My 4-4-2. Help with striker pairing.

[Rakatics]

Good evening everybody!

 

After much reading (special thanks to Cleon and Herne79) and trying througout fm 15, 16 and now a bit on 17, I've finally achieved a simple 4-4-2 tactic that im happy with, mainly with the central midfield pairing who is working the way I want: bypass the opposition attacking midfielder or more attacking central midfielder, leaving them for the defenders and help the team charge forward (I'm thinking a bit like leicester). However, if I am being run over and loosing the middle of the park, i just change the BBM to a BWM on support (for instance).

 

Formation and TIs are below. The only PI I use is asking the goalkeeper to roll it out.

 

My main issue is with the striker partnership. I want a striker who indeed helps the midfield during the defensive phase. That's why I picked a Defensive Forward with a defensive duty.  If the opposition has no defensive midfield and I'm feeling confident I usually change him from defend to support.

 

Most times i notice he plays a bit like a Target Man on support, dropping to get the ball and hold it. I'm okay with that because it is what I itend (a striker that drops and another that pushes forward). 

 

But being a Defensive Forward  most times he only plays a simple pass, even when a midfielder or his striker partner has space to go forward or is unmarked. I feel i could get a striker that would contribue more (like a false nine or a deep lying forward).

 

I'm not sure about the other striker role. Nor if the defensive forward on defend is the correct role.

 

- Perhaps, change is role to a deep lying forward on support, with closing much more PI? 

- Or change team shape to fluid (which I don't really want, only when I dominate possession and need a bit more creativity)? 

- Am I playing him in the right position (meaning in front of the CM s rather than the BBM)?  

- What should be his striker partner role? Should I just pick the role that suits best to whoever plays by his side?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

 

[Guest]

I have DF(de) paired with AM(a) and I use "more direct passes" PI to make him pass forward (I manage Leeds too).

I've read a post from both Cleon and WWFAN where they explain passing - direct passes are passes made to the next stratum, e.g. from midfield to attack.

For when you play against more attacking opposition, you could also use "pass into space" TI to get him pass forward.

[Rakatics]

2 hours ago, charisma_charisma said:

I have DF(de) paired with AM(a) and I use "more direct passes" PI to make him pass forward (I manage Leeds too).

I've read a post from both Cleon and WWFAN where they explain passing - direct passes are passes made to the next stratum, e.g. from midfield to attack.

For when you play against more attacking opposition, you could also use "pass into space" TI to get him pass forward.

I like that idea, thanks!

Will try that (without the AM though) and try to post the results.

I will also try that plus swapping the DLF a for an Advanced Forward (which might make sense).

I usually only add team instructions after the games starts and I get a feeling about what's going on. Pass into space is a killer when the opposition plays a high defensive line. Still it doesn't help my if I'm using a DF d

 

ps. Leeds is always the first team i try

[Rakatics]

Cheers charisma_charisma! That was a really good advice.

 

Tried in just one match with more direct passes instructed to the DF d, as charisma_charisma advised. 

 

I started with the formation and TI's I've posted in the OP. I only added more direct passes to the DF d (remember my problem was him not contributing in ofensive phases as much as I would like, mainly because he was holding the ball to much and only playing simple passes backwards).

 

QPR was going to start the game in a 4-4-1-1 formation which could be problematic because of the n.10 and the superiority in midfield. As it turned out, it wouldn't be a problem because, on the contrary, i had superiority in midfield (2 mc + df d) and the reduced space and time that both QPR's n.º 10 and striker had.

 

So, the game. By the 40th minute I was already up 4-0. QPR scored in the last minute of the first half.

 

I only made changes after half time, around the 50th minute, because QPR changed to a 4-2-3-1 with a really high defensive line. During those first 5 mintues of the second half, QPR started to dominate possession and creating some chances. That's when I chickened out. 

 

So I changed mentality to counter, added pass into space and swapped the DLF a to a Defensive Midfielder, with Anchor Man role (surprisingly it became Cleon's art of counter attack. With great results.)
 

Some stats:

- The result and team formations

- Stats (note that most QPR's shots (and goal) were long shots, which I'm happy with. 

- Shots

- Interceptions (I guess most of them come from all the running of both central midfielders)

 

Some replays (all from the 1st half, because the 2nd half was a "different" type of game) where we can see a couple actions and situations I was hoping to create:

 

1. - The first goal. DLFa working has I was hoping, stretching the play upfront.

2. - Interception from the MC s (in front of opposition attackers and n. 10, leaving them to defenders with not much space due to the slightly higher defensive line); nice pass from the DF d to the DLF a who, in turn, passed for the MR to finish wide.

3. - Great pass by de DF d. Here I believe it he made it due to be instructed to do more direct passes. I get the feeling that before he would hold the ball (and eventually loose it) or make a simple pass backwards.

4. - DF d helping the central midfielders getting the ball back.

5. - Another example of the DLF a strechting forward while we maintain presence in the area with the DF d rushing forward to the goal and both central midfielders appearing almost unmarked on the edge of the area. DLF a decided to cross for the DF d.

6. - DF d acting like a Target Man, being used by the defenders to get the ball forward straight from defence. And again, instead of making a simple pass to any of the central or wide midfielders, the DF d decides to pass to the other striker. I still feel he would pass backwards hadn't he been instructed to make more direct passes. In the end, it was a well worked play with another great assist from the DF d to the DLF a. This time he scored. 

7. - Another example of the DF d helping the central midfielders. 

 

There is another situation which I find interesting. With both central midfielders, if the n.10 or a striker gets the ball which went through the central midfielders, we recover the ball many, many times because: 

1- The defenders get the ball back because they are pushing up;

2- The central midfielders get the ball back, or intercept a pass, because they are running back;

3- The player with the ball, because doesn't have space or time, either misplaces the pass or takes rushed long shot.

 

I will try to notice a couple of those situations to post.

 

Thanks for your help!