Back 3 or Back 4? USMNT 2022 World Cup player explains the difference

When it comes to defensive strategy, behind three or four? A back three provides much more flexibility in attack, and is a strategy the US men’s national team will likely start with in the 2026 World Cup.

This formation makes a lot of sense when you have a couple of full-backs who can cover a lot of ground, like Sergiño Dest and Antonee “Jedi” Robinson, maybe even a Tim Weah in certain situations.

When you have possession, it allows the centre-backs playing on the left and right sides to be a little more aggressive. In friendlies, we saw Alex Freeman play on the right side of the back three and concentrate on an opposing winger.

There will be times when the back three really become the back five. That’s when you’re sitting on a low block and absorbing pressure when the opponent really has their foot on the gas.

However, for the most part, the United States will be in what I would call a defense of three. It all comes down to the attitude of the full-backs, and I would expect Dest and Robinson to be important parts of the US attack.

Here’s what to expect this summer and why the United States changed their lineup from the last World Cup.

Why a backline of three for the United States?

Another part of the United States’ decision to play three center backs instead of two in a traditional back four is 38-year-old Tim Ream. The team captain started in the two friendlies against Senegal and Germany on the left side of the defense. Having an extra center back offers him more support against some key attacking players the United States will encounter throughout the tournament.

In the friendly against Germany we saw that Tim found himself in one-on-one situations against winger Leroy Sané, one of the fastest players who will play in the World Cup this summer. I think Tim and coach Mauricio Pochettino realize that the veteran is wanted on the field as captain and with his experience. If that’s the case, the best way to introduce him is as a left-sided central defender, so he has some support in those areas.

However, the potential disadvantages were made clear by Senegal’s first goal against the United States in their friendly match on May 31. Antonee fumbled further up the field, so the left side of our defense was exposed with only Tim to cover much space. The counter ended with the first of Sadio Mané’s two goals in that match.

A back four is less chaotic and more structurally solid. You can cover the width of the field, whether in midfield or attack, much more easily because you have more numbers higher up the field. A backline of five requires more man-to-man tasks where you have to react quickly, while a backline of four is more organized. You move and move around the field in a back four, but you are playing within a structure.

I don’t think there is a right answer and it really depends on a team’s personnel. It can also depend on the matchup and what we are trying to do in a given match. I have played on teams that work better with a defense of three or four.

Why the change from 2022?

Specifically for the US men’s national team, having a player like Tyler Adams in the midfield makes a big difference. It is capable of covering a lot of ground and solving many problems. Knowing you have a player like that, you feel more comfortable potentially stopping counterattacks and containing the opponent when they have the ball.

Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson and Weston McKennie speak before the friendly between the United States and Germany before the World Cup. (Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

While the United States seems set to play a back three this year, it made sense for us to have a back four in 2022. We played a 4-3-3 formation because of the midfield, which included Tyler, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah. Together, those three were able to do a defensive job that would normally take four players.

Tyler was in the middle, while Wes and Yunus were able to drive the rest of the field to the bench. In our opening match of that tournament, England couldn’t move the ball fast enough to get around them.

Having three guys doing the job of four in midfield almost feels like a cheat code, and it definitely affects how you set up the rest of your lineup given how much they move around the field and change positions.

This time, Antonee will be able to cover a lot of ground. It has an incredible motor and can cover every blade of grass. On the other right side, Sergiño will be more comfortable when he can start higher and stay up there. He will return to do defensive work when needed. He will make a 40-yard run forward, as he did early against Germany when Christian Pulisic almost found him with a long ball, then break it to drop back and defend.