Five defenders (usually including wing-backs), three central midfielders, and two strikers.
If you're leaking goals, adding a sweeper (SW) behind your central defenders can mop up strikers who bypass your primary line of defense. Personnel: The Foundation of Any Tactic championship manager 96 97 best tactic
For managers with top-tier squads looking to dominate, more aggressive setups can be highly rewarding: Five defenders (usually including wing-backs)
Even the best tactic will fail without the right "cheat players"—legends of the 96/97 database who punch far above their weight: CM2 Tactics - Championship Manager 2001/2002 Forums three central midfielders