4-4-2 Counter Attack

[Chip]

Hi everyone

I started a thread regarding tempo and how it affects the team and got some great responses. I wanted to post my tactic here rather than on that thread as this is no longer regarding tempo. Here's the tactic:

I am aiming to play counter attacking football where we soak up pressure then hit teams on the break. Looking for opinions on it. After two games it seems to be working well. Before the change, we had went 8 games without a win!

I previously used a DLF-S instead of the TQ, however @Experienced Defender suggested I change him to a DLF-A. When I went to do this I realised I had a player capable of playing as a TQ and Experienced Defender has said before if he had a player able to play that role he would definitely be using it. 

Before I used Shankland as a TQ he hadn't scored in 28 hours of football. After this change he's now scored 4 in his last 2 - he has great off the ball, anticipation and composure attributes. I was actually close to selling him when he wasn't performing, little did I know it was actually a tactical problem. He also has the traits "plays with back to goal", "comes deep to get ball" and "moves into channels". All which, as far as I'm aware, suit this role perfectly (?)

Keane has very poor aggression (4) so I'm reluctant to use him as a PF, does anyone suggest another role which could benefit the tactic?

I also changed Hendry to an AP-S as his attributes in vision, passing, composure and decisions and traits (tries killer balls) were getting wasted (in my opinion) as a BBM or CM-A. Is an AP-S still suitable for a counter attacking tactic? Or could this slow down the play at all?

Thanks in advanced for your help

Thanks

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by Chip

[Experienced Defender]

2 hours ago, Chip said:

Keane has very poor aggression (4) so I'm reluctant to use him as a PF, does anyone suggest another role which could benefit the tactic?

Well, you are already playing him as a poacher, which is a good match for a TQ in terms of role combinations. Of course, I don't know your players and therefore cannot tell you which role(s) would suit any of them. AF can also be paired with a TQ. And target man can be paired with any role, but I guess he's not that type of striker. 

 

2 hours ago, Chip said:

Is an AP-S still suitable for a counter attacking tactic?

AP as a role is suitable for a counter tactic, and definitely more so than DLP (which does not mean that a DLP as such cannot be used in a counter tactic). But the problem in your setup specifically is that you already have a playmaker - TQ. But given that you said the tactic has worked well so far, better don't make any changes (unless it stops working). 

[Starsurfer]

10 hours ago, Chip said:

I also changed Hendry to an AP-S as his attributes in vision, passing, composure and decisions and traits (tries killer balls) were getting wasted (in my opinion) as a BBM or CM-A. Is an AP-S still suitable for a counter attacking tactic? Or could this slow down the play at all?

Thanks in advanced for your help

Thanks

IMHO APsu can be used to play counter attacking football. Your setup is playing at higher tempo, the APsu himself should not slow down play. Bear in mind the rest of the setup, including the role/duty/position/movement of other players around him, also play their part.

Just my 2 cents. 

[Chip]

On 11/05/2020 at 22:42, Experienced Defender said:

Well, you are already playing him as a poacher, which is a good match for a TQ in terms of role combinations. Of course, I don't know your players and therefore cannot tell you which role(s) would suit any of them. AF can also be paired with a TQ. And target man can be paired with any role, but I guess he's not that type of striker. 

 

AP as a role is suitable for a counter tactic, and definitely more so than DLP (which does not mean that a DLP as such cannot be used in a counter tactic). But the problem in your setup specifically is that you already have a playmaker - TQ. But given that you said the tactic has worked well so far, better don't make any changes (unless it stops working). 

I forgot the Treq is a playmaker!! Thanks for that

Would you say a PF could work well in a counter attacking system alongside a TQ?

[Experienced Defender]

8 minutes ago, Chip said:

Would you say a PF could work well in a counter attacking system alongside a TQ?

Yes. Assuming you intend to play him on attack duty. 

[Chip]

1 hour ago, Experienced Defender said:

Yes. Assuming you intend to play him on attack duty. 

Yeah I do. I think I may need help beating the high press. 

It’s always a 4231 that I come up against. So I’m thinking about dropping the TQ to the AM strata so he drops deeper and offers a long option for the CBs and FBs when the opposition are pressing high. Also, we lack speed so I think my “pass into space” instruction is being wasted.

I’ve left things unchanged the last few games against those teams and have struggled

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, Chip said:

we lack speed so I think my “pass into space” instruction is being wasted

Do your forwards also lack speed? 

[Chip]

1 hour ago, Experienced Defender said:

Do your forwards also lack speed? 

The TQ has 10 accelerations and 10 pace, the Poacher has (roughly) 12 acceleration and 13 pace - off the top of my head

[Djuicer]

On 11/05/2020 at 23:42, Experienced Defender said:

 AF can also be paired with a TQ.

AF is my prefered role in a striker duo. Especially when you want to sit deep, he will always be on the shoulders of the defenders, trying to run into channels and getting in to dangerous areas.

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, Chip said:

The TQ has 10 accelerations and 10 pace, the Poacher has (roughly) 12 acceleration and 13 pace - off the top of my head

Not sure if that's enough for a tactic that is supposed to rely primarily on counter-attacks. Maybe you should reconsider your playing style.