Developing an effective asymmetric system - help required.

[Rynny]

As per title really - I'm working to develop an effective asymmetric system that can play attractive attacking football.

I have had moderate success but I'm really looking to gain some consistency with my results.

Here is how things are currently set up:

Is there anything glaringly obvious that needs changing here? I'm finding that I am as equal or better than most of my opposition in terms of match stats - I dominate possession, have equal or better CCC and shots on target, but I find it difficult to close out games or chase a lead when I go down.

[Äktsjon Männ]

The right side looks most problematic to me. You have three attacking duties there, the winger looking to get to the byline and cross, the wing back doing exactly the same and then you encourage your TM into that channel as well. I'd expect them to bunch up and run into each other there making it difficult to create space. Kind of similar on the left as well, although a winger in the wide midfielder position will drift inside more you're still encouraging him to push to the byline and your full back to do the same. Also I wouldn't use DM on support because you want him to offer a deep option instead of playing on the halfway line.

I actually play a similar shape to yours and I made a post on it in the 4231 thread here. I'm having absolutely unbelievable success with it at in my current save so it definitely has potential.

[Rynny]

Thank you. I've tried swapping the AMR to an Inside Forward role and moving the TM over to the left a little so he is playing in the centre of the park. The WBR and DL are also set to support now. I'm dominating games but still failing to make my chances count.

I won this game 1-0.

[Anaconda Vice]

Äktsjon Männ, would you mind posting your team instructions for the tactic you are using?

Need an alternative for the flat 4-3-3 I am using at Bayern.

[Äktsjon Männ]

I've tweaked a few individual roles to make things click though like swapped the roaming instructions for the two wide men. I want the winger to hold position and and the WM to drift inside not the other way around etc. It's just something you have to tailor around your own players and their abilities, like anything really.

Rynny, where are the shots coming from? Lots of long shots or just poor finishing? In which case can't it just be a player quality issue?

[Anaconda Vice]

So WM Roam and Winger Not Roam you mean?

[Äktsjon Männ]

Yeah so the winger is always an outlet out wide and the LB has space to overlap down the other side.

[Rynny]

Good advice Swedish bloke. My shots seem to be coming from far out, 9 out of 12 were outside the area, split very evenly between my TM, my AMC, my AMR and my MC.

This would indicate they are having trouble getting the ball into the box maybe?

[Äktsjon Männ]

Swedish?

Lots of long shots indicates that players run out of options and take a shot as there is no movement ahead of them. Since you dominate possession and shots I'd guess teams are playing quite deep against you. A more 'conservative' strategy can be useful as you'll draw the opposition out more which creates space behind them. Also, can your AMC dribble? In which case you could set him to run with the ball often to occupy defenders.

Secondly, it naturally depends on your players but with that shape I would really try to play the winger as an advanced option who stays near the touchline and get an overlap down the other side. Gives you more width and a consistent option out wide. The inside forward will just push into the box early so if the opposition sit deep he won't find any space to be useful.

[SpartyOn]

I've had really good results with an asymmetric 4-5-1. Some thoughts:

Aktsjon Mann was right about too many attack duties on the right side. And with the match strategy set to attack, your CM/auto is playing as a 4th attack duty. I'd either change him to support, or leave him on auto and change your starting strategy to something less attacking. I use a counter strategy and score plenty.

I like making the AMR an inside forward. I'd leave the wingback on attack though, so that he can take advantage of the wide space created when your AMR cuts in.

I'd also try the target man on support. I've found that a TM/S can still score a ton of goals off crosses, but will make himself more involved in buildup play through the middle by coming deeper to get the ball.

[Rynny]

Yeah, Action Man has gone Swedish, and become Aktsjon Mann

I'm persevering with the IF on the right wing and the WBR on overlap. I have centred the TM and put him on Support duty, hoping he will hold up the ball a little better and be able to provide options for the IF, or AMC. My AMC is ok for dribbling at this level by the way, so I have him pushing into the box already.

I will try the team on 'Control' and see how it goes.