8v8 2-4-1 lineup sheet

The 8v8 2-4-1 formation

The 2-4-1 places two defenders behind a midfield four and a single striker. With half the outfield players in midfield, an eight-a-side team using it tends to see a lot of the ball.

Strengths

• Four midfielders dominate the centre of a small field
• Wide midfielders stretch the opponent
• Plenty of support arriving behind the striker

Weaknesses

• Thin at the back if midfielders do not recover
• One striker to finish the chances

Best for

Possession-minded teams with stamina in midfield.

Coaching tip

Decide in advance which central midfielder holds and which one attacks.

Positions in a 8v8 2-4-1

The lineup sheet has a box for each of these 8 positions in every quarter: Goalkeeper, Left Back, Right Back, Left Mid, Left Center Mid, Right Center Mid, Right Mid, Striker.

Other 8v8 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.