Fair or not, there is an undeniable stigma that comes with playing five defenders. Most soccer teams play with four – two centerbacks flanked by fullbacks – and many that add a third in the central defense use more attacking players out wide. Even when head coaches have those attacking intents, though, switching to a five-man defense usually comes with the expectation you’re embracing a more defensive approach.
That’s clearly not always the case. How your lineup plays is just as important as how, on paper, they lineup. While there are very good reasons to wonder if, when teams add a defender, they’re adopting a more conservative approach, the reality on the field is what matters most.