Emerging trends: Nuances of the 1-2-2 system

Its distinctive characteristics mean that the team in possession plays with two forward players, generally linear to each other horizontally (either narrow or wide). The remaining two outfield players also adopt a similar linear relationship in the middle third of the pitch, creating space for their goalkeeper to come out with the ball and start play.

FIFA’s Technical Study Group (TSG) have identified some nuances in how teams were using the system. In this article, Matteo Marrucci highlights how some traditional futsal concepts can be seen in the way the 1-2-2 was sometimes played.

“The 1-2-2 is the most popular system and, again, we saw that in this World Cup, with goalkeepers becoming more competent at starting play. IR Iran often play the system using their wing players to cut inside, while we also saw Brazil use it, focusing on 1v1 situations and encouraging the use of their players’ individual technical skills to win supremacy. We also saw ways that teams condensed their players on one side of the pitch, opening space for a long pass to a player running into that space.

“However, what was interesting to see was how some teams are using deliberate coordinated movements to get players in the 1-2-2 to change positions and cause confusion for opposition defences using some ideas that we usually see in futsal,” Marrucci explained.

Marrucci uses clip 1 below to describe an example of the classic 1-2-2 setup, with IR Iran in possession against Portugal, starting play from a throw-in. The coordinated movements by all four of IR Iran’s outfield players create overloads, and force Portugal’s defenders into having to decide which players to mark, and who they must leave free.

“This is the way we are accustomed to using the 1-2-2 system with the goalkeeper involved in the play, moving up the arena. IR Iran have two players forward and positioned narrow, with two defenders operating in the middle third of the pitch in wide positions. Movahed Mohammadpour (8) plays a short pass back to goalkeeper Seyed Mirjalili (1) which draws pressure from Portugal wing Jordan (5). This leaves Mohammadpour free, and he makes an attacking run up the right channel before cutting inside to the space in front of Portugal’s Léo Martins (11) who is defending narrow and deep in the space that that Iran forward Mohammad Masoumi (11) is occupying, creating an overload. As Mohammadpour (8) cuts inside, defenders are attracted by this movement, allowing Mohammadali Nazarzadeh (10) to make a movement behind Portugal’s defensive line and get into space.

“By creating this overload in the middle, defenders are forced to decide who to mark. In this case, Léo Martins (11) is the player who becomes overloaded, leaving Masoumi (11) free to score with a lovely first-touch bicycle kick.”

In clip 2, we see another example of the coordinated changing of positions and the deliberate shifting of numbers from one area to open space in another. First, as the ball is thrown in by Yauheni Novikau (7) to goalkeeper Uladzimir Ustsinovich, Belarus’ two forward players cross over to switch positions, moving as one unit. As Ihar Bryshtsel (8) receives from the goalkeeper, both forward players run towards him, vacating space in behind for Novikau’s (7) diagonal run and first-touch finish.

A key feature of the nuanced 1-2-2 identified during this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup involves dynamic rotations where players’ runs result in them swapping or changing positions. Our TSG have noted how these runs resemble attacking movements that are typical in futsal, creating chaos and distorting the normal reference points of opposition defenders when playing against this system.

In clip 3 below, Marrucci highlights how Japan applied these principles when using the 1-2-2 system in their group-stage match against Seychelles.

“While Japan goalkeeper Takeru Furusato (12) advances with the ball under no pressure, defender Ryota Tsuboya (5) makes a strong diagonal run from the left side of the pitch to the central area in front of Seychelles’ goal. This run draws the opposition defenders into the middle of the pitch, leaving Ken Matsumoto (3) free to occupy what was Tsuboya’s (5) space on the left side. In the same fashion, Masato Ota (2) takes advantage of the space created by the diagonal run and moves in front of two Seychelles defenders. Then, as Ota (2) rotates again by dropping deep, Chikara Eguro (11) cuts inside to occupy the space vacated by Ota (2), which is now in the middle of all four Seychelles defenders, leaving him free for the unmarked execution of a bicycle kick which results in a goal.”