Flat back four systems have replaced the "sweeper" system for quite some time now, in most countries. Certain countries have manadated this style right from their youth systems to their national teams. As opposed to the old sweeper/man marking systems, flat back four (or zonal) defending offers more defensive and attacking versatility. The most common version is the classic 4-4-2, but a reincarnation of the traditional 4-3-3 is becoming popular. There are variations depending on the team strategy, such as 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-2-1.
Flat Back Four defending requires a lot of practice due to it's lack of a constant covering defender, or sweeper. Defenders need to be careful so they don't blow the off-side trap and give up break-aways. They need to stay in constant visual and verbal contact. They need to automate shifting, forward, sideways and covering movements. When it works, it's beautiful, when it doesn't, it's ugly.
Let's look at the world cup coming up. One of the perennial powerhouses and home field favourites is Germany. The new coach, Klinsmann, is bringing a modern style to the established German system. And that includes a flat back four defense. With all the good things Klinsmann is doing, this might be the biggest risk and could turn out to be the achilles heel for Germany. The German youth system is not unified in training this system. The national team players need to learn the basics, starting three weeks before the opening game. Watch for Germany struggling with the system. On the other end of the spectrum, watch Holland and Brasil play it to perfection.
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