4231 possession

[KCHDD]

Hi guys I have been trying to build a 4231 system geared towards a possesion style. I've attached an example with Man Utd below. I originally wanted to do 433 but might nlt have the personnel for that. I am currently lining up like this:
SK(s)
WB(s)
BPDs(d)
WB(s)
BWM(d)
DLP(s)
IW(s) mark tighter
AP(s) roam from position, move into channels, mark tighter
IF(a) mark tighter
DLF(a) roam from position, mark tighter
I've done a few test runs and spotted a few issues with my system:

1. AP and DLF can often compete for space in the "hole" area in the game and it often leads to one of them becoming redundant. I have tried switching AP to AM but he still gets way less touches in zone 14, perhaps because playmakers attract the ball in FM.

2. I've heard that an AP and DLP may invade each others' space and reduce each others' effectiveness which also leads to my AP or AM issue. Should I be changing one of their roles?

3. Since I'm trying to play a possession game, I don't think AF would be very useful but I'm unsure about which other striker roles to pick. People say CF is useful but is it usable when you don't have an elite forward (RL9, Kane)? Other than that, I'm just restricted to DLF, F9 and PF, which of these would suit my tactic the best?

[leb]

4-2-3-1 is a fairly balanced system, attacking wise and defensively. What I think you should do is make your striker roam wide to get the ball, even making combinations with your wingers, or you could even use your striker and AM asymetrically... Regarding playmakers, I tend to use one only if that player is clearly better technically and mentally than the rest of the players, which isn't usually the case with bigger teams... I personally prefer playing without playmakers, then none of the players draws the ball to them and the rest of the team plays the best option they choose, or tend to bypass the need to include the playmaker in the play... I just use generic CM role and then customize their mentality and instructions to make them play as I want them to, without the Playmaker label

[Experienced Defender]

Your tactic has some flaws, but a bigger problem IMHO is that this current Man Utd squad is not really suitable for a patient possession style you are obviously trying to achieve. So my first suggestion would be to either reconsider your desired style of play or the team you are managing (if you insist on that specific possession-heavy style). 

[KCHDD]

On 03/07/2020 at 00:53, Experienced Defender said:

Your tactic has some flaws, but a bigger problem IMHO is that this current Man Utd squad is not really suitable for a patient possession style you are obviously trying to achieve. So my first suggestion would be to either reconsider your desired style of play or the team you are managing (if you insist on that specific possession-heavy style). 

@Experienced Defender Ok so I went back and did some research on how most people would go about designing a possession based system. Regarding Man Utd, I was just trying to run a test save, so I am just trying to find general system that I can use as a base in the future. Well, I have looked at a lot of threads you have replied to (the progressive possession) and some others about total football and seem to find the a preferred system in a 433 including:

                         DLFsu/F9

IFsu/IWsu                                    Wat/IWat

               MEZsu          RPM/DLPsu

WBsu/FBat  BPD     CD    IWBsu/WBsu

                             SKsu

I've found less information how to construct a 4231, presumably due to the widespread recognition of 433 as the better system but sometimes I might not have enough players or suitable players in teams to play the DM role in 433 so I would like a 4231 as an alternative to that. (I disable transfers in first season for realistic purposes)

I have seen you suggest some 4231 progressive possession tactics on others threads as well as other suggestions and they mainly go like this:

                         DLF

IF/IW              AM/SS               IW/W

                DLP           BBM/CAR

WBsu/FBat   BPD  CD   FBat/WBsu

I haven't really decided on the PIs and TIs, just trying to get a grasp on the roles first. I do have one concern with the 4231. I just looked back at that Man Utd screenshot in the OP and saw I put Pogba and McT in midfield as DLPsu and BWMde. I know now that I shouldn't put BWM of any role into a 4231 but what happens with players like Pogba (Fabian Ruiz, FDJ) who are more of a playmaker than a runner? Most people put DLP on defend duty in a 4231 as the holding player but putting someone like Pogba on DLPde would probably be suicide as they are most likely not that reliable defensively while putting them on DLPsu might not allow them influence play further forward and leave the midfield fragile without a defend duty. (I do prefer for my full backs to attack the wing instead of invert into midfield) I was thinking of playing a forward thinking playmaker as a RPM here, do you have any suggestions about that? Also, did I get the roles for both 433 and 4231 right, or what changes would you make?

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by KCHDD