5v5 1-2-1 lineup sheet

The 5v5 1-2-1 formation

The 1-2-1 is a diamond for five-a-side: one player at the back, two wide and one up front. It gives width, depth and a triangle on every pass, which is why many coaches prefer it for small-sided play.

Strengths

• Passing triangles everywhere
• Width and depth at the same time
• Every player touches the ball often

Weaknesses

• One defender is the last line on their own
• Wide players have to cover the full length of the field

Best for

Teams ready to move beyond a simple square and pass with a purpose.

Coaching tip

Rotate the diamond: when a wide player goes forward, the forward drops wide to fill the gap.

Positions in a 5v5 1-2-1

The lineup sheet has a box for each of these 5 positions in every quarter: Goalkeeper, Center Back, Left Mid, Right Mid, Striker.

Other 5v5 formations

Want it filled in for you?

The free SOXY app does the parts a web page cannot. It keeps your roster, knows which players have said they are coming, and fills all four quarters so playing time comes out even. It rotates the goalkeeper, lets you drag players between positions, saves a lineup for every game, and prints this same sheet with the field, both coaches and the referees already on it.