A fantastic formation, but not for everyone. by: Anonymous
3-2-3-2 is an incredibly potent strategy; one I highly suggest if your team has the talent to back it up.
The last bit is the most important, however - if your team lacks talent in key positions, the 3-2-3-2 becomes ineffective. Your defense has to be somewhat physical. Your midfield in general has to be tactically astute and fluid - they will be expected to run the gambit from defense to offense. The key to this formation, in my opinion, is a strong offensive midfielder. He needs to be fast, have great vision, and be tactically astute. Being comfortable in front of the goal is also very important for a CAM in this formation. The forwards need to be ready for a lot of criss-cross runs and strong breakouts - this formation scores quite often from fast breaks.
To reiterate, some notes on player qualities needed for this formation:
The Defenders need to be very physical players. They need to not stray too far up the pitch - 3-2-3-2 can be quite weak to a fast counter attack.
A Defensive Midfielder that can play more like a Center Midfielder; be comfortable up the pitch supporting your attack. Great vision, and passing prowess is useful for this. The other Center Defensive Midfielder should play more traditionally.
Your Wingers must be athletic and comfortable moving up the pitch. Crosses will yield a lot of goals for this formation, they should be very comfortable with the.
Your Center Attacking Midfielder needs to be very offensive minded - almost a third striker. Vision, tactical prowess, shooting ability and ball control are all very important for this player. He is truly the linchpin of the formation. Kaká is the best example for what a great CAM plays like.
The Strikers need to fast and have good passing skills - quite a few goals will come from fast counterattacks and quick 1-2s in front of the goal.
Good luck with this formation. Played correctly, it is, in my opinion, the strongest formation in modern soccer.
