No good formation ever dies out. They often go through periods of inactivity, but eventually return to the battlefront. Take the 532. The quick flowing counter attacking formation used by Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal caught the eye of many for its mix between attractive, tiki taka passing and strong, workman like defence. Van Gaal, with Manchester United, will hope to bring 532 back into the modern game
The formation consists of three central defenders, with one often acting as a Libero (sweeper). The main attacking force lies in the wing backs. Acting differently to normal corner backs, they must be constantly providing support to the attackers and defenders. Examples of this would be Dutch wing backs Daryl Jaanmat and Daley Blind during the World Cup. The three midfielders are key to the success of 532. One midfielder must be willing to defend, like Carrick or Fletcher, another is allowed to attack, such as Mata or Kagawa, and the final midfielder should be a playmaker, Ander Herrera for example. The strikers are formed from ac hard worker, like Wayne Rooney, and a goal scorer, such as Robin van Persie. With solid improvements to the defence and midfield and better team discipline, Van Gaal, with United, could make the 532 a dominant formation in England.
Fans of Wigan and Hull will also be very familiar with the 532 formation. In 2013, Wigan embarked on an FA Cup journey which eventually led to a final against giants Man City. In a typical David - Goliath situation, Wigan were the underdogs. Roberto Martinez's men battled hard and gave everything they had. In the 91st minute, a Ben Watson header gave Wigan a historic win. In 2014, we had a similar final. Hull City, under Steve Bruce, looked to take down the mighty Arsenal. Hull got off to a dream start, scoring 2 in the first 10 minutes. Unfortunately, Hull were beaten by the better teteam but proved that the 532 formation is one to be reckoned with.There are many advantages to using the 532 formation. Obviously, having 5 at the back means the defence is secure. It also means that the team as a whole is tough to break down.
There is a solid spine to the team, going from the goalkeeper, to the centre back, onto the midfielders and ending at the striker. The ability to hit a team on the counter is the main advantage to 532. With quick wingbacks and a good passer in midfield, a counter can happen in a matter of seconds. However, nothing in life is without flaws. 532 is a very defensive minded formation, so goals can be hard to come by. Also, all players need to be quite fit as a lot of running is necessary. As seen in the Swansea game on Saturday, it is also susceptible to the counter attack. Defenders must be quick and have a decent footballing brain to prevent this. Another big advantage to the 532 is its versatility. When the manager wants to, he can order the wingbacks to push up and form a 352. This quick and easy change allows the team to change from a defensive to an attacking style in the blink of an eye.
As the football season begins, it is still unknown how much of an impact 532 will have on the European leagues. In a wild and unpredictable game such as football, anything can happen!