How to Play the 2-3-1 Formation Properly

Описание: Most soccer coaches don’t struggle with formations. They struggle with decision-making under pressure.

In this video, I break down how and why I use the 2-3-1 formation in 7v7 soccer, especially during long indoor seasons where players are constantly under pressure and space is tight.

I’ve tried just about every 7v7 setup over the years — and the 2-3-1 isn’t perfect — but for most teams, it consistently gives players:

Better spacing
Clear pictures on and off the ball
More chances to make real decisions in game-like moments

The key thing to understand is this:
no formation plays the game for your players.

As Luis Enrique emphasizes in his training philosophy, players develop by being placed in small-sided games under pressure — where they’re forced to think faster, move smarter, and solve problems on their own.

In this video, I:

Walk through the 2-3-1 using Kinoli
Explain player roles without over-coaching
Show how the formation supports learning, not control
Share why this setup has worked best for me across multiple seasons

For animated formation planning try: https://www.kinoli.com

If you coach 7v7 — indoor or outdoor — this video will help you understand when the 2-3-1 works, why it works, and how to use it without killing creativity.

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