Tactic Advice - Too spread out?

[auduron]

Hello,

I'm at a crossroads with my current Main tactic. It's something that helped me getting through the lower leagues but now that I'm in the Bundesliga, I find it hard to find good players in my because there are too many positions I need to look for.

At work now so I am not able to post the screen shot of my tactic, but below is an outline (still tinkering with the roles here and there, but this is mainly my #1 set up)

----------GK(d)------------

FB(s) ---CD©--CD(d)--FB(s)

----------A(D)-------------

W(a)-----DLP(s)-------W(a)

----------AM(s)-----------

----------AF(a)-----------

So, as you can see - I'm looking for many different positions, and I feel that when I search - I don't have many players to choose from (perhaps an issue with my scouting, but I have 10 scouts!). i.e. I feel like if I had 3 MC, (instead 1 ML, 1 MC and 1 MR) - my search for players would be so much easier, but I feel like id be too exposed on the wings.

I prefer to play with my wingers in the M strata as opposed to the AM, so we are better covered defensively (again, we are new to the Bundesliga so I'd want to more-so have a focus on defending). I play with a Fluid/Counter Mentality. Team instructions are minimal - More Direct passing, Drill Crosses, Exploit the wings (and pass into space here and there).

My secondary formation is dropping back the DLP to the DM slot - used for when we are holding onto a lead (and naturally the roles of the advanced players change - i.e. winders become Defensive wingers, etc).

The whole idea behind my tactic is we recover the ball, it gets distributed to my Deep Lying Playmaker, and he distributes to either the Wingers or AM on the break.

Any thoughts or comments about my tactic? See any areas for improvement? Also, am I justified in thinking that due to the many different positions to look for, it's limiting the quality of players?

Thanks in advance - let me know if I am not including information necessary to make any comments on.

[Soldatino]

i.e. I feel like if I had 3 MC, (instead 1 ML, 1 MC and 1 MR) - my search for players would be so much easier, but I feel like id be too exposed on the wings.

Actually I would expect you to be exposed on the wings because of the attacking wingers in the side midfielder positions. I can share my quite successful experience from my first season at Valladolid (relegation battlers, I guess situation similar to yours). I've used a 4-1-3-1-1 with 3 central midfielders, on the right I've had a wing back on attack duty and a box to box, the left side was a full back on support and mostly an advanced playmaker on support. And it never really felt like the sides were badly covered.

I used conter / balanced strategy, as for shouts I remember using hassle opponents, and retain possesion at later stages of matches when I had the result I wanted.

[llama3]

It looks very static. None of your central midfielders offer width. No player drops back, or has players pushing on ahead. It is all frankly very predictable.

However you have not announced what actual problems you have faced with it so far (including in lower leagues and when promoted). If it is player recruitment and retention you are after then we'll see what we can do to help, although may belong to Good Player Team Guide Forum.

[auduron]

It looks very static. None of your central midfielders offer width. No player drops back, or has players pushing on ahead. It is all frankly very predictable.

Thank you for your honesty! After spending a few moments sobbing in the corner, I've come to terms with it

Kidding aside, I do agree - however I thought that with the support roles for the AMC and MC will take care of have players dropping back/pushing ahead. Additionally, (to address Soldatino's post as well) with the wingers (even though having an attack duty) positioned in the M strata - that would provide some cover on the wings. Even though they have an attack duty, they are positioned deeper, and since I am under a Fluid mentality - they aren't only looking to primarily attack, or stay up-field when the opponent has the ball. Perhaps I am interpreting it incorrectly...

(When watching extended highlights of some matches, I do find them tracking back.)

I was thinking of having the support duties for the wingers - but I feel that would cause too much of a divide (for lack of a better word) between attackers and supporters.

Your comments about width - I completely agree - perhaps pushing the MC up to the AMC would fix that? Would that clog the middle too much when we are attacking? Something for me to keep in mind. Or do you mean having one of the Central Midfielders in a role that can roam?

Issues that I have - to be honest - not *too, too* much so far, as I did have better quality players for D3 and D2. Now that I am D1, I feel that the quality of players I have aren't completely up to par - which lead me to the my point about looking for players - it seems much harder for me since I am trying to find good players in many different positions - so my searches seen very spread out. Will look into the Good Player Team Guide Forum as well for this, but also wanted any input on the formation itself.

[llama3]

Responses in order:

1 - The deeper positioning of the wingers does indeed offer some extra cover. Correct interpretation.

2 - Too much of a divide but only because the central midfield and full backs are so static.

3 - Having a single DM and 2 AM's sounds suicidal. (People can feel free to prove me wrong). You need a central midfielder or 2 that can make runs from deep, or drop deep from a higher position, or drift and roam, or even just dribble with the ball - you have none of any of it. At all. I don't like the DM-MC-AM thing personally, but its your system. Think my main issue is something to do with my borderline autistic tendancies...

4 - What do you want to do with your formation and tactics - change style, or further enforce your philosophies?

4 -