Why A Good Strategy Is Important? 

Football is a game of tactics and a little luck; you need every advantage you can get before winning. What assures you of a win? The best players? That's not enough. You need the best players and the best formations in the game. The best formation helps you utilize your players' strengths and offset their weaknesses, allowing your team to play to their maximum potential. 

So how do you go about this? No need to stress yourself. This article compiles the top 10 strongest formations PES 18 offers its gamers, and these formations are tested and trusted. All you need to do is set the formations and use the appropriate players. So let's get started. 

10. 3-5-2 

The 3-5-2 Formation

The 3-5-2 formation features three center backs and two strikers up front. In this setup, the midfield is flexible. You may go with two defensive midfielders and one central midfielder, or you could go with all central midfielders. The wing-backs are given much more responsibility because there isn't a winger in front of them to cover the sides. 

This formation has a good attacking ability, with enough attacking midfielders to establish the assault and two strikers to provide appropriate finishing for a player that prefers attacking football. This formation positions your players upward on the pitch and will provide you with the goal opportunities you require to win. 

What makes the 3-5-2 Great:

• The flexibility and variety of attack options.
• A solid midfield.
• It is excellent for dominating possession. 

See the 3-5-2 Formation in action 

9. 3-4-3

The 3-4-3 Formation

Three center defenders serve as the basis of the 3-4-3 system. In front of them are two full-backs and two central midfielders. One of the midfielders is usually a classic 10.   The team's wing-backs must be quick and in shape since they must move forward in an attacking line of five and work back to defend in a five, giving the team's offense and defense breadth. Three attackers are in the lead and are flexible in attack style. This design provides balance throughout the pitch and allows you to experiment with alternative tactics. The 3-4-3 shape may provide a strong balance of defense and offense. 

What Makes the 3-4-3 Great:

• Aggressive attacking style of play
• Very good on the counterattack
• Force opponents into making mistakes  

See the 3-4-3 Formation in action. 

8. 5-2-1-2

The 5-2-1-2 Formation

The 5-2-1-2 is a strong formation if you have a creative midfielder to help link defense to attack. It is the defensive form of the 3-4-1-2 formation. The formation utilizes five defenders, which includes three center-backs, two full-backs, and two strikers up front. This formation doesn't emphasize your midfielder, so you should avoid using it against a team with a strong midfield. It would help if you always remembered that your forwards are responsible for assisting the midfield in defense. However, this formation has a solid defense and a good attack.   

What Makes the 5-2-1-2 Great:

• A strong defensive line.
• A difficult formation to break down
• Quick transition for a counterattack. 

See the 5-2-1-2 Formation in action. 

7. 4-3-1-2

The 4-3-1-2 Formation

Two center-backs, two full-backs, and three central midfielders who can play on both offense and defense make up the starting lineup. An attacking midfielder is positioned behind the two attackers to assist. Your full-backs may be used to offer width in both attacking and defensive zones since the 4-3-1-2 is compact in the midfield and allows you to play a possession-based style of game. Since it is tight and narrow, the 4-3-1-2 system may be helpful for teams that value defense above offense. The midfield may be effectively controlled using these tactics. 

What makes the 4-3-1-2 Great:

• Perfect for a possession-based game
• Very offensive, with two strikers up front supported by a CAM.
• A formidable defense and a wide variety of passing options.  

See the 4-3-1-2 Formation in action: 

6. 5-2-2-1

The 5-2-2-1 Formation

The 5-2-2-1 formation is a defensive-minded lineup with counter-attacking prowess. Five defenders are lined up at the outset—three center-backs, two full-backs, two central midfielders to assist in relieving pressure, two wingers, and a striker upfront. The purpose of this configuration is to withstand pressure from the opposition. It would help if you also used a "counter-attack" offensive approach when pressing to score. When you attack, you need your full-back to help you. This fits an "all-out defense" approach that includes conservative pressure.

What Makes the 5-2-2-1 Great:

• Good when you are playing against a stronger team
• Very strong on the counterattack.
• A Very solid defense line    

See the 5-2-2-1 Formation in action. 

5. 5-3-2

The 5-3-2 Formation

The 5-3-2 formation is strong defensively and may present a difficult challenge for any opposing team. It is also a versatile defensive shape that allows the flanks to join the whole attack. The team's defense is generally sturdy with three center backs and is unlikely to be vulnerable to counter-attacks. The formation also offers great versatility upfront because you may choose between one or two attack-minded midfielders and two attackers. This is a good formation to adopt if your focus is on defense, but you don't want your offense to be weak. 

What makes the 5-3-2 Great:

• A lot of passing options
• A great defensive line
• Strong on the counterattack.  

See the 5-3-2 Formation in action. 

4. 4-2-2-2

The 4-2-2-2 Formation

With the 4-2-2-2 formation, balance is prioritized. You may develop an excellent offense that breaks through your opponent's defense with the 4-2-2-2 configuration. Although it is simple, perfecting it requires practice. When playing off your wide midfielders, getting the ball out wide and distributing crosses into the box is the aim. 

The 4-2-2-2 formation can aid in generating central overloads in risky areas surrounding the central midfielders of the opponent, resulting in frequent movement through the center of the field. When the opposition has the ball, it also works well for pushing them wide, making them lose the ball. The two strikers can connect with midfield runners, drop down short to open up space, and, most importantly, convert opportunities. That's the general gist! 

What makes the 4-2-2-2 Great:

• Not easy for opponents to control midfield position
• Easy to build up offense
• A variety of attacking options: from the wings and middle

See the 4-2-2-2 Formation in action. 

3. 4-2-3-1

The 4-2-3-1 Formation

Attacking potency is focused on in the 4-2-3-1 formation while protecting defensive stability. The 4-2-3-1 formation has a striker, three offensive midfielders, two defensive midfielders, and four defenders. Once the formation is set up, the designated central forward is free to move around without affecting the team's gameplay. 

The 4-2-3-1 is well-equipped to keep possession if the quick attack fails since the midfield players naturally make a lot of passing triangles or press and swiftly recover the ball. This fantastic formation presents a strong defense, a well-organized midfield, and a well-coordinated offense. It would be best if you tried it out.

What makes the 4-2-3-1 Great:

• A good, staggered defensive presence
• Hard for opponents to penetrate through the center. 
• Excellent teamwork and game tactics.   

See the 4-2-3-1 Formation in action. 

2. 4-1-2-3

The 4-1-2-3 Formation 

This is a 4-3-3 attack formation that is particularly successful if you have two creative wide players that can cross the ball. Using the two AMFs and the wingers to assist your striker up front, you may expect to create many scoring opportunities and score lots of goals. It would be best if you had a very powerful and seasoned DMF like Kante since central midfield is weak, with only one DMF helping the final line of defense. To encourage your players to retreat when they lose possession of the ball, it is wise to prepare an all-out defensive strategy as a backup. As a result, this approach might be exhausting at times. Due to its offensive style, it may be extremely successful when chasing late goals, so I would only advise you to use this formation when you need a comeback.

What makes the 4-1-2-3 Great:

• A diverse offense with exceptional offensive ability.
• The formation has good control and a terrific build-up.
• Standard defense  

See the 4-1-2-3 Formation in action. 

1. 3-2-4-1

The 3-2-4-1 Formation

"Attack is the best defense." The 3-2-4-1 is a Full-fledged attack formation. The starting lineup consists of one striker up front, four attacking midfielders, two defensive midfielders, and three central defenders. Your opponent's ability to attack will be restricted due to the obvious threat of your attack. The other team must play more cautiously and wait for counter-attacks to stop their offense. Thanks to this, you can effectively prepare assaults and win the game more efficiently. You must maintain control of your defense as this formation is vulnerable to flanking attacks. I play with an attack-oriented style, which is by far the strongest, and I occasionally make little changes. You should try out the 3-2-4-1 sometimes. 

What makes the 3-2-4-1 great:

• It has a strong offensive ability.
• More scoring opportunities.  

See the 3-2-4-1 Formation in action. 

Conclusion

Formations are important when you play PES 18; even though your team may have the game's best players, without a good formation, you will struggle to win, or you might even be on a losing streak. Above are the best formations PES18 has to offer and would guarantee you a win in all friendly and competition matches. How sure am I? That's because I also use them.  

However, it would be best if you still chose the formation that suits your playing style, as not everyone will like an attack-minded formation like Manchester City, and even some formations are not done for some players. So pick one that suits you best, try it out, and watch your gameplay improve. Check out additional game strategies to edge out other players. And I'll be back.