The Classic 4-3-3 (with wing-forwards FR/FL)

[SFraser]

Thanks alot SFraser, so lets say i chose the attacking trio to be the choice number 2, with the wide forwards having mixed runs from deep instead of rare.

How can i setup my midfield to play-make and dictate the game from midfield ?

Right well there are two issues at work here and it depends on the opponent, how they let you play and what they are doing to your team.

The first issue is that you are playing a more direct attacking game down the flanks, meaning your wide players are very likely to latch onto throughballs from a quick break, or they are more likely to find gaps between Fullback and Centreback when you build play.

The second issue is that your wide players are now no longer a good option for possession, link-up play. They are no longer sitting deep and waiting for a pass so they can skin a fullback, but actively trying to beat him with runs for you to pass to. They are no longer a possession option, they are a direct attacking option.

In effect you have lost your wingers in terms of build-up, and you now have two wide strikers. What matters here is whether the pattern of play due to the opponent means you are playing quick-counter from inside you own half or playing construction football inside their half. If you are playing quick counter then you can setup like I explained above. Your CM's will only catch your wingers if they dribble wide and slow down the move but this a great option for catching defenses exposed on the counter, pretty much the key to good counter-attacking football.

If you are playing construction football inside the opponent half then two things should immediately spring to mind.

1: you need to you use you fullbacks for width in constructing attacks, i.e use them as deep wingers. Your actual wingers will no longer have the opportunity or the desire to receive a pass deep in space and do much with it.

2: you need to use your wide CM's as playmakers because your wingers are playing as strikers. At the very least you need to keep them deeper than your Wingers to offer options for your DLP, otherwise he has nothing but 5 strikers to aim at.

If you play this way, with RFD Wingers, then you really need to judge the opponent well because your midfield depends on it. You are either playing quick, aggressive, condition draining counter-attack football or you need quality playmakers in midfield to pick apart the opponents defence. It is VERY rare you will find midfielders capable of doing both effectively.

[dz47]

SFraser, this set up you describe (with the playmaker wide players, attacking cm's, and deep central playmaker) is very similar to one that i have considered using with Arsenal. Would you consider that Fabregas would be strong enough defensively in the deep playmaker role (though probably in cm position rather than DM) if he was paired with two quality box to box cm's (ie Diaby and one other)?

[grimness]

EVH5150 I meant two destroyer MCs but I've seen you went for creative guys since you have DM behind. Very brave indeed

[EVH5150]

EVH5150 I meant two destroyer MCs but I've seen you went for creative guys since you have DM behind. Very brave indeed

Everyone is expected to track back, which is why the formation seems to work.