Outside backs in the 1-4-2-3-1 and 1-4-1-4-1 formations

Previous articles in this series:

The Goalkeeper
The Linking Midfielder
The Center Midfielder
The Attacking Midfielder
The Central Midfield Triangle
The Center Backs
How the Center Backs and Linking Midfielder interact.


The technical considerations for the outside back positions center around speed - physical, pace of play and especially in decision making ability. The ability to run onto the able coupled with a high quality of first touch  and the ability to run with the ball / speed dribble. Outside backs must be able to cross the ball early and effectively along the ground and through the air. They also need to be able to finish around the net with a high degree of accuracy and pace.

Tactically outside backs must be defenders first.  They have a responsibility to cover the inside back nearest them and defend either at the outer edge of the 18 or on the flank in the defending third dependent on the teams philosophy for covering width in the final third.  Outside backs must be astute game watchers especially on the attack as they will be called upon to make frequent calculated runs up the field in support of the attack and as vital main contributors to the attack.

Physically we like otsider backs to be runners. Work rate is extremely important and arguably second only to that of central midfielders.  Endurance is key.  Speed of play is essential. Patient on defense and aggressive in the attack. 

Psychologically these players need to have to be disciplined on defense and risk takers in the attack. They are defenders of the goal, but also man the position most capable of forcing a defense from its preferred shape through their runs up the field and long early crosses to switch the point of attack. 

I recently conducted camp at Piqua High School and it came to pass that I coached the team in a preseason tournament as well.  For that tournament match I place, arguably, the teams two best players at the outside back positions and asked of them that they be very offensive minded.  I saw the look on their coaches faces when I did this - they were skeptical.  Piqua won that match 2-0 despite being down some players and facing a decent side.  Now, the success did not lie solely in playing these two at outside back, but their presence there did not hurt the team defensively and did create problems for the opposing side.  My point is simply this, we as coaches must be mindful of our ability to manipulate the opposing defense. We must be able to stress the opponents defense to identify and expose where it is weakest so that we might take full advantage. 

The rule of thumb for placing players in positions is to build a strong spine in your formation and fill outwards.  All I did with the Piqua team was to build a strong defensive spine and place the emphasis for attacking on the flanks... (hopefully) away from the opponents strength which I assumed would be their central players.  It worked.