These footballers are rare examples and from a bygone era. How many teams today play a 1.75m tall center-back and a 1.75m lone striker? A three-man defense is a formation that compensates for the shortness of defenders, while formations like 3-1-4-2 or 3-5-2 with a central midfield compensate for the shortness of midfielders. Teams playing with a two-man central midfield should use two number 8s, with an average height of 1.85m, to cover the area effectively. In a 3-1-4-2 or 3-5-2, it could be one tall number 6 and two shorter number 8s, or one short number 6 and two tall number 8s.