by Peter Taylor (@pjtreelaw)
The 4231 has, over recent years, become viewed as a somewhat regressive formation, a formation tied intrinsically to the early 2010s when almost every team in world football operated in some variation of the shape. Arsenal fans in particular have more than had their fill of the 4231, with mid to late Arsene Wenger sides almost exclusively lining up in this formation (until his late switch to 343) and regularly shipping goals despite some fluid attacking moves. Dismissing the shape as archaic when compared to, for instance, a 433 where the midfield triangle is flipped seems wrong-headed and overlooks some of the highly innovative sides using the shape to great effect in the modern game.
The Modern 4231
When one considers the 4231 in a modern context 2 significant teams come to mind; Bayern Munich and Ajax. The two European giants use similar interpretations of the shape and both have achieved huge success relative to their budgets and expectations. Bayern under Hansi Flick operate with attacking fullbacks including the sensational Alphonso Davies usually married with the slightly more reserved Benjamin Pavard, though recently they have begun to use the slightly more adventurous Bouna Sarr whilst Lucas Hernandez replaces the injured Davies. The centre backs are typically excellent passers and relatively quick and the midfield pivot usually sees Joshua Kimmich paired with Leon Goretzka. In last season’s Champions League winning side Goretzka was often replaced by Thiago Alcantara when available. This midfield pivot can function differently depending on game state and opposition strength, with one of the pair dropping into the backline to offer additional build up options and cover against the counter if required, usually Kimmich, or with both operating on the same plane if numbers are required higher up during build up. Bayern have a plethora of attacking options, with any of Kinglsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Douglas Costa able to play the wide positions and Thomas Müller able to play across the front line. Ahead of them Robert Lewandowski continues his astonishing goal scoring run and is ably supported by exciting youngsters like Joshua Zirkzee. In attack Bayern’s wide attackers pull into the half spaces, with fullbacks overlapping to occupy the high wide zones and Lewandowski in the centre. Behind this line of 5 Müller flits in and out, finding space to create chances for others or find opportunities for himself along with moving to create overloads, a key principal for Bayern in attack. Kimmich and Goretzka can either push up and support or remain deeper to cover and provide recycling options. The entire system is made possible by Bayern’s incredibly high line and energetic press, preventing opposition counters before they can even begin. The narrow nature of Bayern’s attacking 4 and the prevalence of overloads enable incredibly efficient pressing, with a ball turnover usually meaning the opposition player is immediately outnumbered and harried by several Bayern players in close proximity.
Ajax use a similarly aggressive high press and attacking line, again using the wide attackers in the half space when high up the pitch. Ajax also make use of overloads, with the 10 coming across to help outnumber the opposition, but often make use of quick switches to the wide player on the opposite side who, rather than being drawn inside, remains high and wide to create space on the opposite flank to the overload. In build-up they tend to make more use of a midfielder dropping into the backline to create a three, with this most apparent during the 2017-18 season when Frenkie de Jong announced himself as a budding superstar with his performances in this deep midfield role. Ajax often commit 7 players to the attack, with midfielders bursting forward to add greater fluidity and intent to Ajax’s attack. This can leave them open at times but again a high line and aggressive press can compensate for their occasional openness at the back.
Recently, the Premier League’s two finest sides have both started employing variations of the 4231, with both Manchester City and Liverpool employing the shape in their recent 1-1 draw. City have been toying with the shape for some time, allowing Kevin De Bruyne the freedom to roam more in attack than he is able to in their previous 433 and compensating the loss of peak Fernandinho in the anchor role by playing Rodri and Gündoğan in tandem. This double pivot also means that opposition teams have a harder time isolating the City pivot, meaning build-up play from the back can be more varied and harder to stop. Liverpool have often seemed to be toying with the idea of shifting to the shape, pursuing players who would seem better suited to a 4231 than their 433. The incredible form of Diogo Jota seems to have forced Klopp’s hand, with the German reverting to the shape he preferred in his Bundesliga days and has employed at times whilst at Anfield. Elsewhere in the Premier League Leicester, Tottenham, Aston Villa and to a lesser extent Manchester United have all seen recent success using the shape. Is there a particular reason the system seems to be rejuvenated in the modern game.
Changing roles rather than changing shape
Perhaps the major reason for the 4231’s fall from grace was the roles of the players used in the system. The major point of failure being the number 10. Teams in the mid 2010’s who used the shape against high pressing 433s found that employing a dedicated playmaker with little defensive contribution meant their midfields were overrun by the three in opposition. The two 8s in the 433 could harry and harass the deep pivot and 10 of the 4231, with the 10 often marked out of the game by the deepest midfielder of the 433. This decline of the archetypical number 10 is familiar to Arsenal fans, with a certain German playmaker perhaps the clearest example of a player for whom the game has simply evolved past. However, rumours of the 10’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. The best player in the Premier League over the past few years has been City’s de facto number 10, Kevin De Bruyne. Bayern’s Müller contributed over 30 goals to Bayern last season. Kai Havertz was sold for an enormous sum to Chelsea, with few questions over whether the deal was sensible due to the player’s enormous quality. What these players have in common is their tactical flexibility, incredible goal threat and creativity married to exceptional work rates and the ability to contribute to the press. The modern 4231 can allow for an attacking midfield presence simply because the players employed in these roles are no longer defensive passengers but key contributors to an aggressive press.
Arsenal in a 4231
So, how could Arsenal employ the shape to maximum effect? Frankly most of the roles seem fairly easy to fill, with many players ideally suited to the system.
Attack
Nicolas Pépé honed his talent in the wide right of a 4231 where he was allowed to drift into the half spaces. Bukayo Saka seems to have the talent to play anywhere behind the striker, with his work rate and excellent movement ideal for the system. Joe Willock’s excellent off ball movement and improving technical skill under pressure perhaps harkens to the skills Thomas Müller employs as Bayern’s Raumdeuter.
Midfield
In Thomas Partey, Dani Ceballos, Mohammad Elneny and Granit Xhaka, Arsenal have a variety of deep midfielders who could be paired based on opposition strengths and weaknesses, with a fair degree of tactical flexibility offered by the different combinations. The use of a double pivot also seems best suited to Arsenal’s contingent of deep midfielders. Whilst either Partey or Xhaka could be used as a lone pivot, the security of a deep midfield partner should bring out the best in both players. Partey has almost exclusively played in a pair at Atletico and many of his key strengths are maximised when used this way. He has greater ability to press and harry without worrying about space in behind, has more freedom to burst forward and carry the ball through the opposition midfield line and can even be afforded the chance to get in and around the box more when covered by a partner. Xhaka’s strengths in passing, build up positioning and his somewhat under rated defensive contribution can all be useful when in tandem with another, slightly more positive and press breaking partner and his weaknesses in mobility and press resistance can be lessened by a physical, press resistant partner to take the pressure of the Swiss. Ceballos is perhaps only player better suited to playing as an 8 in a 433 but has shown he is more than capable of playing as the more progressive of a midfield pair. Elneny, interestingly, actually profiles fairly well as a possible lone 6 on paper, with his discipline and simple but efficient passing game seemingly ideal for the anchor-man role. He has, to my knowledge, never played this role for Arsenal and his tireless energy for the press can also be better utilised in a midfield partnership when afforded cover by another player. Building play from the back with two pivots also prevents one being isolated and thus the build-up stymied, something City have demonstrated in their switch to the system.
Defence
Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin are both strong in attack and seem ideally suited to overlapping wide. The defence perhaps lacks a little pace, but Gabriel is fast becoming regarded as one of the best defenders in the league and in combination with David Luiz offers good ball progression from the back. The player who would, perhaps, gain most from this shift is Arsenal’s talisman, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.
Attacking strengths and Aubameyang
One of the key issues with Arsenal this season has been the poor form of and poor service to Aubameyang. There has been a great deal of clamour for Arteta to shift Aubameyang to the central role in his current system but this overlooks one of the main features of the centre forward role in this shape. The striker has been predominantly dropping deeper in build-up, allowing Aubameyang to run in behind from his inside left role. This clearly has not been working of late, but simply moving Aubameyang to the centre would either mean Arsenal lose their key man closer to goal or lose a key component of the build-up. In a 4231, however, Aubameyang can remain high, perhaps even drifting a little left in search of space, whilst the 10 occupies this key position in build-up with assistance from the left and right attacking midfielders when required (Figure 1). Arsenal can then either form a front 5 with a 3-2 defensive and midfield split (Figure 2) or a 2-3 (Figure 3), shifting whether one of the pivots drops into the back line depending on opposition. This system ends up being fairly similar to Arteta’s current system when high, though the use of a more attacking midfield option means the front line can effectively become a 6 rather than a 5, and the ability for this attacking midfielder to drift and provide an extra body to create overloads or to make third man runs to find dangerous spaces should go a long way to improving Arsenal’s creativity and goal threat, the single biggest concern for Arteta at present.
Figure 1 Flexible positioning during build up in the 4231
Figure 2 The defensive 3-2 split in attack
Figure 3 The defensive 2-3 in attack
Defensive flexibility and pressing
One of the great strengths of the 4231 is that it can offer multiple options for the defensive aspect of the game. The system is ideally suited to high pressing, as previously outlined, due to the high density of players in attack. If the opposition manages to retain the ball or is starting from a goal kick, for instance, the system can retain a high press by shifting into a 442-like shape, the attacking midfielder joining the striker to press the opposition back line with the wide attackers cutting out passes to the opposition full backs and one central midfielder pushing into to press the opposition whilst the other covers his partner (Figure 4). This pressing shape has become the gold standard thanks to the Ralf Rangnick and his various disciples who have pushed German gegenpressing into the forefront or modern tactical thinking. The shape offers excellent coverage across the entire pitch and a narrow 442/4222 can control the centre of the pitch, pushing the opposition wide into pressing traps and throttling any chance of effective opposition build up. Arsène Wenger even describes the 442 as the “mathematically ideal formation” due to the fact it maximises the space covered by the team. The 442 is also famous for its deep defensive solidity, being the shape of choice for defensive, compact and aggressive sides when in a deep block, perhaps best illustrated by the Atletico Madrid sides of Diego Simeone (Figure 5). The system could even be shifted slightly, when under extreme duress, to use Arteta’s ideal coverage of the 5 attacking lanes with Bukayo Saka dropping deeper and Tierney rotating inside, Willock dropping deeper and Aubameyang and Pépé remaining counter attacking threats when facing much stronger opposition (Figure 6). This option should be used sparingly and only when under exensive pressure, but Arteta has done an excellent job of training his side to employ this sort of flexibility and it should be utilised in the right circumstances.
Figure 4 High pressing in the 442
Figure 5 The mid/low block in the 442
Figure 6 Shifting to a 5-man backine in the low block
Conclusion
Arteta has already used the system to some effect, particularly early in his reign, but has not made the tweaks I outline here yet. I believe the key shifts would be the use of a number 10 to help aid build up and free a central Aubameyang to find space in behind. A more concerted effort to press high in a 442 and more freedom for the 10 to search for space and create overloads should significantly improve the lack of creativity currently on offer. Perhaps one of the biggest shifts would be more one of mentality than positioning, with the team more committed to the back 4 than the comfort blanket of the back 5. The system can make use of the excellent developments in defensive organisation Arteta has engendered whilst taking our attacking game up a level. The system can even be tweaked in game to allow for more defensive solidity in a pinch. Clearly the addition of a top-quality attacking midfielder would further improve the system, though Arsenal has already indicated they are looking at this position with their pursuit of Houssem Aouar and links to Dominik Szoboszlai. Additions in defence or perhaps the emergence of Saliba could add further speed to help cover for the necessary defensive high line to maximise the system. However, even with the current squad the system offers significant upside and the possibility to develop our attacking game whilst retaining much of the good defensive organisation we have seen of late.