Indoor Formations: 2-1-2 & 3-1-1

The number of players on the pitch varies from tournament to tournament. In general, we are playing either 6 v 6 or 7 v 7 throughout the indoor season. 
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2-1-2 Formation
I like this formation because it provides balance on the field. In that balance, we have equal strength in attacking and defending. 
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Pros:

• Two players in attack gives the possibility of a good front partnership being formed and gives lots of attacking outlets to the rest of the team
• Makes for lots of end-to-end play
• A decent alternative if you’re trying to accommodate two excellent attackers

Cons:

• Playing 2 in attack can be quite risky if neither of those players is going to track-back.
• The midfielder is expected to bridge the gap between both defense and attack, which could be challenging if he’s outnumbered in the middle.
• This will only work with two very good attackers who are able to make things happen, and they will need good service.

3-1-1 Formation
Alternatively, we may use this formation when trying to protect a lead. This becomes more important if we need a win for points or to move on in an elimination finals format. ​

Pros:

• Lots of defensive cover
• Good for teams who like to play on the counter-attack with one or both of the wing-back defenders exploding forward to join the attacks.

Cons:

• It needs a lot of coordination between the wing-backs
• Really just a variant of the 1-3-1, which offers a bit more flexibility. But, again, we will only use in strictly defensive moments.