks on their own goal from producing scores. Common formations that have a heavy defensive emphasis include the 4-3-3, 4-4-2 and 5-3-2, although others featuring four or five defenders may be used.
Talent Considerations
The talent you have on a field often influences the type of strategy used. Teams with strong defensive talent, for example, may choose to shift the emphasis of a formation more toward the attack, relying on talented defenders to make up for the strategic weaknesses inherent in the formation. Weak defenders, by contrast, may need more support from the formation by increasing the number of defenders on the field.
Spacing
For defensive set-ups that are conservative in nature, compactness is often preferred. Controlling the middle of the field in front of the goal area is paramount in any defensive alignment, since this area is the most susceptible to threatening shots on goal. Even with defensive alignments that put four or five defenders on the last line of defense, spreading these out only increases the space between defenders. A better approach is to clog up the middle and force attacks to one side of the field. Once the offense has chosen a side, the attacks are much more predictable for the defense, making it easier to subdue an attack and repossess the ball.
Offensive Trade-Off
In any formation, you only have so much to allocate between your offense and defense in terms of strategy and emphasis. Choosing a stronger defensive alignment takes away potential midfielders and strikers from your offensive game, making it less likely that your team can score out of a defensive formation. This is not a concern for teams that are trying to protect a lead, but if you are trying to break a tie and win games with strong defensive alignments, it is important you have the offensive talent to score against numbers.
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