Shape
Are we better with a back four — or a back five?
Formations from FotMob line-ups (WhoScored XI where missing), ours and the opponent's, every league match since 2021-22. Click any card, cell or bar to see the exact games.
The verdict
The points and the xG disagree
Points per game
1.29back 3/5
vs1.23back 4
leans back three/five
xG difference / game
-0.37back 3/5
vs-0.17back 4
leans back four
The points and the underlying numbers disagree — and managers pick the shape for the opponent, so shape and fixture difficulty travel together. A description, not a verdict.
Like-for-like — xGD by opponent
back 3/5 back 4
Shape choice tracks the opponent, so the fair test is same-context. xG difference per game — bars right of the line mean we out-created them.
vs Celtic & Rangers
36 games
Back 4 18
-1.22
Back 3/5 18
-1.79
vs everyone else
164 games
Back 4 109
+0.01
Back 3/5 55
+0.09
Against the big two the back four concedes less; against everyone else the back three/five edges it — the overall gap is largely who each shape faced. Faded bars are small samples (<8 games).
Explore any formation
pick a formation — the numbers update for all managers. Small deltas vs the current filter's average.
200
Games
1.25
PPG
1.23
Goals /g
1.44
Conceded /g
1.24
xG /g
1.48
xGA /g
-0.24
xGD /g
15.7
PPDA
All formations · 69-43-88
Our shape — the detail
| Back 4 (127) | Back 3/5 (73) | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals for / game | 1.20 | 1.26 |
| Goals against / game | 1.40 | 1.49 |
| xG / game | 1.25 | 1.21 |
| xGA / game | 1.42 | 1.58 |
| xGD / game | -0.17 | -0.37 |
| Shots / game | 12.5 | 11.4 |
| Shots against / game | 12.8 | 14.0 |
| Possession % | 53 | 46 |
| PPDA | 15.1 | 16.8 |
Against their shape
The low-block question — click a column header to list the games.
| They play 4 (105) | They play 3/5 (95) | |
|---|---|---|
| Points / game | 0.94 | 1.59 |
| Goals for / game | 1.14 | 1.32 |
| Goals against / game | 1.70 | 1.15 |
| xG / game | 1.17 | 1.31 |
| xGA / game | 1.68 | 1.25 |
| xGD / game | -0.52 | +0.06 |
| Shots / game | 11.3 | 13.0 |
| Shots against / game | 14.8 | 11.4 |
| Possession % | 46 | 56 |
| PPDA | 17.0 | 14.2 |
Shape vs shape — points per game · click a cell for the games
They play 4
They play 3/5
We play 4
We play 3/5
Jimmy Thelin
mostly back 4
Back 4
1.22ppg
45 games
Back 3/5
1.77ppg
13 games
Barry Robson
mostly back 3/5
Back 4
1.67ppg
6 games
Back 3/5
1.40ppg
30 games
Jim Goodwin
mixed
Back 4
1.12ppg
25 games
Back 3/5
1.20ppg
10 games
Stephen Glass
mostly back 4
Back 4
1.24ppg
21 games
Back 3/5
0.80ppg
5 games
Peter Leven
mostly back 4
Back 4
1.44ppg
18 games
Back 3/5
0.00ppg
2 games
Stephen Robinson
mixed
Back 4
1.25ppg
8 games
Back 3/5
1.09ppg
11 games
Neil Warnock
mixed
Back 4
0.25ppg
4 games
Back 3/5
0.50ppg
2 games
Explore next
200 matches · all seasons · data: FotMob line-ups + WhoScored + FotMob xG · data through 24 Oct 2026 · shape = back line of the starting formation · in-game shape changes aren't tracked · shape choice correlates with opponent, so differences are descriptive · how the numbers work · glossary