Strikers not scoring - Help

[Ellisio]

I'm at a complete loss as to why my strikers simply do not score. In all my years of playing Championship Manager and Football Manager I've never had this problem and I'm still not fully convinced it isn't an issue with the game itself and not something I'm doing wrong.

I'm now in my 6th season as Arsenal and have a fantastic squad of players. I've won the league 5 times, FA Cup twice, League Cup once and the Champions League once. I'm happy with tactics generally in terms of winning games and getting good results and I'm happy with the game as a whole, in fact, I don't really have much else to grumble at apart from the fact that no matter what I do I simply cannot get my strikers to score goals regularly and/or consistently.

I play a controlling, creative 4231 formation which has been highly successful for me generally. I play Neymar as an inside forward (a) and Sanchez as a winger/raumdeuter on the right and Bernardo Silva as an advanced playmaker (s) behind the striker.

I thought initially it was perhaps bad luck, or the player simply didn't fit in until the same thing happened to every single striker I've signed. The list is as follows:

Morata

Dybala

Lukaku

Ayoze Perez

Embolo

Even Sanchez and Neymar have struggled when tried in the lone striker role.

I sold Perez as he had an average rating of 6.2 from 18 games without a single goal or assist, yet he's banging them in for Newcastle and now West Brom?!

I've tried my best to play the strikers in a role that would suit them. For example, Dybala as a complete forward (support and attack) or deep lying forward or trequartista. Similar with Lukaku, target man, advanced forward, defensive forward etc etc.

I just fail to see how strikers of this calibre (particularly Morata and Dybala) cannot score or be more involved in goal scoring positions when played as a strikers, especially considering they have Neymar, Sanchez, Pogba, Ramsey, Tielemans and Bernardo Silva behind them!

Any help would be great.

[Cougar2010]

In that shape with those roles your ST isn't your main goal threat, the AML & AMR are so it would be wrong to expect your ST to be scoring 20+ a season.

He'll still get a few but 10-15 tops a season would be a realistic expectation.

[summatsupeer]

We can't really help when we only know your formation and two roles in it.

If all those forwards have failed with different roles, maybe the problem isn't the forward?

[ozilthegunner]

We can't really help when we only know your formation and two roles in it.

If all those forwards have failed with different roles, maybe the problem isn't the forward?

I'd go further and say 'the problem clearly isn't the forward' except the original poster did mention he keeps changing the role/duty depending on which striker it is, which is adding an additional layer of confusion. Makes it even more difficult to isolate the issue or to even rule out that it is the forward (sort of).

First, you need to decide on what that striker should be doing within the setup. Cougar is right that your AML/AMR are set up to be the attacking threats, and not providers, largely. Your AP(s) is a provider, but in my experience he often wants to provide out to the wings, so he is feeding your AML/AMR.

I think if you commit to having your striker be a major goal scoring threat you need to rethink one of your wingers or setup your team to feed him elsehow (attacking fullbacks overlapping for instance).

But yeah, more info would help to get clearer on all this.

For me, playing in a 4-2-3-1 with Arsenal, I find that if I play someone like Walcott as an AF, and put the rest of my front 4 on support duties, then he becomes a pretty consistent goal scorer. Both by running onto longer balls from the likes of Ozil and from just quickly shifting in front of a defender on a low cross.

However, if I switch my striker (whoever it may be) to a CF(s), he is involved in buildup and so his rating is fine, but he doesn't really score much. Instead, usually Sanchez (as my IF(s) on the left) scores a lot, as well as Ozil (who I sometimes set as an AP(a) in this sort of setup).

Point being - there are only so many goals to go around.

[Mrlee.1986]

I play the same formation 4-2-3-1 and I've found that having a poacher up top seems to work - mine is James Wilson and he's banging in at least 20-25 a season with my amr and aml (brandt and kenedy) scoring 10-15 each

Edit - I should elaborate a little my set up up top is ...

Dlp (d) rp (s)

Ap (a) am (s) ap (a)

Poacher (a)

[Ellisio]

I'd go further and say 'the problem clearly isn't the forward' except the original poster did mention he keeps changing the role/duty depending on which striker it is, which is adding an additional layer of confusion. Makes it even more difficult to isolate the issue or to even rule out that it is the forward (sort of).

First, you need to decide on what that striker should be doing within the setup. Cougar is right that your AML/AMR are set up to be the attacking threats, and not providers, largely. Your AP(s) is a provider, but in my experience he often wants to provide out to the wings, so he is feeding your AML/AMR.

I think if you commit to having your striker be a major goal scoring threat you need to rethink one of your wingers or setup your team to feed him elsehow (attacking fullbacks overlapping for instance).

But yeah, more info would help to get clearer on all this.

For me, playing in a 4-2-3-1 with Arsenal, I find that if I play someone like Walcott as an AF, and put the rest of my front 4 on support duties, then he becomes a pretty consistent goal scorer. Both by running onto longer balls from the likes of Ozil and from just quickly shifting in front of a defender on a low cross.

However, if I switch my striker (whoever it may be) to a CF(s), he is involved in buildup and so his rating is fine, but he doesn't really score much. Instead, usually Sanchez (as my IF(s) on the left) scores a lot, as well as Ozil (who I sometimes set as an AP(a) in this sort of setup).

Point being - there are only so many goals to go around.

Thanks for your input.

So basically if I want my striker to score more I should essentially change Neymar's role to support rather than attack? The issue here I suppose is that Neymar has been outstanding and I'm worried that if I change his role he won't be as successful. Last season for example he scored 26 goals.

I do have attacking full backs, kind of, Bellerin is a wing back (support) and Gaya is more of a full back than wing back (support) and I do have the overlap instruction set.

My main striker at the moment is Dybala. I tended to use him in previous seasons mainly as a complete forward (support) and more recently as a deep lying forward (attack) which did provide some improvement until this season. Now he's just struggling more than ever.

I may try the poacher role as suggested by Mrlee.1986 but I'm not entirely sure he is suited to that...

I'm also not so sure that using "work the ball into the box" is as effective as in previous seasons. I may have to tweak a few instructions.

[dcaine100]

Im playing as Arsenal and Morata has got 20 in 18 games for me as a AF/A with 2 W/Supports and a AP/S behind him.

Its all about supply, Wingers and APs on support will look to cross the ball and try thru balls more often, where as on attack they will look to shoot and score themselves instead of passing/crossing therefore the striker recieves fewer crosses and thru balls meaning he will score fewer goals.

[summatsupeer]

Thanks for your input.

So basically if I want my striker to score more I should essentially change Neymar's role to support rather than attack? The issue here I suppose is that Neymar has been outstanding and I'm worried that if I change his role he won't be as successful. Last season for example he scored 26 goals.

I do have attacking full backs, kind of, Bellerin is a wing back (support) and Gaya is more of a full back than wing back (support) and I do have the overlap instruction set.

My main striker at the moment is Dybala. I tended to use him in previous seasons mainly as a complete forward (support) and more recently as a deep lying forward (attack) which did provide some improvement until this season. Now he's just struggling more than ever.

I may try the poacher role as suggested by Mrlee.1986 but I'm not entirely sure he is suited to that...

I'm also not so sure that using "work the ball into the box" is as effective as in previous seasons. I may have to tweak a few instructions.

I think your being too literal and not taking ozilthegunner's point.

If you want your ST to be a main source of goals then you need the appropriate player in the right role+duty. For him to be successful he needs supply which depends on the players you have around him plus the roles+duties you give them. It also depends on your team mentality, shape and instructions. Changing your IF from Attack to Support isn't guaranteed to make your ST score more, it depends on the whole package.

We can't suggest things specifically for your system as we don't know your system, all people are doing is showing you examples of what has worked for them, but you aren't guaranteed success by just taking 1 or 2 bits and plugging it into your system. Try to remember that players will play a role slightly differently to another player as there attributes (and ppms) will be different so will likely try different things depending on what they think they can and should do.

[Bitner]

Certainly not a game's bug, as Martial for me has been scoring for fun, averaging one goal per game for 5 seasons.

That being said, i think that your winger are far too good and their roles makes the team pass them the balls. As long as you're winning, why bother with it so much? Use your Attacker as a decoy and enjoy winning

Cheers,

Bitner

[ozilthegunner]

I think your being too literal and not taking ozilthegunner's point.

If you want your ST to be a main source of goals then you need the appropriate player in the right role+duty. For him to be successful he needs supply which depends on the players you have around him plus the roles+duties you give them. It also depends on your team mentality, shape and instructions. Changing your IF from Attack to Support isn't guaranteed to make your ST score more, it depends on the whole package.

We can't suggest things specifically for your system as we don't know your system, all people are doing is showing you examples of what has worked for them, but you aren't guaranteed success by just taking 1 or 2 bits and plugging it into your system. Try to remember that players will play a role slightly differently to another player as there attributes (and ppms) will be different so will likely try different things depending on what they think they can and should do.

Yeah don't be so quick to just make one change and think it'll work. Generally I think it is fine too have 2 guys up front who you consider your goal threats. So neymar on attack is not necessarily a problem depending on everything else.

For instance, there is a big difference between a winger, especially on support, and a raumdateur. You mention you okay Sanchez as both, but that'll really change the dynamic of your team.

A raum is effectively a wide poacher, so no real support for others. A winger (especially on support) is largely a provider.

Also, you should consider what you want your striker to do and select a role/duty that will accomplish that in your setup (this obviously takes testing) rather than just selecting whatever striker role the player is supposedly good at.

Of course you do want your striker to generally have the attributes needed for the role, eventually, but first you want a striker role that fits the overall tactic.

In my arsenal save I often play my striker as a CF-a. Walcott does well, despite not being particularly well suited for the role. Giroud also does well, despite lacking in other attributes. Both are very different players but bring their approach to the role. Walcott scores more, Giroud sets up goals more. But I know this, so I know who to place around them too.

[rastaman219]

Thanks for your input.

So basically if I want my striker to score more I should essentially change Neymar's role to support rather than attack? The issue here I suppose is that Neymar has been outstanding and I'm worried that if I change his role he won't be as successful. Last season for example he scored 26 goals.

I do have attacking full backs, kind of, Bellerin is a wing back (support) and Gaya is more of a full back than wing back (support) and I do have the overlap instruction set.

My main striker at the moment is Dybala. I tended to use him in previous seasons mainly as a complete forward (support) and more recently as a deep lying forward (attack) which did provide some improvement until this season. Now he's just struggling more than ever.

I may try the poacher role as suggested by Mrlee.1986 but I'm not entirely sure he is suited to that...

I'm also not so sure that using "work the ball into the box" is as effective as in previous seasons. I may have to tweak a few instructions.

26 goals is a lot of your goals, as people have said having an inside forward on attack means they'll be shooting more than scoring. You can't also realistically expect to have a striker scoring similar with both the wide players on that duty unless you're playing with your squad in the conference. Sadly FM doesn't often let you have an attack that works like Suarez, Messi and Neymar at Barca do.

Playing a CF on support also means they'll be looking at dropping deeper and putting in balls to the other players, so taking less shots.

[iAlwaysWin]

if you want 50 goal strikers, which btw is becoming increasingly harder, you need wingers not inside fowards, and a proper left foot genius on the left, then you will see the best of your strikers, currently on my own game i have a regen with 36 goals in like 23 games, not because hes the best striker to grace this planet, but because my system allows him to get the right amount of opportunities in a game.

[Ivan787]

It's not a matter of striker but how you set-up your roles and duties.

If you want your centre forward to be the main scorer you have to set-up as AF with support role behind you. I agree that wingers are probably better than IF. In other words you have to create space for him and give support in terms of balls.

If you use IF/A on the side or raumdeuter you want also goalscorers on the side (that roles means that they are mainly goalscorer) so it's normal that your centre forward will score less.

All depends on what you want.