Lateral movement off the ball for wide midfielders (ML/MR)

[dejarik]

Hello everybody,

I'm currently setting up a Defensive 4141 tactic. Defensively, it seems solid. However, I'm wondering how I get enough players in dangerous positions, more specifically how to get the wide midfielders closer to the box when not on the ball. Do you have any tips? What combination of Cut Inside/Cross Less Often/Roam From Position/Move Into Channels/Play Narrower etc. seems to work to get them in dangerous positions?

[sneek]

Think the most important thing is for the ML to be right footed and vice versa, after that of course Cut inside.

[Lord Rowell]

In my experience, if for example the ML is naturally right-footed, they'll come inside anyway, so it is less important to give them a PI to do so.

[aderow]

Cut inside and Sit narrower together can have that affect. And, in my experience, it works regardless of footedness. You could throw in roam from position as well. Those are the instructions I use for my WMs in fact. Having a righty on the left and vice versa certainly helps, but it isn't absolutely necessary.

You might also want to try the team instruction shorter passing or retain possession or even try a lower mentality because all of those will reduce your width. And that will have the knock on effect of keeping your WMs narrower.

[dejarik]

Have you has any experiences with Get Further Forward? Also, I assist this is using a Wide Midfielder on Attack duty? Or do you also use Support?

I'm also wondering if any PPMs could be used to get the wanted behavior. I'm guessing "cuts inside" and "Gets forward when possible" isn't much of a point because you can just use the respective PIs?

[RocheBag]

In my Chelsea save I use a 4-1-4-1, as it best suits how Mourinho sets up IRL. Hazard is a WM-A at ML, with instructions: Dribble More, Cut Inside With Ball, More Risky Passes, Cross Less Often, Get Further Forward, Sit Narrower, and Roam From Position.

He scored 18 goals in 32 league matches last season, and 29 in 46 total, playing every game at ML.

[dejarik]

What role, duty and instructions do you use for the full backs/wing backs to get the wide midfielders to move inside?

[bieritarier]

wing backs with stay wider PI whilst the WMs use cuts inside and sit narrower.

Re Support VS attack duty. depends on what you want ín attack. 4-3-3 (or 2-5-3; 2-3-5)? --> both WMs on attack. Asymmetric 4-4-2? One on support, one on attack.