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
1.30back 3/5
vs1.23back 4
leans back three/five
xG difference / game
-0.36back 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
34 games
Back 4 17
-1.19
Back 3/5 17
-1.78
vs everyone else
156 games
Back 4 104
-0.00
Back 3/5 52
+0.10
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.
190
Games
1.26
PPG
1.23
Goals /g
1.44
Conceded /g
1.23
xG /g
1.47
xGA /g
-0.24
xGD /g
13.6
PPDA
All formations · 66-41-83
Our shape — the detail
| Back 4 (121) | Back 3/5 (69) | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals for / game | 1.21 | 1.26 |
| Goals against / game | 1.40 | 1.51 |
| xG / game | 1.23 | 1.23 |
| xGA / game | 1.41 | 1.58 |
| xGD / game | -0.17 | -0.36 |
| Shots / game | 12.5 | 11.3 |
| Shots against / game | 12.6 | 14.0 |
| Possession % | 53 | 47 |
| PPDA | 13.1 | 14.6 |
Against their shape
The low-block question — click a column header to list the games.
| They play 4 (98) | They play 3/5 (92) | |
|---|---|---|
| Points / game | 0.91 | 1.63 |
| Goals for / game | 1.12 | 1.34 |
| Goals against / game | 1.73 | 1.13 |
| xG / game | 1.15 | 1.32 |
| xGA / game | 1.72 | 1.21 |
| xGD / game | -0.57 | +0.11 |
| Shots / game | 11.2 | 13.0 |
| Shots against / game | 14.9 | 11.3 |
| Possession % | 46 | 56 |
| PPDA | 14.4 | 12.9 |
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
| Manager | Back 4 games | ppg | Back 3/5 games | ppg | Lean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Thelin | 45 | 1.22 | 13 | 1.77 | mostly back 4 |
| Barry Robson | 6 | 1.67 | 30 | 1.40 | mostly back 3/5 |
| Jim Goodwin | 25 | 1.12 | 10 | 1.20 | mixed |
| Stephen Glass | 21 | 1.24 | 5 | 0.80 | mostly back 4 |
| Peter Leven | 18 | 1.44 | 2 | 0.00 | mostly back 4 |
| Stephen Robinson | 2 | 1.50 | 7 | 1.14 | mostly back 3/5 |
| Neil Warnock | 4 | 0.25 | 2 | 0.50 | mixed |
Explore next
190 matches · all seasons · data: FotMob line-ups + WhoScored + FotMob xG · updated 17 May 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