Phil Parkinson's 3-4-3

[scottybee84]

What a turnaround it has been for this man. On boxing day, fans calling for his head and 15th in League One. Now up to 5th and only a few points behind the automatic places. 

One of the factors behind the rise has been the players' huge increase in fitness and also their adaptation to his 3 at the back, high pressing system - heavily utilising the flanks. 

Now, I'd like to attempt to set up my own version of this tactic but will not be able to replicate it faithfully due to the attacking centre backs on either side contributing to overloads on the flanks. However, my main quandry is the front 3 and would like a little advice on the set up. 

In defence, Lynden Gooch and Chris Maguire sit very narrow, pretty much centrally either side of Charlie Wyke (a half targetman, half pressing forward who for me is the weak link). In attack, they go wide and link with the wing backs. Hume/Gooch left, Magure/O'Nien right. Both wing backs attack heavily, Hume more so with O'Nien often contributing more to the build up in midfield. Looks a little like this... 

roll dice three kingdoms

Gooch and Maguire are the main goalscorers in the system, with Gooch the more attacking and bigger presence in the box - scoring a lot of balls from crosses and cut backs while also freeing up space for Hume. Maguire is the main attacking creative outlet, often whipping in crosses from the right and linking up effectively with O'Nien and Willis. The two defensive midfielders are there to win the ball, recycle possession and switch it to the flanks. Power is an ocassional threat with shots from distance but neither particularly contribute to the attack. 

So, as I have finally got a new laptop and this is the first iteration I've played since '18 any advice on set up would be greatly appreciated. Im thinking of setting them up in AM roles but instructing them to stay wider, but I'm really not sure this would effectively replicate their roles. O' Nien is another tricky one, as he plays halfway between an IWB and a regular WB. The other dilemma I would have is that looking at the way the system plays Hume and Gooch both have 'attacking' roles and Maguire/O'Nien 'support'. 

Any advice on set up would be greatly appreciated, I realise that a fair amount of trial and error will be involved but I'd like a good starting point in my first save. 

Edited February 15, 2020 by scottybee84

[iownyou]

I’m currently playing a Sunderland save, though using my trusted 442 tactic but have been keeping an eye on Sunderland as I like to gauge how the players and team are in real life. Maguire and Gooch have been so effective. 

I would consider two options.

- Wide attackers (AMR and AML) and one centre forward.

Wyke as a pressing forward on support. 

Maguire as a wide playmaker in the (AMR) (I play him as a wide playmaker on (ML) and he had the most crosses and chances created for me in the league one season. 

Gooch as a raumdeuter in the AMR position. I’ve never tried it but based on the way you’re suggesting Gooch plays that makes the most logical sense. Both players would perform more in central roles despite being in the wide positions. 

Second option

- Flat front three.

Wyke as a pressing forward on support in the centre

Maguire as a deep lying forward or false nine in the Str R

Gooch as an advanced forward.

Gooch as an inside forward on attack (or possibly raumedeter) as the Str L

 

i deffo wouldn’t play them in the Amc positions. Even if you have them stay wider it’s usually not effective. 
 

As for having the two on the left on attack duty and the two on the right as support. Give it a go and see. Nothing to say it won’t work or do what you want it to. 

Edited February 15, 2020 by iownyou

[scottybee84]

On 15/02/2020 at 09:07, iownyou said:

I’m currently playing a Sunderland save, though using my trusted 442 tactic but have been keeping an eye on Sunderland as I like to gauge how the players and team are in real life. Maguire and Gooch have been so effective. 

I would consider two options.

- Wide attackers (AMR and AML) and one centre forward.

Wyke as a pressing forward on support. 

Maguire as a wide playmaker in the (AMR) (I play him as a wide playmaker on (ML) and he had the most crosses and chances created for me in the league one season. 

Gooch as a raumdeuter in the AMR position. I’ve never tried it but based on the way you’re suggesting Gooch plays that makes the most logical sense. Both players would perform more in central roles despite being in the wide positions. 

Second option

- Flat front three.

Wyke as a pressing forward on support in the centre

Maguire as a deep lying forward or false nine in the Str R

Gooch as an advanced forward.

Gooch as an inside forward on attack (or possibly raumedeter) as the Str L

 

i deffo wouldn’t play them in the Amc positions. Even if you have them stay wider it’s usually not effective. 
 

As for having the two on the left on attack duty and the two on the right as support. Give it a go and see. Nothing to say it won’t work or do what you want it to. 

You were bang on about the AMC positions after experimenting pre-season, it just didn't work. I've done a lot of tinkering in the first few games and during pre-season. I began with an attacking mentality, as I wanted things fairly direct and high tempo combined with the high press. However, this lead to a total lack of space for my forwards and the only goals were coming from set pieces or scrappy goals forced by mistakes (although I'm happy to get goals this way, hence the high press, we need variety).

Anyway, I couldn't set the tactic up exactly as in real life (as the wide centre backs join attacks, making overloads on the flanks and passing triangles with the wing backs and wingers) but after experimentation I'm happy with the set up I've ended up with. It's been phenomenally effective defensively while also dominating possession and being very attacking. This while the players do not like me due to my unknown reputation, and the tactic still needing work familiarity wise due to my tinkering.  This is the tactic and my results so far, with the only goals I've conceded in 9 games both to a full strength Everton side (even then I had the most possession and gave them a good game):

Maguire is injured, but has 2 assists and 1 goal in 5 games, but is contributing plenty in terms of key passes. On the other hand, Gooch has been pretty much ineffective so far. No goals or assists and generally not being very involved (other than freeing up space for Denver Hume, who has 3 goals from LWB). I'm not sure whether it's his role that needs to be changed, or if I need to change the roles of other players (all of who are playing extremely well, so I'm reluctant).

[iownyou]

23 hours ago, scottybee84 said:

You were bang on about the AMC positions after experimenting pre-season, it just didn't work. I've done a lot of tinkering in the first few games and during pre-season. I began with an attacking mentality, as I wanted things fairly direct and high tempo combined with the high press. However, this lead to a total lack of space for my forwards and the only goals were coming from set pieces or scrappy goals forced by mistakes (although I'm happy to get goals this way, hence the high press, we need variety).

Anyway, I couldn't set the tactic up exactly as in real life (as the wide centre backs join attacks, making overloads on the flanks and passing triangles with the wing backs and wingers) but after experimentation I'm happy with the set up I've ended up with. It's been phenomenally effective defensively while also dominating possession and being very attacking. This while the players do not like me due to my unknown reputation, and the tactic still needing work familiarity wise due to my tinkering.  This is the tactic and my results so far, with the only goals I've conceded in 9 games both to a full strength Everton side (even then I had the most possession and gave them a good game):

Maguire is injured, but has 2 assists and 1 goal in 5 games, but is contributing plenty in terms of key passes. On the other hand, Gooch has been pretty much ineffective so far. No goals or assists and generally not being very involved (other than freeing up space for Denver Hume, who has 3 goals from LWB). I'm not sure whether it's his role that needs to be changed, or if I need to change the roles of other players (all of who are playing extremely well, so I'm reluctant).

Impressive defensively , quite an unusual set up but looking at it I can see why and how it would work. 
How’s the extremely urgent pressing working? I’ve always been wary of using it as the players run around like headless chickens whenever I’ve tried.

as for Gooch as a IF, to be honest it’s a position I’ve never been able to have success in in FM. Gooch also is technically poor in the game. In my system he just plays a pure right winger and is brilliant. I would suggest playing him as a (Winger)on attack on that left wing position. For some reason it acts differently to IF for better.