Part IV: How to beat Perak - Get to know their tactical formations

As promised, I will reveal more or less Perak’s tactics and formations in the new MSL 2007-2008 soccer season. I have discussed it with some experts but failed to get any comments from existing Perak soccer players. I was told that the players have received instructions from the top prohibiting them from talking to the press and busybodies. It is a massive gag order!

To be honest, nobody can quite pin down Perak’s actual tactics and formations this season. In the last few seasons, Perak was much more readable with their stubborn 3-4-1-2 formation. Not anymore, perhaps Steve Darby has learned something from the last few seasons and now he is toying around with more than one tactical formation in this new soccer season.

Experts believe that Perak is tinkering with at least three different formations in a single game this season. If you observe Perak’s tactical formation closely, you will notice that Perak will start with a 3-1-4-2 formation and then they will spread their wings and go for either 3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2 formations when they are in the attack.

In their seemingly innocent 3-1-4-2 formation, you will find either Nanthakumar or Subramaniam as the lone defensive midfielder, playing slightly behind the rest of the midfielders.


Things get interesting when Perak is on the attack. Suddenly the shape of the whole team would change. Depending on the type of attack either from the flanks or straight from the center of the field, Perak would adopt a quick 3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2 formation.

In their 3-4-1-2 formation, you can find the lone Perak’s defensive midfielder and any one of the central midfielders go forward and play new roles. Most of the time, it was Ahmad Shahrul Azhar who went forward and played the role of an attacking midfielder, giving immediate support to Perak’s centre forwards. Perak’s defensive midfielder meanwhile will take over the vacant spot in the center of the field left by any one of the central midfielders who had gone up to support the attack.


If Perak attack by the flanks, the team normally adopts a 3-5-2 formation but that is only temporary. Watch out for any one of the central midfielders who will quickly go forward and provide support just right behind the centre forwards. As usual, Perak’s lone defensive midfielder will go forward and provide support in the middle of the field. Despite their variety of tactical formations, Perak still favors the old 3-4-1-2 formation but in a less obvious way in this new season. :-)


Now, how to counter such tactics and beat Perak in the new soccer season? Every tactical formation has its weaknesses and I will highlight this in the next segment. Stay tuned!

Related Post:

1. Part III: How to beat Perak’s soccer team

Tags: perak fa, malaysian super league, football, soccer, malaysia