An Ode to Four Four Two

Football's Simplest and Finest Formation

John McNicoll

• Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd
• eBook ISBN:
  9781785319181
• Year: 2021

An Ode to Four Four Two: Football's Simplest and Finest Formation examines how coaches in Europe, and particularly England, settled on the 4-4-2 formation to build iconic teams which would dominate both domestically and in Europe. Formations have continually evolved since the birth of the game in the mid-nineteenth century. From teams playing with four or five forwards, to the modern era of teams with just the one. Arguably the greatest formation has been 4-4-2. Some of the greatest teams have lined up in this multi-functional system. Flick through the football history books and it is filled with teams like AC Milan, Manchester United, Liverpool, Leeds United and Barcelona, all enjoying glorious eras playing 4-4-2. But it isn't just the elite of world football. Who can forget Leicester City, led by Claudio Ranieri, reviving the system against all odds to outperform the Premier League's big six to claim a historic title in 2016? Author John McNicoll looks at how and why these teams used the formation to such effect. How they dominated in their era to stand out from the rest. It is the story of how teams, both big and small in status, have played the system to perfection.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• 1. Formation: The Beginning
• 2. Atlético Madrid: Simeone and the Double Block
• 3. Derby County and Nottingham Forest: The Brian Clough Trophy
• 4. Arsenal: Boring, Boring to Invincible
• 5. Brazil: The Samba Boys
• 6. Manchester United: The Sir Alex Ferguson Era
• 7. Wimbledon: The Crazy Gang
• 8. AC Milan: Sacchi and Capello
• 9. Leicester City: Trip to Wonderland
• 10. Leeds United: Rampant Revie, Revived by Howard’s Way
• 11. Merseyside FC: A Decade Dominated by One City
• 12. Kipling and Barclay
• Photos