Help with my tactic

[Andrew Haines]

I am having a degree of success with my current formation but have some specific issues I was hoping you guys can give me some advise on.

I play in a quite specific way in that I like to create a tactic and buy players who will then fit that tactic, as opposed to fitting the tactic to the players I have available. I also like to buy certain types of players so my formations are generally built around including players I want to play with. This can be limiting and I fundamentally understand that I would probably make better tactics if I was happy to compromise. This is all about me enjoying myself though and I am happier playing with a tactic that is less effective but includes players I like. I also quite like a symmetrical tactic, not sure why.. I just prefer that.

The conception of my tactic was that I want to play a 4-2-3-1 with two advanced playmakers on the wing with full backs pushing on to give the width and runs from deep from an AM and possibly a deeper lying forward. The two CMs would just sit and provide a double pivot for the fullbacks. With four players in the top two strata a high block makes sense. This felt relatively avante garde as a tactical choice and might be fundamentally flawed but I liked the idea and wanted to try to make it work.

My tactic is as below (apologies for lack of screenshots).

SK

FB(A)--CB(D)--CB(D)--FB(A)

         DLP(D)--CM(D)

AP(S)--AM(A)--AP(S)

           DLF(A)

Standard - Structured

TIs - Higher Tempo, Pass into Space, Play out of defence, Push higher up, Offside Trap, Tighter Marking, Prevent GK Dist

PIs - The forward and Three players in the AM strata all have close down much more and tackle harder PIs.

 

When my team is stronger than the opposition the tactic is really effective and often sees impressive possession and pretty good conversion of chances. The opposition will also be starved of chances. This is really good when I am one of the stronger teams in the league.

The problem I have is that when I am not the stronger team I am very prone to balls over the top to the opposition striker during Attack->Defence transitions. Specifically balls through the middle as opposed to out to the wings. The passes to the striker coming from either the middle of the park or the wings. I get numerous games where I lose even games because of this.

I'm hoping for some advice on how to deal with this. The high line is the obvious culprit, the problem I have is that dropping the line deeper blunts the tactic (I have toyed around with only having one of Push higher up or Offside Trap as I believe they both push the D line up). Possession drops and the opposition starts to get many more chances due to the space afforded between defence and midfield.

Any other advice on the tactic will be gratefully received as well.

 

 

[westy8chimp]

Personally I don't like DLF as a lone striker. Especially as you don't have shadow strikers, inside forwards, or attacking wingers going past him. CF/AF/Poacher would all be more dangerous IMO (you have 5 midfielders, do you gain much by having the striker also drop deeper? Who are they supplying when you pass into space at high tempo?)

Are the APs wide (Wingers with AP role?) or do you three narrow AMC (two with AP role)? If they are narrow I'd switch it round so you have AP in the middle and two AMs either side (probably on support duty if switching striker from DLF... or attack duty if you keep DLF). If they are wide... I'd probably just use 1 so you have more variety, and bring in a winger or IF

[Andrew Haines]

Cheers, some really good advice in there.

The APs are wingers with AP duty. I see what you mean about the dlf. I tried it with a CF(a) briefly last night before I went to bed. Seemed effective, might run with that.

I know that variety on either flank would work better.. I just like the idea of a playmaker on either flank. Monaco played with that setup in the early 2000s when they had two no. 10s. Can't remember who they were or if it actually worked for them though :).

Any advice on how I can deal with the direct balls to the opposition striker.. Bane of my life. 

[westy8chimp]

11 minutes ago, Andrew Haines said:

I know that variety on either flank would work better.. I just like the idea of a playmaker on either flank.

if sticking with it... maybe a normal tempo (or low) would help give time for the FB's to join the attack.

RE defending long ball... might not be worth hampering your tactic to deal with it.. every formation has a weak spot. Particularly though, long ball (with nonsense CB behaviour) seems to be this years flavour.

[kingjericho]

3 hours ago, Andrew Haines said:

Any advice on how I can deal with the direct balls to the opposition striker.. Bane of my life. 

It may seem counter intuitive, but if you are using 'Push higher up' and 'Offside Trap' why don't you try going full 'Much higher defensive line' to make that style even more aggressive?

Another reason may be the fact that you have 'tighter marking'. A high defensive line where the CBs are marking the striker very closely can lead to the striker attacking for the space, instead of receiving the ball on foot.

[summatsupeer]

6 hours ago, Andrew Haines said:

Push higher up, Offside Trap, Tighter Marking

I personally don't like Tighter Marking, especially as a TI.  I think its good against teams who like to play to feet or who have slower attackers but against teams who like to pass into space and have pace then your markers will need very good mobility to track them.  As your playing higher + offside trap I think this could compound the "good vs slow, bad vs quick" issue.  I'd just remove Tighter Marking and use it as an OI against opponents you want to stop getting the ball to there feet and whom you think your players can track.

[FMunderachiever]

Id say having players dropping off and no one running in behind could be an issue conflicting with the pass into space team instruction

[Andrew Haines]

Cheers Guys, I ended up ditching the playmakers for inside forwards. They just didn't give enough penetration. The defence is looking a bit more solid now.

[TottenhamBoi90]

stopper and cover combination at cb works well with direct balls over your defence

with a deep forward, inside forwards i would also have wing backs overlapping as well

in midfield i like the appeal of having a sitter a runner and a creator so something like BWMD B2B and AVP