recreating the tactics of brazil for the usa.....is it possible?

[chestermike]

Hi all, thanks for reading and thanks for the advice in advance. I love the knowledge and intelligence you guys on this forum bring to the table, you all helped me massively on fm15 make a direct tactic for a serie D team work how I wanted.

So this is my dilemma.....i have been hired as the usa manager. Started 4-4-2, had a 4-0 win over faroe islands first game, followed up with a 2-2 draw vs morocco, both friendlies. I beat Canada 1-0 in the confederations cup play off, then lose a couple of friendlies to Switzerland and turkey, before starting the world cup qualifiers. In round 4 I am drawn with Canada, Haiti and trinindad & tobago. I win the first game 4-0 vs t&t, but then draw with Canada before losing to Haiti and Canada to leave me in a very perilous position.

Tactically I decide I am not doing enough, as I have a world class ball playing defender and a world class cm, along with a load of high potential youngsters, I should be beating these small nations and qualifying with ease. The squad is horribly unbalanced, I have 96 players to choose from who are eligable, although only 1 can play left mid and he is terrible, 2 of my central midfielders are retiring so leaving a hole there I will have to fill next season, and yet I have 4 right backs good enough, and 3 very good right wingers.

I decide because of my left wing problem, to try to emulate the Brazil tactic of 4-2-2-2, and it has been moderately successful, I beat t&t 2-0 and then Haiti 2-0 to secure qualification to round 5 of the north American qualifying, although a 1-1 friendly draw with new Zealand after was poor. I now face a group with Canada, Mexico, Curacao, Costa Rica and Guatemala to decide who goes to the world cup and I am not sure my tactics are right.

Hence he advice needed, help me qualify and play the way I want please guys.....and help me emulate Brazil. I might have some memory issues with their system too....

Here is my set up (4-2-2-2).

GK defend

RB - full back attack

CB - ball playing defend

CB - Cb defend

LB - full back attack

DMR - cm defend

DML - anchor man

CMR - cm support

CML - cm attack

FWR - dlp support

FWL - advanced forward attack

Team instructions are control and fluid, I have set up player instructions to suit my players attributes (one if my cms has shoot more as long shots are 18, the other has roam from position and be more creative) and I have the TI close down to its max, push higher up than default, short passing and look for overlap. If playing a minnow I go overload from kick off, and this seems to work too.

So what am I looking for? Mostly guys, how would you balance my midfield? Would you move everyone up a strata, or is 2 dms and 2 cms the best balance? Are my roles right? Should I have retain possession as I want my full backs overlapping? Should I use wing backs as a role instead of full back attack? Should I give my players more freedom? Is my role oairing up front good enough?

Thanks again guys.

[sampaoli]

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/446664-The-Art-of-Analysis-and-Tweaking-(The-Brazilian-Box-4-2-2-2)

Read this, this is great thread by Cleon about "Magic box".

[Overmars]

I have tried this formation many times, but I generally found a diamond or 4-1-3-2 formation worked a bit better.

Either way, I like wingbacks here because your middle players will need the wide passing outlets, runs forward, and willingness to cross back to the middle. They don't have to be complete wingbacks or on attack, but they should at least be WB(s).

I would use two aggressive central midfielders since you have two defensive DMs behind them. The CM(a) is good, but I'd couple him with an AP or RPM of some sort...or at least a BBM.

I fear you will find it difficult to prevent the wide play/crossing attack so effective in FM16. Facing a team with good wingers will be nervous times.

But your only difficult opposition coming up is Mexico. I think you have time to experiment with this and prove to yourself whether or not it can work with your players.