Today, we continue with our tour of the most used formations in the beautiful game. The formation we are looking at today is the 3232, which is an adapted version of the highly popular 3-5-2 or even a variation of the long-forgotten W-M (W-W) formation.
How is the formation setup?
The formation is an alternative 3-5-2. At the back, there are three centre-backs, with two central midfielders in front of the backline. In front of the central midfielders are three attacking midfielders, with two forwards as the focal point of the formation.
The three-player defence is the foundation of the team. These three players provide defensive solidity while also often building up from the back by playing out. The wider centre-backs will frequently shuttle cross into the full-back positions to either offer options to their goalkeeper or their teammates when in possession of the ball.
The two players in front of the defence can operate as either defensive midfielders or simply central midfielders, or a single or double-pivot.
In a single-pivot, one of the midfielders will stay deeper and help the backline, while the other player may be given more licence to attack. In a double-pivot, both players will help the defence, covering defensive gaps, especially shuttling across to the wider positions to cover the opposition attack.
Then we have the three attacking midfielders, which, once again, can be configured in several different ways. The first way is that all three players can be central attacking midfielders, with the wider of the two moving slightly wider to provide attacking width and the more central player getting into the box to support the forwards.
The second configuration is the more commonly used one. This uses two wide players or wingers, with the central midfielder once again acting as a playmaker or main support for the forwards.
The two forwards are the team’s main attacking focal point. Generally, one forward will stay in an advanced position, while the other will come short for the ball and link up with the attacking midfielders. The pair are expected to produce the bulk of the team’s goals.
When was the formation first used?
Although the 3-2-3-2 is considered to be a relatively modern tactic, the tactic is thought to have been first used in the 1920s to great success by Hungary’s national team head coaches Márton Bukovi, who turned the 3–2–2–3/WM formation into a 3–2–3–2 by effectively changing the forward “M” upside down.
The formation gained popularity, and in more recent times, it has been a favourite of Manchester City’s boss Pep Guardiola. Other big European clubs, such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich have used the formation at various points over the years, as well as some Premier League clubs.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the 3232?
One of the main strengths of this formation is the number of players that can be in attacking positions, which can overpower the opposition’s defence. Playing with two forwards and three attacking midfielders is a signal of attacking intent.
Despite the attacking nature of the formation, the defence can still be secure, as one or even two of the central midfielders can drop into the defence to support the nominal back three.
There can also be overloads in the centre of the pitch if the attacking midfielder drops deep and one of his strikers drops deeper into his position. If the team is using central midfielders or even a single-pivot, it could mean three or four players in the centre of the pitch.
One of the main weaknesses of the formation is if the central or defensive midfielders are caught upfield in a transition. This can leave the defence outnumbered.
Another related weakness to playing with a back three and no full-backs or wing-backs is that the team can be vulnerable to quick counter-attacks down the wings. This is where the defensive or central midfielders have to have the football intelligence to move across and aid their teammates.
The formation can also lack attacking width if the team sets out with three central attacking midfielders rather than using two wide players and a central midfielder. If using three central attacking midfielders, they must move into space out wide to provide the team’s attacking width.
Is this formation popular on FM?
As this is not a highly conventional formation, unsurprisingly, it’s not a formation that is commonly used in FM. However, I actually tested a 3-2-3-2 tactic on FM23 for my tactic-testing articles.
The tactic was Crazy 3-2-3-2 (ME friendly) by RDF, who, to be fair, is one of my favourite FM tactic and content creators.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t best suited to the Everton team I tested it with. However, I later used it on my personal save, and it worked really well. It is a tricky tactic to get right if the players and instructions are not perfect, as it has obvious appeal but also apparent flaws.
What do you think of the 3232 formation? Let us know by leaving a comment on here or via our socials
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