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7v7 Formation Builder

Set a 2-3-1, 3-2-1 or 3-1-2 on a 7v7 pitch, put an opponent against it, move players and pass the ball. Then plan who plays where for every period, and save or share the result.

Interactive · 7v7 formation builder
3-2-1v 2-3-1

1-3-2-1 with the keeper counted

Your team, 3-2-1: 1 goalkeeper, 1 central defender, 2 wide defenders, 2 central midfielders, 1 forward. Opponent, 2-3-1: 1 goalkeeper, 2 defenders, 2 wide midfielders, 1 central midfielder, 1 forward.

build-out linebuild-out lineGKCDWDWDCMCMF

Tap a player to pass · drag to move

  • GK goalkeeper
  • CD central defender
  • WD wide defender
  • CM central midfielder
  • F forward
Your team
Opponent
Show
Pitch

Open a 7v7 field in PitchLabs →

In my opinion it follows on from the diamond. The central defender, two central midfielders and the forward are the diamond, and two wide defenders are added to it. The cost is width: the wide defenders have to be able to support the attack.

My reasoning, not something I have seen measured: the 2-3-1 has two wide midfielders and the 3-2-1 has two central ones, which lets the 3-2-1 control the central channel more easily. The difficulty is getting its wide defenders to support the attack.

Positions are illustrative, not measured. Build-out lines are drawn midway between the penalty area and halfway, and leagues differ, so check yours. A dashed red passing lane has an opponent standing in it. Zones shade the middle third and mark the three channels. Position numbers follow the usual 11-a-side convention, and clubs number 7v7 their own ways.

How to use it

  • Pick a shape for your team and for the opponent. Each side is independent, and the opponent can be switched off.
  • Drag any player to move them, and tap one to pass them the ball. Undo steps back one move at a time.
  • Switch between in possession and out of possession. Out of possession the shape stays the same, just narrower and deeper.
  • Show the lines, the diamond, passing lanes from whoever has the ball, the zones, or position numbers in place of the role letters.
  • Turn on Draw arrows and drag on the pitch to show a pass or a run.
  • Switch to the rotation planner, set your squad size and periods, and step through the games so the same players don’t always get the shorter share.
  • Save a PNG, print or copy the rotation, or copy a link that opens the board exactly as you left it.

Numbers, and what they mean

Shapes are written from defence to attack with the keeper left out, so a 2-3-1 is two defenders, three midfielders and one forward. U.S. Soccer and the FA count the keeper, so the same shapes appear there as 1-2-3-1 and 1-3-2-1. The board shows both.

What this is not

The positions are illustrative, not measured, and no shape here is presented as better than another. I looked for a study comparing a 2-3-1 with a 3-2-1 at this age and didn’t find one. The captions on the board are my opinions and are labelled that way. The pitch is PitchLabs’ own 7v7 field, and leagues differ on the build-out line, so check yours.

Where it comes from

Like how it works? PitchLabs is where you build the whole session: the activities, the diagrams, the plan you take pitchside.

Plan a session in PitchLabs

Want the thinking behind the shapes? Read 7v7 Formations: 2-3-1 or 3-2-1, and How to Choose. More free tools are on the tools page.

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