Is 4-4-2 dead?

[Syn_13]

Everyone loving the 4-2-3-1 over the last few years, more recently in the PL the 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 has made a comeback via contes influence and 4-3-3 with Klopp and Guadiola. Gone are the days of Man.U 4-4-2 fast wingers and 2 up top.

Mouriniho famously said how 4-3-3 always beats 4-4-2 because of the superiority in the middle and Cruyff famously said that 4-3-3 is best because a triangle always beats a line but I don’t think it’s quite as straight forward as this. Perhaps a flat old school 4-4-2 wont Work in modern football but most 4-4-2 teams have a CDM and more attacking CM + a CF/n.o 10 and ST so it’s almost a 4-2-3-1 anyway.
A few years ago Leicester won the league with 4-4-2
Juventus fairly regularly play 4-4-2 under Allegri
Barcelona of all clubs have been playing 4-4-2 this season and are undefeated
Athletico play 4-4-2 and are 2nd in La Liga and in Europa final
Burnley play it and have done well this year.

Thoughts ?

Whenever Juve play 4-4-2 it's with a diamond midfield. Allegri switches up his formation a lot for Juve. Previous season was very much a 4-3-3 with Mandzukic, Dybala and Higuain. This season he's done that but with perhaps Costa or Cuadrado instead of one of those 3, or the 4-4-2 diamond, or even a weird 4-3-3 where he has a winger play in the CM3 that eventually turns into a 4-2-4 on attack.