4-1-2-1-2 Defensive Frailty / Issues Protecting a Lead (Liga Adelante - Cadiz 2015/16)

[hans klopek]

I've created an offensively potent 4-1-2-1-2 tactic that got me promoted to the Spanish Second Division with Cadiz. The promotion push was comfortable, and it required little maintenance of the tactic, but it was not without profoundly stressful moments encapsulated in this screenshot from the playoff final second leg (the first having finished 2-2):

My biggest issue is an apparent inability to manage a presumably comfortable lead. Although I finished the first season with best defensive record (conceding 27 goals in the 38 league matches), most of these goals were conceded in matches where I'd taken a two, three, or four-goal lead and then lazily conceded two or three-goals to make a nail-biter out of what should have been a comfortable romp. This pattern continues in the Second Division, where I am scoring at will again, and leading the league after six matches with the expectation from the Cadiz Board that I finish in a comfortable position (I was also rated 6-1 to be promoted, putting me roughly in the higher end of the second tier of promotion candidates). Nevertheless, the late-game defensive profligacy continues and I Arsenaled a 3-0 lead to Lugo, drawing 3-3. My desire is to inject greater defensive stability into an otherwise effective and aesthetically pleasing tactic, but I've not managed to make this work.

Here is my current set-up:

The shape is "structured" and I start every match at Control. I generally begin with six team instructions: Shorter passing, Pass into Space, Work Ball into Box, Play out of Defence, Push Higher Up, Close Down More. I've employed these to take advantage of my team's technical and physical (stamina, aggression) advantages. If the opponent plays a deep defensive line or jams up the DM position, I will usually un-tick Pass Into Space. If the opponent is aggressive and starts with an attacking 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2, I will occasionally untick Play out of Defence to avoid being pressed into a mistake in my defensive third.

Player Instructions

I use few player instructions: The goalkeeper is set to distribute to fullbacks or centerbacks depending on the number of forwards employed by the opposition. Other than that, I set the complete wing back to run wide with ball, the left full back to dribble less, and the ball-winning midfielder to shoot more (all three instructions are just designed to maximize the attributes of my regulars in those positions). If I'm struggling to break down a defense, I may set the Trequarista to run wide with the ball, which seems to create space for the surrounding players.

Inherent Vice

This is all well and good and has created a solid tactic, but when I take a lead, and usually a big lead, things fall apart. Of course, the structure of my side is very aggressive. The shape is also just not well suited to facing sides that focus attacks up the flanks, particularly with rampaging wide defenders. It's a systemic flaw that I do not expect to completely negate. Changing shape when taking a lead is also out of the question, as I lack any real depth or resources to invest in a new formation or use wingers, at all. The 4-1-2-1-2 (or, if I'm getting destroyed, a 4-1-3-2) suits the squad I have, on the limited budget I have, and I'd just like to make it work by defending a lead as well as possible without the comedy collapses.

How I Currently Defend a Lead

Working within the system described above, my general approach has been to watch the full match if I (a) get off to a quick two or three goal lead in the first half, (b) start the second half with a lead or © if I start to notice the opposition getting more chances and bossing the match in the second half where previously I was in control. I'll note here that I don't think morale or teamtalks are to blame for any defensive collapses, because I've blown leads in the first half. This seems to be the product of a tactical deficiency on my end and not an issue of motivation or bad teamtalks. Working with that assumption, if the opposition begins to appear more potent and create more chances, I've generally tried to shut up shop in the following ways, each of which seems (to me) keyed to reducing space in behind my defense and making the defense more formidable:

1. Reducing the mentality to standard or defend.

2. Unticking push higher up and close down more.

3. Ticking be more disciplined and/or stick to position.

4. I also tend to change the ball-winning midfielder to a central midfielder with a support duty (occasionally, if I'm being overrun in the center, I will set the player to stick to position or change him to a DLP-S to play slightly deeper).

5. To get the trequarista defensively involved, I can change him to an AM-S, leaving the CM-A alone to retain an attacking threat from deep.

These adjustments, in numerous combinations (used alone or in concert), don't seem to make any difference from just leaving the tactic as is and playing through the whole match on control without any in-game revisions. Occasionally, and understandably, it cedes too much to the opposition and causes me more problems.

I've also toyed with making the fullbacks more defensive and making both FBs or WBs on support or defend. I've not found much success in this approach either, and setting both wide defenders to defend just invites the opposition to take full control of the flanks, and it makes my attack or counter-attack narrower than it already is.

Now What?

As I indicated, my goal is to simply to do a better job protecting leads and make a functional tactic that much better by getting it defensively stronger in perilous late-game situations. The above approaches, which make logical sense to me, don't work particularly well, and I'm now at a loss as to how I can do a better job managing a lead. I would be eternally grateful for any feedback or suggestions.

[SnUrF]

Where do the goals you concede come from? 'Cause I've got this feeling it's from the flanks (as you probably know), especially your right flank.. The CWB goes forward, then your team loses the ball and the BWM goes chasing it.. You have no one on your right flank.

If I was up 3 goals with that tactic and gave 1 goal to the opposition I'd think about dropping the AF and the T to the flanks. Even tho they might not be 'suitable' to play on the flanks it would still be better defensively than nothing.

-SnUrF

[Wellingman]

Do you watch the formations tab in the analysis section? I always had this trouble and after reading some advice on here, began to keep track of formations, particular when I was winning by 2 or more goals, or in the last 15 minutes.

What I found in the vanarama conference was that when I was leading by two or more goals then the opposition would often switch formation to play with three or four strikers against my 4 man defence. To counteract this, I would switch to a 5-4-1 or 4-5-1 (from a 4-4-2) previously. I would also switch to counter or defensive mentality.

I'm not a tactical guru so this may not be best course of action, but what I found was I held on to leads better and whilst I still conceded a goal or two, often I would score more by hitting the other team in the break.