Better known as 3-3-1-3 or a modified 3-4-3 with the middle four as a diamond. Very Dutch in origin. Pioneered by Van Gaal. Unlike Cruijff s 3-4-3 which had a considerably flatter and wider midfield. Van Gaal s variation allows a link man such as Van der Vaart to combine with the front three. Later copied by Marcelo Bielsa with Argentina and Chile. Simeone has tried it occassionally at River Plate
just love this site- used by Ajax ( with danny blind, de boer brothers - overmars etc- good system
Germany won the EC 1972 and the WC 1974 by using this lineup. It can be very ofensiv or extremely defnsiv. The CMs got a lot of work i both directions.