In need of Counter Formation

[Thescouser20]

Does anyone here have a formation for the counter style of play? There is one catch, however, I would like to have 4 at the back, and one up front! Please send me some suggestions!

[Atarin]

4-1-4-1. 4-2DM-3-1. 4-5-1.

Lots of formations are suitable for playing counter attacking football. 

[Thescouser20]

Any specifics, the tempo, team shape, etc.

[Atarin]

That's a difficult question to answer. As I said in the other counter thread going on at the moment you have to understand what a counter is.

A counter attack is when you break on the opposition with a numerical advantage

In the FM match engine counters are launched in certain situations. When that happens all of your settings are disregarded and the ME takes over. It will throw your players forward.

That means that the instructions that you set for your team have only a small part to play on your counter-attacks.

A lower mentality will make your team slightly more likely to launch one.

A bottom heavy  formation will suit counters because you'll have more players behind the ball to launch forward, you'll also be more likely to draw the opposition out.

That said, you should think carefully about whether you want to play pure counter-attacking football (which in reality is very negative and boring to watch) or a different style that is compatible with counter-attacking.

As discussed in the other thread pure counter-attacking can lead to a lot of clean sheets but it can also lead to a failure to create chances and score goals.

You need to decide what your normal strategy is when you're not counter-attacking because that will be the majority of the time.

[phnompenhandy]

Go to Cleon's 4-2-3-1 thread. I have a couple of posts where I describe my version that keeps 10 men behind the ball and one speed-merchant up top. I think I've mentioned it in a few threads around here actually.