Lone striker is loosing most tackles

[papamogl]

I'm playing a lone striker formation and no matter who I'm playing upfront (van Persie, Neymar, Lukaku) the tackling stats are below average (usually around 7 tackles a game, lost 5 won 2). However I don't want to change my philosophy (very fluid).

I've already tried to lower the closing down setting considerably and set the tackling to easy which both didn't help. Does anybody know of other tactical means that could be taken to improve a players tackling stats?

[aLlamaWithARifle]

You want to improve a strikers tackling stat? Well the reason the stats are so low is because they are strikers and will have a very low tackling attribute, it's like putting a defender as a striker and expecting him to hit the target more often then not. A strikers role is not to tackle it's to score goals, if you want to improve the players tackling stats then set his specific training to Tackling and increase the defensive part of his training in his schedule to try and rise his tackling attribute, but chances are his tackling wont raise any more then one or two since at the end of the day he is a striker and not a defender, if you really care that much try buying a striker with an already decent tackling stat and good natural fitness, stamina, strength and work rate

[ky jelly]

i think closing down too much for a striker will set him tired by 50-60 mins unless you have someone with really high stamina and fitness, plus it will drag him all over the pitch, unable to position himself well for a quick counter. usually i set my striker's closing down to 8-12 max depending on the opposition.

if you set him to easy tackling, he would lose most of his tackles, probably setting it to normal would increase that %? hard tackling would be unorthodox but who knows it might work out for ya

[Marsupian]

If you wan't to increase his tackling stat set his tackling to hard. If you can't tackle the only way to win one is to go in reckless. I hope you don't mind him picking up some cards in the process. In general a strikers is not there to make successful tackles but to pressure defenders to disturb build up play. If he gets a successful tackle in that's great but it's not his primary goal.

[phnompenhandy]

As said, that's simply not his job. You won't turn a striker into a good tackler.

In some games you might get a good %age if he tight marks an oppo defender low on morale (or nervous, complacent); that's all I can suggest.

[lucatonix]

I think most of these 'tackles' aren't really tackles but jostling for the ball when the ball is cleared upfield. Both your striker and opposition CB jostle and battle for the ball. There are 2 ways of winning these battles: outmaneuver or brute force.

1) Outmaneuvering the CB is hard and requires very agile and nimble strikers. It relies on the striker being able to get a yard to half a yard of space by getting to the ball first and then keeping the ball away from the CB. The striker may also win the ball by nicking it away from the CB in close quarters.

2) Brute Force. This requires a Drogba type striker. He is equally or stronger than the CB and can hold him off and wait for support or turn the CB using his power (strength, acceleration).

Settings which can help with these situations require your striker to drop deep to get himself some space from the CB when he receives the ball. You could get the ST to roam and move into channels, which could mean he picks up the ball against the FB or in space if their FB has gone forward.

Support is needed. The player can only hold the ball for so long, and having immediate support means he can lay the ball off to him with his first touch.

Fewer punts upfield. This could be done by increasing your defenders mentality so they take more riskier short passes. Play with lots of short options so your defenders can easily pass the ball away. Tell your GK to pass to your FB to minimise punts upfield.