Is 3-4-2-1 the ideal formation?

Since Conte won the title with Chelsea last season, a lot of teams have started to replicate the formation which he, obviously did not invent, used for majority of the season. His time as Juventus manager saw Conte make his team adaptable to 4-2-4 formation which had helped him win four consecutive Seria A title and turn Juventus into a formidable force in world football.

After coming to England, Conte started off with the usual 4-2-3-1 formation which brought him mediocre results and piled up huge amount of pressure on him and that eventually saw Conte switch over to 3-4-2-1 formation after which it was one success after the other and eventually Chelsea ended the season as Champions with a couple of records.

So, if a change of formation alone had been the reason for Chelsea winning the Premier League, then there is no doubt that it is indeed the best formation, right?

Well, let’s start digging.

Firstly, it's fundamentally a defensive formation but it also allows the team to quickly change into attack mode when either of the wing-backs starts charging down the field with the ball. So, flexibility comes along with the flow.

With the wing-backs moving high up and down the pitch, the 3 man defense at the back do not necessarily have to stay further down the pitch to stop counter attacks. So, this formation allows the last line of defense to stay intact.

While going for an all-out attack, it would be quite sufficient if the wing-backs along with the front three attackers and one central midfielder charge ahead, which ensures four other players to defend in case the attack fails to produce a fruitful result or worse, if the opponents start a counter-attack.

Overall, the defense of the team playing this formation will be formidable.

It is by no fluke that Chelsea were able to win 30 premier league games out of 38 and also keep a goal difference of 52, the 2nd best in the league last season and Courtois won the golden glove for 16 clean sheets.

Now, that it’s settled that the formation provides defensive stability, how well would it fare in the attacking section?

As said earlier, the formation heavily depends on the transition of wing-backs. How quick and effectively are they able to switch over from defense to attack. That’s all that matters.

If you have a squad which overflows with creative attacking talent and world class wing-backs, goals will definitely come your way. Just like Chelsea last season who scored 85 goals. Enough goals to win them the league.

Interestingly, this situation reminds me of Jose Mourinho, the master tactician who invented the 4-3-3 formation and had countless success with it and for years to come, even till today, 4-3-3 is a favored formation for many top managers. It was nothing less than a revolution in the world of football and Conte has done something quite similar.

3-4-2-1 has already become a favored formation for many teams in the Premier league who have fast full-backs and solid center backs and the trend seems to be continuing even this season.

So, when we compare 3-4-2-1 and 4-3-3, I do believe that the former holds a slight advantage over the latter because the greater defensive stability that it gives.

Before any of you say that it’s not the formation but the players who ensure victory. Will 3-4-2-1 be just as effective when you only have a team of average and poor performers? Let me tell you that I completely agree with you guys but if you have a team full of good or great players who can easily blend in and settle comfortably in the Conte formation, at that point 3-4-2-1 would be ideal.

So, overall, 3-4-2-1 definitely has the edge over the other formations in the game of football but it's not for everyone. You need to have the right crop of players.