This season we’ve seen LSU Soccer Head Coach Sian Hudson use two main formations, the 4-3-3 and 3-5-2. These formations both have their uses to be called upon during games against different opponents. Both formations provide different looks when in possession and out of possession. Let’s take a deep dive into the tactics of LSU Soccer. 

System of play: 4-3-3

Starting with the 4-3-3, this is the first formation we saw this year from  Hudson. The set-up, as seen above, has mostly been unchanged from the start of the year. The goal of this formation is to maintain possession and get the ball forward. The key to this formation working and clicking is keeping balance on both sides of the pitch. 

Seen more often in modern soccer is an attacking fullback. Rammie Noel is the perfect example of this. On the team sheet and roster website, she is listed as a forward and almost plays as such. Take Alesia Garcia’s goal against Mississippi State for example, the goal starts with Noel receiving the ball in a deeper defensive role and working her way up the field. After getting into a crossing position she sends the ball across and puts it on a platter for Garcia. 

This type of attacking fullback play is what Hudson wants to see in the attack. But how does that maintain balance?

The answer is with Wasila Diwura-Soale. Soale is a pivot or holding midfielder. She stays deeper than the rest of midfield and provides cover to the attacking fullbacks. This cover provided also helps to maintain balance in the formation. 

Out of possession, things get compact and tight. The back four tuck in to keep the strikers of the opposition out of the play. When possession reaches the defensive third the fullbacks then can stretch and try to win the ball.  

In defense, the Tigers get compact and try to force the opposition outside to win the ball and spark a counter attack. With the center back pairing of Shannon Cooke and Lindsi Jennings, the Tigers have been able to control most games at the back. The defense has conceded 16 goals so far this season and an average of 10 shots per game.

It isn’t a great defensive record considering most teams in SEC play have conceded less than 10 goals so far. However, the defensive record is strong enough to generate wins for the Tigers.

When the ball is won the goal is to counter-attack at speed. This has been seen plenty of times through Shannon Cooke. When she wins the ball at center back, she immediately looks up field for one of her forwards. Her ability to get the ball upfield easily can help pressure defenders into being outnumbered, or be beaten by one of the dynamic forwards.

LSU’s forward’s possesses have been amazing. The dribbling ability on show this year has been nothing short of spectacular. Not only that, but their runs off the ball have generated plenty of attacking force for the offense. In attack, LSU prioritizes getting the ball to the wide areas of the field and outnumbering the wide defenders to find time for a cross. This has been seen in many different combinations this year. 

One area of the offense many people have noticed is Ida Hermannsdottir. Hermannsdottir currently is tied for the lead in goals this season with five. Hermannsdottir’s freshman campaign has been remarkable so far. She has shown she can score from distance, freekicks and good attacking runs. She has proved to be a stellar attacking minded midfielder and will pay dividends for the Tigers for the rest of this season.

The offense has generated 31 goals on 166 shots this season. They average 13.833 shots per game and 6.25 shots on target. Both are great averages to have. 

The 4-3-3 has been the new look of Hudson’s team and at times can be seen as the future formation of the program. As the team spends more time in the formation, they will become more relaxed and generate even better chances to be stronger defensively. 

The Troubles of Set-Pieces

The kryptonite of LSU this season has been set pieces. Whether it be corner kicks, penalties, or free kicks, they have been rough at defending these. Against Mississippi State, they conceded two corner kicks in the first six minutes and then conceded a penalty later on.

LSU has conceded 51 corner kicks this season and five goals have been scored directly from those corners. That might not seem too terrible, but that’s not including corners where the ball might have been partially cleared and returned to the box for a goal. 

Hudson has made it very clear that this is something that they will continue to look at and work at the training ground to figure out a good strategy for defending corners. 

Style of Play: 3-5-2

The other formation used during the season is the 3-5-2 as shown above. This formation was first seen against Central Florida in the second game of the season. It was deployed to counter the midfield possession shown by UCF in the first half. UCF was dominating the midfield and by deploying five midfielders, Hudson wanted to get more attacking bodies forward. It worked perfectly, LSU got a goal in the first five minutes of the second half. 

This formation brings bodies forward that LSU is used to though. In the graphics shown, Noel is seen getting forward from her fullback role and can almost be seen as a midfielder. In a way, the 4-3-3 can easily be changed into the 3-5-2, that’s why this is the secondary formation. If Thoreson drops back into a right midfielder instead of right wing, they then form a five in midfield. 

The 3-5-2’s weaknesses can be exploited on the wings. When you have three center backs, the wide areas of the defensive third are left exposed if not covered by the wide midfielders. This can make the shape seem vulnerable to counter-attacks, but with how hard the wide midfielders work to get back, the shape is protected. 

With this, most players continue to play the same role they would play in the 4-3-3. Noel is technically a wide midfielder, but she likes to get forward often from her fullback role creating that wide midfielder look. Hermannsdottir normally likes to play a sort of attacking midfielder role and this formation still allows for that. If the roles are identical, this makes changing the formation an easy halftime or mid-game switch. 

Hudson has built a special foundation at LSU. When the time comes for the SEC tourney and the NCAA tournament, teams should be aware of the power LSU can bring.