The difference between these formations comes from the position of the second striker or the playmaker. If both attacking players play on the same line - 4-4-2 is better to be used. If one of them comes too often, stays behind the striker, closer to the midfielders, helps in defense - 4-4-1-1 is better formation. In 4-4-2 is not important which player from both in attack plays more at the left side or at the right side, but which one from both is typical striker (stronger, physical, typical "number 9" like: Giroud, Cavani, Suarez, Haaland, Morata, Immobile, Lukaku...) and who is more agile, looks to receive the ball more often, involves himself in the organization of the team play - he is second striker (examples: Messi, Dybala, Grizemann, Muller, Joao Felix...). If the opposite team have the possession of the ball and both forwards create the first line together and cover left and right part of the pitch, but they order themselves on the same line - 4-4-2 is the right formation. If one of the forwards stays behind the striker in the zone between him and the midfielders - 4-4-1-1 is the right formation (or 4-2-3-1, depending from the position of the wingers). Also, because there is no formation 4-2-4, if some team goes all in out attack, you can use 4-4-2. In 4-2-3-1 there are clear lines and the difference with 4-4-1-1/4-4-2 comes from the position of the wingers - if they play behind, on the line of the both central midfielders - better formation is 4-4-1-1/4-4-2. Especially in defense, they order strictly on the line of the midfielders and organize 2 clear and straight lines (defenders and midfielders). But if they play forward, wide open, on the line of the attacking midfielder and the defensive midfielders are closer to each other and the defenders - 4-2-3-1 is more suitable formation. Usually, when the team plays with 1 striker, both wingers are more offensive and attacking orientated and they organize themselves a bit forward and wide open on the pitch. And formation 4-2-1-3 is used rare, it's more attacking, when the wingers play directly like forwards, on the line of the striker and almost they don't play in phase defense - most of the time all 3 forwards stay forward on the line of the opposite defensive line. In general the key factors to make the difference between these similar formation are 2: position of the striker and second striker/attacking midfielder (on the line of the striker or the wingers) and positions of the wingers (on the line of the attacking midfielder or both central midfielders).

In formation 4-3-2-1 there are 2 central, right and left, midfielders and one defensive. In front of them there are 2 attacking midfielders, inside and close to each other, behind the striker - like playmakers with free role to play with the ball and change their positions often. The difference between 4-1-4-1 and 4-3-3 comes from the positions of the wingers - if they play more behind, on the line with the central midfielders (more defensive from both) or they play more forward, the team plays more attacking, the wingers are wide open close to the both side lines and often on the line with the striker. 4-5-1 is similar with 4-1-4-1 - both are more defensive formations, but there are cases, when all 5 players in the midfield play literally on the same line, while in 4-1-4-1 there is clear defensive midfielder with only defensive instructions, in front of the defenders.

The formation, known like "Diamond", is 4-3-1-2 - we have clear defensive midfielder, 2 central (right and left) midfielders and a playmaker in front of them. In 4-1-3-2, which is more attacking (and rare used) in general, we have defensive midfielder, 3 attacking midfielders in front of him (not wingers), who to change their positions often during the game.

This is a scheme, which is used more often in Brazil or South America - it's not an easy task to recognize it, but in this formation there are no wingers. There are 2 defensive midfielders; 2 attacking midfielders in front of them, playmakers, who doesn't play on the wings, but more inside of the pitch; 2 forwards. In general all 4 attacking players change their positions often, they have free role. The wing backs are active in attack and they play on the whole side line.

The difference between 3-4-3 and 3-4-2-1 comes from the 3 forwards in attack - are they like wings, wide open on the side lines (3-4-3) or more like attacking midfielders, playmakers (3-4-2-1), who are with more playmaking role, playing more inside, closer to each other. 3-4-1-2 is formation with 2 forwards and clear playmaker behind them.

The difference between 3-5-2 and 3-5-1-1 (use this formation, when the team plays 5-3-1-1, because it can't be chosen) comes from the position of the player behind the striker (the same like 4-4-2 and 4-4-1-1). 5-3-2 is the same like 3-5-2, but more defensive orientated, when the team plays clearly in defense in most of the time, usually the weaker team from both plays like that. 5-4-1 is also more defensive scheme, where the wing backs play on the line with the central defenders and the wings are more behind, on the line of the central midfielders.

Both formations are used rare, usually very attacking. In 3-3-3-1 there are: 3 central defenders; 3 central midfielders in front of them (without wing backs) with one defensive midfielder and 2 central (right and left), who are inside midfielders, but very often they cover the zone of the wing backs (missing in this formation) and they chase the opposite wingers together with the right or left central defender; 3 attacking players, behind the striker, change their positions often. In 3-2-3-2 again we have: 3 central defenders; 2 clear, defensive midfielders in front of them; 3 attacking midfielders in front of them and 2 forwards. In general both formations are very attacking orientated and usually are used at the end of the game, if the team wants to score a goal.

All other formations are with 10, 9 or less players, of course after red cards or injures. Usually after red card the team plays 4-4-1 (clear lines) or 4-3-2 (if the team looses in the result and wants to score a goal) with 2 forwards and 3 midfielders. Also there are options like 4-2-2-1 (2 defensive, 2 offensive midfielders and a striker); 4-3-1-1 (attacking midfielder behind the striker and in front of the central midfielders - "diamond"); 4-4-0 - with 8 players, without strikers; 4-3-1 - 1 striker in front of the 3 midfielders.