This eBook is a complement to

the Coaching the 4-3-3 Series of

books. The ideas in this eBook
can be taught using the practice
sessions provided in our books.

To see our books, go to:

Coaching the 4-3-3
Coaching the 4-3-3:
Build Out Solutions for
Different Scenarios
 Copyright © 2023 Michael Stauber
All Rights Reserved
ISBN: 9798378075488

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in

any matter without written permission of the copyright owner, except
for the use of quotations in a book review.

First eBook edition September 2023

Book design by Michael Stauber

Illustrations copyright © 2023 Michael Stauber

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 1
Building out from the back with the 4-3-3 ....................................... 1
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK....................................................................... 3
FORMATIONS AND NUMBERING SYSTEM ........................................... 5
STYLE OF PLAY ....................................................................................... 6
BUILDING OUT AGAINST 1 FORWARD.................................................. 8
Forward Forces the Center Back Wide ............................................. 8
BUILDING OUT AGAINST 2 FORWARDS .............................................. 12
Forward Forces the Center Back Wide ........................................... 12
OTHER BUILD OUT IDEAS TO TRY ....................................................... 16
Using the Fullbacks Low and the Center Backs High ...................... 16
Full Back Comes Inside to Create Channel ...................................... 17
CONCLUSION ....................................................................................... 19
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ........................................................................... 20
INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Building out from the back with the 4-3-3

In today’s modern game, no formation is more widely used than the 4-

3-3. So many coaches have used this shape to bring exciting and new
innovations to the game, from Johan Cruyff to Pep Guardiola. The
formation continues to evolve and create unique problems and
solutions to an ever-changing game.
The purpose of this eBook is to look at the build out structure of a 4-3-
3 and to look at different possible solutions to the many ways that
teams use to stop the creation phase of play. While this eBook
particularly looks at play starting with a goal kick, these ideas and
concepts can be used further up the field, even in the opponent’s half,
as the principles remain the same.
The solutions provided here are not meant to be concrete answers to
the given problems, but instead ideas that you and your team can play
with to find a solution that works for you. Before you entertain
different build out ideas with your team, first you must consider:

• Your team’s identity – How do you want your team to play and
why? Do these strategies support that style of play?
• Your personnel – Do you have the players that can perform the
tasks required with the given strategies? What are your players
strengths and weaknesses and how will that impact your build
out?
• Your opponent – How will they press? Will they press at all?
How will you use the strategy of your opponent in your favor,
and not just assume they will respond how you want them to?
• Your team’s psychological makeup – What are your players
views on your style of play? Have they been successful recently
with the style?

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So much to consider for every single game. As always though, your
overall philosophy and identity should permeate through every
decision. There will always be adaptations to specific game
requirements, but your team should be confident in the model, and the
overall style of play.
Lastly, I will say this: never underestimate the ability of your player to
find far better solutions to the problems they face then the ones you
can find in a book or write on a board. I wish I could list every single
time that I thought I had found the perfect solution to a press, only to
be humbled during training when the players found a far simpler and
more effective solution to the problem. The key is to allow yourself to
be open to seeing the new solutions, and for your player to feel
comfortable expressing themselves to find them. If you have clearly
defined your team’s identity, they should be able to collectively
problem solve. Good structural organization of a practice session is key
to do 2 things:
1. Put the players in an environment where the problem you are
trying to solve is continually and realistically presented to the
players
2. The rules are not manipulated to the point where creativity and
functionality are no longer allowed

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HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book is divided into sections, and those sections are then further
broken down into more sections. The purpose is to allow you to quickly
identify what shape the opponent will be using (do they press with 1
forward or 2, how many midfielders do they have, etc..) then from
there analyze how they press within that shape (will the force play
inside, do they press the center back with wingers, etc..). This will allow
you to quickly identify the problems you might face, then look at some
possible solutions to those problems.
Here you will find an example field diagram:

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For each exercise, the solid color team is the team you are focusing on
(your team, the 4-3-3). The white or clear team is the opponent. The
following symbols represent:

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FORMATIONS AND NUMBERING SYSTEM
FORMATIONS AND NUMBERING SYSTEM
The 4-3-3

This formation is the focus team of this book. They will always be the
dark purple color and will be playing UP on the page whenever the
exercise has a direction.

• 1 – Goalkeeper
• 2- Right Back
• 3 – Left Back
• 4 – Right-Sided Center Back
• 5 – Left-Sided Center Back
• 6 – Holding Center Mid
• 7 – Right Winger
• 8 – Attacking Center Mid
• 9 – Center Forward
• 10 – Attacking Center Mid
• 11 – Left Winger

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STYLE OF PLAY

The most important thing to consider before attempting to implement

different build out strategies is the overall goal of the attack. In other
words, how would you like the ball and your team to arrive in Zone 2
(the middle third of the field)? If the goal is to find a penetrating ball
into the channel, then you probably want to arrive with the ball in a
wide area, with the 9 central and the defending full back moved out of
the channel. If your goal is to try to create overloads with the attacking
central midfielders between the lines to attack the back line, then the
goal might be to draw as many defending central midfielders as
possible forward in the build up to create overloads higher. Either way,
this is something that needs to be determined before you choose a
style.
Once you have your goal, you can now determine how to achieve it.
For example, if you chose option 1 (arriving in Zone 2 with the ball in a
wide channel to find the 9), then your build up should probably include
trying to free up the full back by inviting the opposing winger into
pressing the center backs. So, you might want to play one side to move
the opposing forward, so that when the ball is played to the weak-side
center back the opposing winger is forced to step. This is just an
example of a build out strategy with an end goal in mind. Think of your
team, how you imagine a goal happening with your personnel, and
work backwards.
Another thing to consider is your own level of comfortability and
understanding of the individual roles and player profiles of your team.
I have met a lot of coaches who want to play a possession-based style,
but when the issue is pushed, they find out quickly that they are not
comfortable inviting as much pressure as needed to accomplish their
overall build out goals. Also, some coaches are not comfortable with
allowing a free rotation of their backline and midfield that might be
required to move the opposing players, so their play quickly falls apart.

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There is no right and wrong answer. What is important is establishing
early on what you would like it to look like, and what outcome you are
looking to achieve. Some coaches (De Zerbi, Guardiola, etc…) are not
only comfortable with inviting pressure, it is necessary to their style of
play. While others are only looking to break the first line of a press to
progress the ball up the field.
Some of the ideas and suggestions presented in this book will seem
standard, but some will seem downright crazy to some coaches. This
will depend on the coach’s level of comfortability and the style of play
of the group. As stated earlier in the book, these are merely ideas that
you can use to think of your own ideas, or to invite your players to find
other solutions. They are not meant to be rigid concrete solutions to
problems. You will find very quickly that the moment you tell your
team that solution X is the only way to combat problem Y, that your
team will continually run into problems. No two situations on the field
are ever the exact same, so allow for flexibility in the game model.

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BUILDING OUT AGAINST 1 FORWARD

Forward Forces the Center Back Wide

What is occurring in this scenario?

In this scenario, the opposing team is pressing with 1 forward (typically
while playing in a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 type formation). Naturally, the focus
team will have a numerical advantage with 2 center backs and a
goalkeeper against the 1 pressing forward. This will lead to forcing the
opposing team to make decisions on how to react when the ball is
switched from one side of the field to another.
What are the advantages of this scenario to the focus team?
The major advantage of this scenario is the numerical overload of the
2 center backs and goalkeeper against the 1 pressing forward. This
allows for a lot of flexibility in how the ball can be moved forward up
the field.
What are the disadvantages of this scenario to the focus team?
The major disadvantage of this scenario is trying to create an overload
further down the field, as the extra player that could be used to press
the center back is further up the field (e.g. an extra
midfielder/defender). So, even though it might be easier to move the
ball into Zone 2, it is harder in that zone to create an overload,
depending on the build out.
What are some ideas that need to be considered in this scenario?

• Where do we want to create an overload in Zone 2

• Which opposing player do we want to pull out to press
• Where is there space

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INITIAL SETUP

In this initial setup you can see the team is prepared to press the
initial pass with 1 forward, the 9. For this example, the 9 will first cut
off the Goalkeeper, then press the center back, forcing the play wide.

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From here, the objective should be to find the weak side center back,
as the opposing 9 has been moved to one side of the field. There are
several options on how to achieve this, all mostly depending on the
shape of the opponent. Below are 4 ideas on how to move the ball to
the weak side center back.

For this example, the strong side full
back is used to switch play through
the goalkeeper. He drops below the
center back who carries forward,
then plays to the goalkeeper who
switches play.
For this example, the center back finds the
6, who plays out to the weak side full back.
This will require some movement from the
6 to free themselves.

For this example, the 6 is marked too For this example, the midfield players
tight to receive, so they clear the space are marked, so they each create space
for the 8 to check for the ball and bump for the 9 to check in and bump the ball
the ball to the weak side center back. to the center back.

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From here, the team’s style of play can come in more. What is the
objective of the attacking team? What scenario better suits their
abilities? For example, if they would rather have the ball in a wide
channel with the full back, then they should attempt to attract the
opposing winger to the center back. This requires them taking up a
wider initial position, so that they are closer to the winger. Or, if the
goal is to find an attacking center midfielder between the lines to run
at the opposing back line, then the center back can take a more
central initial position to attract an opposing center midfielder. See
the below images for examples.

In this scenario, the center back has
taken a wide position, so that when
they receive the ball, the closest
defender is the opposing winger. This
forces a 3v2 in the wide channel and
allows the full back to be free to receive
in space.
In this scenario, the center back has
taken a narrower position, so that
when they receive the ball the closest
defender is a central midfielder. This
causes the focus teams attacking
central midfielder to become free.

For the purposes of this book, we won’t go over when 1 forward

forces play inside, as 1) this rarely happens and 2) the center back
would simply switch play to the other center back and you can move
straight to the second phase of build out solutions.

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BUILDING OUT AGAINST 2 FORWARDS

Forward Forces the Center Back Wide

What is occurring in this scenario?

In this scenario, the opposing team is pressing with 2 forwards (typically
while playing in a 4-4-2/3-5-2 type formation). This scenario presents
new challenges, as the two center backs each have an opponent, and
the team must find new ways to create overloads in the initial build up
phase.
What are the advantages of this scenario to the focus team?
The major advantage of this scenario is the 1v1 matchups further up
the field, or in some shapes the numbers up in the middle of the field.
What are the disadvantages of this scenario to the focus team?
The major disadvantage of this scenario is the lack of a free center
back to use in the initial play. There are a lot of ways to overcome
this, however the primary way is to utilize the goalkeeper to create an
overload.
What are some ideas that need to be considered in this scenario?

• Where do we want to create an overload in Zone 2, or is there

one already created
• How do we free up a center back
• Where is there space

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INITIAL SETUP

In this initial setup you can see the team is prepared to press the
initial pass with 2 forwards. For this example, the strong side 9 will
force play inside, back towards the goal and to their teammate.

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This is one of the strong suits of pressing with 2 forwards. It puts the
attacking team in a difficult spot with little options. This is why I
always recommend starting a goal kick against a team pressing with 2
forwards by playing from the center back to the goalkeeper.
Particularly, from the center back on the opposite side of the
goalkeeper’s stronger foot. So, for example, if the goalkeeper is right
footed then the 5 (left sided center back) should pass them the ball.
This allows the goalkeeper to receive across their body on their strong
foot. It should look like this:

Now when the opposing team presses, the focus team can find the
free center back based upon which 9 presses the goalkeeper. This
leads to various options on how to build out:

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For this example, the 9 has tried to
cut off the center back on their side,
so the team uses the 6 to bump the
ball to them. As shown before, the
positioning of the center back will
determine if you want to free the full
back or the attacking center
midfielder.
For this example, the forward has
pressed too far and opened space
behind them for the center back to
exploit. The center back comes central
into the space the 6 has cleared and
receives the ball. From there they can
play to whichever central midfielder is
freed after their player leaves to press
(in this example their 10)
For this example, playing through the 6
is difficult, so they clear the space for
the 10 to check in and bump to the
center back. Also, the 8 moves higher to
clear the area. In this example the
center back has moved wider to free the
full back.
For this example, the 9 has not cut off
the angle well to block the pass to the
center back, so the center back widens
out and the ball is played to them. In
this example they carry forward and
find the free full back after the opposing
winger presses.
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OTHER BUILD OUT IDEAS TO TRY

This section is meant to give you some fun and creative ideas that you
can also try with your team, and hopefully inspire you to come up
with some of your own ideas on how to best utilize your teams’
strengths and minimize its weaknesses when attempting to build out.
Each of these ideas I have either used myself or seen a professional
team use.

Using the Fullbacks Low and the Center Backs High

In this scenario, the center backs position themselves on top of the

18, with the full backs lower towards the endline. The idea is to draw
the wingers higher to leave space to find the focus teams’ wingers
early.

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 The first, and most obvious solution
from this example is to play directly
to the winger when they are
isolated. This works best when the
winger is drawn wide and cannot
provide cover for their full back.
Full Back Comes Inside to Create Channel
If the opposing winger stays inside to
provide cover, there should be an easy
option to play wide, then directly into
the wingers’ feet. If the opposing
winger starts wider, the full back can
use the 8 to bump the ball to the winger.
17
In this scenario, the strong-side full back will come inside, and the
central midfielders will move to form a box. The goal of this
movement is to drag the opposing winger inside with them, which
would open a channel for the center back to have a direct line of sight
to the winger on their side.

This image shows the option if the
opposing winger comes inside with
their full back, opening the channel
to play directly into the focus teams’
winger.
If the opposing winger stays wide after
the full back comes inside, this will
create a 4v3 overload in the middle of
the field, and that is where the play
should be directed.

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CONCLUSION

Teaching build out options to your team is a great way to allow them
to conceptualize the overall attacking philosophy of the group. Even
though these examples take place in Zone 1 and start from goal kicks
they set a solid foundation of the attacking principles and ideas that
can be used all over the field.
It is important to allow your players to be creative and to find different
solutions to the problems they face during training. They will learn just
as much from their failures as they will from their successes when
rehearsing these different concepts. It is important to limit the
restrictions in training (touch restrictions, restraining lines, etc…) while
teaching these topics as the more that are added the further from the
actual game the sessions become. They also limit the players ability to
find solutions to the problems.
I hope you enjoyed this book and find value from it. Please continue to
share ideas and thoughts with each other as we continue to grow this
game that we love!
Thank you!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Stauber

Coach Michael Stauber is an experienced coach with over 25 years of

experience at multiple levels. He holds a USSF A License, which is the
highest coaching certification in the United States, and has coached at
the LA Galaxy Academy, as well with the United States Soccer Federation
as a National Youth Staff and Scout.
Coach Stauber has also served as an Olympic Development Program
coach and a Developmental Academy coach, helping to identify and
develop talent. He has been a Director of Coaches for various clubs,
where he has been instrumental in shaping the development of players
and coaches alike.
With 14 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, Coach
Stauber has a deep understanding of the demands of high-level
competition. He has also earned a Masters in Kinesiology, giving him a
unique insight into the physiological and biomechanical aspects of
soccer performance.
Throughout his coaching career, Coach Stauber has developed a
coaching philosophy focused on developing players' technical skills,
tactical awareness, and mental toughness. He emphasizes teamwork,
communication, and discipline as key components of success on the
field.
Coach Stauber's coaching expertise and commitment to player develop-
ment make him a valuable resource for coaches and players alike. His
passion for the game and dedication to excellence have helped him
achieve remarkable success in his coaching career.

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 Thank you for reading our book,
Coaching the 4-3-3: Build Out Solutions for
Different Scenarios.
If you enjoyed this book, please check out our
other titles.
Please keep an eye out for the rest of our books on
the 4-3-3 against other formations. For more sessions,
information on upcoming books, and general ideas
about the 4-3-3, follow our Facebook page:

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