Popular Post crusadertsar Posted November 12, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted November 12, 2020 (edited) The following is the debut to my newest series of articles, following up with some of the ideas I started with Total Football Journeyman series in FM20. Except from a different perspective. You can read it in its original format in the link below. But I'm hoping that we could generate a discussion here. https://dictatethegame.com/non-league-legends-vik-maslov-bobby-moore-and-the-birth-of-modern-4-4-2/ When one thinks of "simple" football, English 4-4-2 usually comes to mind. A long-time favourite formation in Albion, its origin was mistakenly, credited to Sir Alf Ramsey. It was also associated with the transition to modern football. A game that is currently, single-mindedly obsessed with possession, relentless pressing and teamwork. But what led us to the world where Gegenpress has become a household word? The answer is simple. It all began with Viktor Maslov and the Soviet invention of the 4-4-2. The innovation that gave birth to modern football as we know it today. My ongoing Non-League Legends FM21 Series will be covering everything about 4-4-2. From its secret history to everything you need to know before setting up this formation in Football Manager 2021. The prologue can be found here: https://dictatethegame.com/non-league-legends-introducing-future-fm21-series/ Birth of Modern Football Some saw the modern game begin when teams stopped playing with 8 strikers and 3 half-backs sometime in 1920s. The emergence of more balanced, defensively-responsible formations definitely helped. Jonathan Wilson in Inverting the Pyramid agrees that Maslov's invention of 4-4-2 signaled the start of a new football era. This formation gave much needed balance to allow for more complex possession-based pressing style of play. A style of play, that over the years has become so popular that it's now used by most elite clubs. Even if they do not necessarily play with 4-4-2 anymore. When 4-4-2 was first used by Sir Ramsey it revolutionized the English game. It also helped England win its first, and so far the only, World Cup trophy in 1966. Queen Elizabeth II presenting the World Cup trophy to the captain of Sir Ramsay's England Team, Bobby Moore. The English use of the innovative 4-4-2 largely led to their success. Alf Ramsey is often credited with introducing 4-4-2 to England (where it thrived for years). But he certainly wasn't the first to come up with this formation. Although Ramsey-led 1966 World Cup winning team, dubbed "Wingless Wonders", definitely helped in popularizing the formation. And in the years since 1966, the influence of 4-4-2 became so far-reaching that it spawned a number of other formations (like 4-2-3-1). But few know that it was not first conceived in England. Although Ramsey might have thought of it on his own. I don't want to take anything away from this brilliant manager. But the fact of the matter remains. There was another legendary manager who saw the benefits of using two banks of four before Ramsey did. And he was born far to the east, behind the Communist Iron Curtain. His name - Viktor Aleksandrovich Maslov. From USSR with Love There was something about the Socialist mentality and work ethic that differentiated it from the way Western Europe regarded football. USSR's ideological and physical separation (barbed wire fences and such) from the West also translated into a significant divide in the sports arena. The football stadium became another battleground where the Communist Superpower could prove its superiority over the "decadent" West. And battle it out they certainly did! Reads: "All World Records Have to Belong to Us!". At the height of the Cold War the pressure on Soviet athletes was enormous. Initially the ideological divide held Soviet Football back. Lack of free movement of ideas with the West European football theorists, arrested the development of the game in USSR. From the Bolshevik Revolution and well into the 1950s, Soviet football continued to develop in an isolationist microcosm. A time capsule of sorts. This was quite apparent on the pitch. The arrival of the first ever football tactic serves as a good example of this. The most wide-spread formation in history of the sport, the Pyramid or WW, arrived in Russia about the same time as it did in other European countries in late 19th century. But then there was the closing of the ideological gates after the end of the Russian Civil War in 1920s. In line with the directive of the Communist Party leadership, the influx of Western ideas stopped. Even in the arena of sports. This meant that the professional clubs reestablished in Russia and other Soviet Republics kept using that antiquated formation. You see they only played against other clubs from USSR. While the Soviet National Team did not enter the world competition until 1952 Olympics. Thus completion, one of the most important catalysts of innovation, was missing from Soviet football for the longest time. Working Class Heroes In the rest of Europe, tactical innovation fueled change both in tactics and training. At same time, in USSR football stagnated. And the formations from 19th century continued being used by Soviet teams until 1950s. That is until Viktor Maslov became manager of Dynamo Kyiv and brought his revolutionary brand of teamwork-focused hard-pressing football. And Maslov's brand of Totalitarian Football was born. Football is not an individual sport. Not anymore. Maybe in its very beginning, it was much like baseball, a sport consisting of 11 individual performances. But all that changed since Viktor Maslov and Rinus Michels redefined the rules in broad strokes, forever making "teamwork", "pressing" and "hard work" integral parts of the football canvas. Thanks to these two geniuses, football has become a systematized game. A game of 11 players operating in tandem to contribute to the greater success of the whole system. Rinus Michels' Ajax and Dutch National Team helped to popularize this view in the West, labelling it "Total Football". Yet Maslov was there first. Viktor Maslov was very much a child of his time and place. Growing up in USSR, it was natural for him to apply socialist hard-working ideals to the sport he loved. Maslov also believed that harnessing the power of hard science. Which he believed could enable the manager to exercise total control over the pitch. Finally, one has to remember that Maslov's ideas came about before Dutch Total Football. Although they shared a similar focus on pressing and teamwork. Yet Maslov started using these concepts years earlier, and with much success, at Dynamo Kyiv. Maslov's Dynamo and Brazilian Experience Viktor Maslov took control of Dynamo Kyiv in 1964 and completely redefined its style of play, cementing its place on the map of Europe's elite clubs. Through the 1960s Dynamo became among the first sides to integrate hard work and team-work in building a perfectly cohesive unit. A unit that while made up of 11 individuals, nevertheless works in tandem as one. A tightknit unit that attacked as one, defended as one and that hunted the ball in packs. In Maslov's Total Football prototype the brilliance of an individual, is always secondary to the team. An idea later echoed by the Dutch in the 1970s. But while Johan Cruyff became equivalent if not greater than Total Football, no single name ever stood out in Maslov's Dynamo. Their collective brilliance overshadowed the individual parts. But what were the parts that made up Maslov's brilliant 4-4-2? Like many managers in the late 1950s, Maslov was inspired by the Brazilian 1958 World Cup winning team. At the time, the Brazilians played with their famous 4-2-4 formation. It was a perfect example of an attack over defence approach. Brazilians were so brilliant in their attack that their opponents simply could not handle them. When faced with two strikers (one being no other than Pele), two attacking wingers and wingbacks, can we blame them? Soviet Union also had no answer to Pele and Brazilian prowess in attack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPQ_fRX_ZDE Maslov realized the power of Brazil's tactics when witnessing USSR's defeat against them in 1958. Yet he saw ways in which he could improve 4-2-4 to make into an even better, more balanced shape. Such as filling the gaping holes on the wings between the wingbacks and the wingers, an inherent flaw of 4-2-4. It also made the Brazilian-style 4-2-4 a less optimal choice for teams not filled with world-class attackers, like Pele. So Maslov decided to make some changes to make this formation fit his Dynamo Kyiv squad. His aim was to maintain the majority of the formation's attacking intent while making it more solid in defence. The 4-4-2 was the result. The changes that Dynamo's manager made included instructing both of the advanced wingers to drop deeper. This was to help out the two midfielders and to link better with the fullbacks. The introduction of the flat bank of four in midfield was key to 4-4-2 balance. As such Maslov’s modified 4-2-4 got the balance right between defense and attack. Due to the increased number of bodies in midfield possession and transitional play became easier. And also got rid of the 4-2-4's main flaw, gaps on the wings. At the same time the increased midfield allowed the fullbacks to operate more offensively along the Brazilian wingback model. That is with the wingers defending and pressing ahead of them, wingbacks could make more forward runs. Pack Hunters Their [Dynamo Kyiv] midfield was hunting in packs, closing down opponents and seizing the initiative in previously unexpected areas of the pitch. Jonathan Wilson in Inverting The Pyramid Secondly, Maslov's decided to rely on hard work and teamwork over Brazil's individualistic Jogo Bonito. By late 1960s football was moving away from the overreliance on individual brilliance to a more tactical approach. In order to win, teams really needed to use all of their available resources. And not just putting their most talented attackers in front and charging the opponent like in the old pyramid formation. Maslov admired Pele for almost single-handedly beating USSR's national team in 1958. But he preferred to have 11 average players working as one well-oiled, efficient footballing machine. Rather than having 11 Peles playing as individuals. Even at 18, Pele had the makings of an international superstar, adored by Soviet coaches and players. Maslov discovered with Dynamo Kyiv, that even the best footballers could be shut out of the game. Specifically, when you assigned several players to mark the zones where star players such as Pele liked to operate. The Russian created the system of pressing aimed at not allowing the opposition any space and time on the ball. And the 4-4-2's two banks of four set-up proved ideal for this zonal marking and pressing system. USSR national team's defensive play became notorious in international competitions in 1960s. And Maslov's Dynamo had a lot influence on the national team. Dynamo Kyiv proved to be by far the most successful club in Soviet top league during the 1960s. Football purists may blame Viktor Maslov for stemming the tide of attractive attacking football of the late 50’s and early 60’s by the introduction of hunter pack pressing. But while Jogo Bonito died, Total Football was born. And football has never been the same ever since. The game we watch and play today owes a lot to Comrade Maslov. Going Back To The Future In the current era of pressing, top half clubs with more funds, top notch academies and scouting departments can afford to create highly-technical sides that aim to short-pass their way through the opposition press. Although this might not work every time. Just look at Barcelona debacle last season in Champions League against Bayern. In general, lower to mid-tier clubs with smaller budgets tend to struggle in attracting the kind of playmaking talent required for this patient possession approach. Thus LLM sides tend to invariably go for a more simple, direct approach. In modern football, tactics have increased in complexity. And this led people to sometimes look down on the "old-fashioned" 4-4-2 formation. The critics write it off as too primitive for the needs of high pressing, possession football. However, such simplicity also keeps 4-4-2 formation relevant through history and changing tactical trends. Some of its timeless advantages are as follows. 1. Two Strikers Liverpool's "Robin" Keegan and "Batman" Toshack - the most famous Little Man, Big Man striker duo The prime advantage of a 4-4-2 system. It plays into 4-4-2's strength in the box while downplaying its weakness in the midfield. Furthermore, using two strikers instead of one compensates for the lack of elite goal-scorers and playmakers. It helps to bypass the opposition press through long balls, taking control away from opposition playmakers and forcing them into physical duels. The playmaker's skill On The Ball will have less of an influence on the game if the ball spends the majority of time flying above his head. Finally, using two strikers allows for two players with dramatically different skill sets. And this can be an advantage in a league lacking in complete strikers. Thus matching a pure goal-scorer, who is not capable of much else, with a tall striker good at playmaking, could create a deadly striker duo. While either one alone wouldn't normally be all that exceptional. 2. Role Flexibility Unlike 4-3-3, which I covered extensively in FM20, 4-4-2 does not require many specialized roles. Thus 4-4-2 shape is rather easy to set up in Lower Leagues with less talented personnel. And much easier to manage for players new to Football Manager series. On the other hand, setting the role for the lone striker, wingers, or the midfielders can all make or break 4-3-3. While your typical 4-4-2 formation allows more role flexibility. For example, it accommodates a greater variety of player profiles. As I mentioned above, you could mix and match numerous striker types for the duo upfront. There is really no wrong combo. You could even go with two goal-scorers, provided they get adequate support from the wings and midfield. And speaking of the midfield and wingers. You could use fast and agile wingers to cross endlessly to the strikers, or play a central midfielder type there for added defensive solidity on the wings. Or to enforce a tireless pressing system. 3. Tactical Flexibility And here we come to my final point regarding the advantages of the 4-4-2 formation. The ease with which it supports different playing styles. Ranging from the more defensive, counter-attacking football, all the way to high-pressing and technical possession styles. All are possible with this versatile formation. Testament to this is in the variety of tactics that real-life managers have constructed around the 4-4-2. Whether we are discussing the high pressing of Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan to the possession-heavy 4-4-2 used by Carlo Ancelotti. Even Pep Guardiola, the king of 4-3-3, employs 4-4-2 at times. The reasons why many of today's best tactical minds choose 4-4-2 over others, are manifold. But it could be something to do with how it is one of the most balanced and versatile shapes. As mentioned above, it's strong in attack with two strikers. And also solid in defence with its compact lines of four, making 4-4-2 the most straightforward set-up for defensive purposes. No fancy mezzala/regista combos here. If you want an effective 4-4-2 that doesn't leak goals, a double pivot in midfield is the way to go. And of course with a more defensively-minded midfield you can afford a more attacking intent upfront. 4. High Pressing on a Budget In the modern era of pressing, teams need to implement some form if it to compete in the top leagues. The old and trusted 4-4-2 makes this easier than ever. Some teams even manage to punch above their budgetary limitations thanks to the direct and high-pressing 4-4-2 shape. Rather fittingly, and forgotten by most, Maslov invented the 4-4-2 to use with the high pressing in mind. Hence, the 4-4-2's "moderness" at the time. It is one football formation that aged very well, thanks to its tactical suitability to the modern high-intensity football. The Tactical Evolution The beauty of 4-4-2 formation is that it can evolve with your team as it progresses up the league ladder. Formations like 4-3-3, that require many specialized roles, cannot be effectively used in Lower Leagues. But as I showed before, 4-4-2 can change to fit the league depending on the players you use. High-intensity pressing football may not be a realistic expectation in England's National League (5th level in the pyramid). But instead one can use 4-4-2 with a direct approach in mind. As you advance up the leagues, you will naturally get access to more defensively responsible and mentally strong wide midfielders. So then instead of the one-dimensional crossing machines that you used in the lower leagues, you can have your wingers press high. All purely on the basis of their attributes. Final Note My plan for this series is to showcase this tactical evolution as my club moves up the English League Pyramid. For sure, Maslov-style system will not be possible from year one, but hopefully after 5-6 seasons, our style will evolve into one that will survive the test of the Premier League. And move onward, from Non-League to the Premier League legends! Little teaser for next article 😉 Edited November 12, 2020 by crusadertsar 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattric_b Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Very interested to see how you translate Maslovs ideas onto Notts county. I’m attempting something similar with working class Barrow aka “barrowcelona” after being inspired by their play last season. Good luck with this challenge, looking forward to the next update. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusadertsar Posted November 12, 2020 Author Share Posted November 12, 2020 11 minutes ago, Pattric_b said: Very interested to see how you translate Maslovs ideas onto Notts county. I’m attempting something similar with working class Barrow aka “barrowcelona” after being inspired by their play last season. Good luck with this challenge, looking forward to the next update. Barrow is a very interesting choice indeed. Would love to hear about how you get on as well on here 🙂 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TehGoatLord Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 I just started a save with a 4-4-2 feeling a bit sheepish for setting it up so direct with a top tier team. Will be looking forward to how you incorporate pressing into the shape without sacrificing defensive solidity. Can't wait!! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carloshcorbalan Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Hi.... Very good introduction .... See tactical configuration from the beginning, plus its evolution, it would be very good ... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deisler26 Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 Ted Lasso 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusadertsar Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 (edited) If you wish to read the following in its original format (with pictures that are zoomable) then it can be found here: https://dictatethegame.com/non-league-legends-magpies-take-flight/ As you might remember last season, I extensively covered Total Football. Naturally, writing about highly technical, possession-focused system, inspired some complicated tactics. And the teams I tested with, while not world-beaters, were mostly in the higher end of the league pyramid. Leading an elite club has its challenges of course and winning any trophy is never a sure thing. Not even when you're the top club in the country. With Lower League Management (LLM) the challenge becomes rather different in FM21. Not only do you have to contend with low budgets but also shallower talent pool. Yet the feeling of satisfaction and gradual build-up with each success is like no other. And it's something I would like to showcase with Non-League Legends series. As you read the series, you will see the process of how to promote any club from Non-League to Premier League Glory. My ongoing Non-League Legends FM21 Series will be covering everything about 4-4-2. From its secret history to everything you need to know before setting up this formation in Football Manager 2021. Part 1 can be found here: https://dictatethegame.com/non-league-legends-vik-maslov-bobby-moore-and-the-birth-of-modern-4-4-2/ Legends of The Lane Ask any kid what he knows about Notts County and he'll tell you they're the oldest football team in the world. By the time I've finished he'll know a lot more. Jimmy Sirrel, upon becoming the manager of Magpies in November 1969 Much like the club legend, Sirrel, I would like to teach you something about the historic club that is Notts County. In 1969 Jimmy Sirrel inherited the team that was languishing near the bottom of the English Fourth Division and in less than 4 years led them to Second League promotion. Then after a short stint with Sheffield United, he came back to finish the job and bring the Magpies back to the glory of First League, English highest tier at the time, in 1981. And he did this in style, securing promotion by beating the struggling Chelsea side, 2-0. It was the first time Notts County reached top flight since 1926. It also turned out to be almost the last. Jimmy Sirrel and Jack Wheeler - The two legends of Meadow Lane Under Sirrel's leadership, County stayed in top flight for three seasons, but ended the 1980s back in the third tier. Then briefly Neil Warnock masterminded play-off successes in 1990-1991 that saw the club promoted back into the top flight. However they were immediately relegated the next season. Thus missing out on the first-ever season of Premier League football in 1992. Something that I hope to remedy in FM21. No idea why he is holing up an inflatable banana Winning Colours So what do kids these days know about Notts County Football Club? They might know that it was one of the founding members of the English Football League. And the club that is the oldest of all association football clubs (although some claim otherwise). Although it has never been in the Premier League. Despite Sirrel's and Warnock's valiant efforts. To this day, Notts County's 3rd position in 1890-91 First Division remains their highest ever league finish. A club record not broken in 130 years! How about being a club, whose home kit was "borrowed" by a younger footballing brother? A club that has since, in a tradition of younger brothers everywhere, went on to do better and bigger things. And what was this club you ask? Zidane was one among many superstars to play for the Italian giant over the year and one who was proud to wear the famous black and white stripes. You guessed it, Juventus. In 1903 Turin-based club was so impressed with the Notts County black and white shirts that they asked one of their team members, Englishman John Savage, to supply the whole team with them. At the time Juventus, was looking for a kit that was rugged in both physical and metaphorical sense. Since their traditional pink shirts started to fade after multiple washings. And so the Italian club has worn the black striped kits ever since, considering the colours to be aggressive and powerful. One cannot prove whether this assertion is true. But the fact of the matter is that Juve definitely won a lot of trophies while wearing the striped kit. Interestingly enough, in 2011 to mark the opening of their new stadium, Juve invited Notts County for an historic exhibition match. After a spectacular opening ceremony, the game ended 1–1 with goals from Luca Toni and Lee Hughes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZr_f242Jcw Why choose Magpies in FM21? You might ask why out of all the English clubs, I chose Magpies? Surely, it wasn't because of their home kits? Honestly, I'm a big Serie A fan and the colours definitely influenced the choice. But more importantly the current Notts County squad is special for another reason. With this series I wanted to showcase a progressive evolution of 4-4-2 formation. Showing how it can be applied across different division levels and leagues. And as a result it can play a little differently depending on your players. And the Magpies just happen to have a very suitable squad to showcase the beauty of 4-4-2. The true beauty of 4-4-2 shape comes through its versatility. Depending on the players at hand, it can play very differently. The player attributes and unique traits ensure that no two 4-4-2 will look exactly the same on the pitch. Even a 5th division club like the Magpies shows a good example of this. From the very first look at its squad, I can tell right away that the Magpies' strength comes from its forwards: the strikers and the attacking wingers. Cal Roberts - capable of playing both wings. His strengths definitely lie in his dribbling, first touch and passing, as well as acceleration and pace. It is rare to find a good inside forward in the 5th division, but Roberts is definitely one. A rather unique quality, that has also been recently rewarded in real life. Enzio Boldewijn - Cal's partner on the wings. He is an interesting choice as he can serve as both more attacking or support/crossing option depending on which flank you play him on. He can be a dangerous threat on either flank. Enzio also possesses excellent pace for National League. When it comes to strikers, there is no lack of talent in Notts County. And both youth and experience are on display. Our main duo is no doubt Rodrigues and Sam. Ruben Rodriguez is a Portuguese poacher with a real eye for goal (8 goals already in 3 games!). He is perfectly complemented by the Belgian Elisha Sam. The Belgian's attributes are great for this level of competition. He has everything he needs to perform well in the Targetman role. Important Side Note on Attributes One thing I learned since starting with Lower League Management is adjusting my expectations in regards to player attributes. Whereas 15+ may be ideal attribute value when managing at Premiership-level, one cannot expect it of players in National League. For a team of 5th division caliber, any attributes above 10 would be average while anything that is 15+ is exceptional. From this perspective, you can see why I am get so excited looking at profiles of players like Cal Roberts. The beauty of 4-4-2: Adapting to the Opposition The beauty of 4-4-2 lies in how it can play very different depending on how you set up your winger roles or even which players you place there. Even if you keep the same Poacher/Targetman partnership upfront. As that will only set the directness of the game, not how the ball gets to them. So for a classic "cross to the big man" 4-4-2, I can set up with Enzio on the right and Cal on the left. Their preferred footedness and traits will ensure that they will mostly stick to running up the flanks and crossing to my Targetman. Simple enough, but rather effective. But what to do if my opponent is really packing the backline with tall centrebacks or has fast fullbacks? My earlier direct crossing strategy might not work as the opponent intercepts every cross coming in. Or their pacey fullbacks simply give no space to my wingers. This is good opportunity to make a few tweaks to the formation to make it play differently. Firstly lets switch the two wide players. Starting Enzio on the left will ensure that he will cut inside on his preferred right foot while Cal has the trait to cut inside from the right. With two players cutting inside behind the strikers, the nature of the tactic changes. Now it becomes much more focused on central play and passing through the opposition midfield and defence. Thus by tweaking the wide roles and switching players, you change the way the whole tactic play out. Swiss Knife Player I made a decision to not use my transfer budget in the first season. Firstly, we barely have any transfer budget (some 39000 pounds) to begin with. Secondly, I believe that our team is already more than good enough for National League (with many players being League Two-ready). So I would like to use the first year to test the strength of my current squad, to better see what changes we will need make going forward. Finally, I wanted to avoid the temptation of signing half a dozen loanees from higher league, as is usually the case when starting a LLM save. Well almost. I did make one loan signing. Ateef Konate from Nottingham Forest. Funnily enough his yearly salary matches exactly our current transfer budget! Honestly it's a bit of a coup, considering his attributes and the fact he comes from our bitter city rival. As you can see, he is an ace of a player so I definitely don't mind full wages for him. Ateef is not exactly an impulse buy. I expect him to be our potential star. If we manage to keep him as we move up the leagues. He is also going to be our Swiss Knife. In almost all FM saves, I have a Swiss Knife Player. In other words a highly versatile player that can slot in several tactical strata and multiple positions. I find its almost a necessity to have 1-2 such players in any squad. It helps greatly when you want to keep the squad small, manageable and easy to rotate. And Ateef can play in both central and attacking midfield, as well as on both wings. Early Tactical Impressions As you can see from the following screens, we are performing rather well. The early results with initial version of my 4-4-2 tactic look promising as we sit 1st by middle of January. I really love the new tactical analysis screens, especially the attacking efficacy one. It gives a perfect visual representation of just how clinical the Magpies have been. And so far this season we have not actually lost a single League match! Not bad at all. For those interested to test this tactic with your own team, here is the download link: https://ufile.io/x4maoive Please keep in mind that this is the very earliest version which is bound to change as my team make-up changes and we move up the English leagues pyramid. There are also a few minor tweaks that I made in this final download, compared to the screens above. For example now there are fullbacks on both flanks to give more defensive solidity. Also its not a full-blown Maslov recreation. Simply because I do not have the personnel for that yet. But that remains the plan for the future. Do Sleeping Giants Dream of Trophies? Notts County may not be the biggest sleeping giant. Not in a traditional sense at least. It is not a club with a trophy-filled cabinet dreaming about its illustrious past. Something that its city neighbour Nottingham Forest knows all too well. But in my opinion, Notts County is a former giant nevertheless. Maybe even a fallen one. And a club with a history like no other. For not a lot of clubs can claim to be the oldest association football club in the world (founded in 1862 no less!). As well as being one of the twelve founding members of English First Division. A division that was England's top flight for most of the existence of professional football in United Kingdom. And Magpies finished 3rd in that division on two occasions (1890-1891 and 1900-1901). At the same time they won the FA Cup in 1894 and were runners-up in 1891. Not a bad record at all. Notts County team that won the FA Cup in 1894. So for the purposes of this series Notts County is an ideal club. As I was looking for an older club with a long history. But also one that did not win a lot of trophies in its past. Although perhaps one that came close to winning the top honours, but not quite. Always a bridesmaid, but never a bride as they say. Also I needed a Non-League club. And thanks to Magpies timely relegation in 2019, the club starts this season in the National League. That is the 5th highest non-league division outside of the 4 EFL division. Notts County's lowest starting position in its history. A perfect jumping off point for a long FM21 series where I plan to focus on my own youth academy. It is also a great opportunity to try more simple tactics, starting in a "simpler" league. My ultimate goal is to show that you do not need to go overboard with tactical complexity to build a successful and effective system. A tactical system to not only succeed in the Lower League but also to survive the test of the Premier League, eventually. So can I bring this Sleeping Giant to Premier League for the first time in its 150 plus year history? I certainly hope so. And I hope that you, my dear readers will stick around for the long read and stay with us for this tactical journey back into football history. Edited November 22, 2020 by crusadertsar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusadertsar Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Again if you just want to jump straight to the tactic download, then its right here: https://ufile.io/x4maoive , but I highly recommend you read my reasoning first to get a bit of context. And this tactic is far from the final version. So would actually love to see any suggestions or questions about the tactic here. Thanks for reading everyone Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher S Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 The images aren't loading for me - if it's happening for others, maybe look into that? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusadertsar Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Just now, Christopher S said: The images aren't loading for me - if it's happening for others, maybe look into that? Yeah I know it's a problem I had since last year 😞. I think it's something to do with the WordPress format. But if anyone has any idea that would be helpful. The images should work in my article on the original site. You can see the link to it at the beginning of my post. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher S Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 9 minutes ago, crusadertsar said: Yeah I know it's a problem I had since last year 😞. I think it's something to do with the WordPress format. But if anyone has any idea that would be helpful. The images should work in my article on the original site. You can see the link to it at the beginning of my post. https://gyazo.com/08d3b91cdfa978037d11b796db768dce That's from your website Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusadertsar Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Christopher S said: https://gyazo.com/08d3b91cdfa978037d11b796db768dce That's from your website Thanks for telling me. I'll have to look into it. Can anyone else confirm that they are getting the same problem? Edited November 22, 2020 by crusadertsar 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinbad7104 Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 12 minutes ago, crusadertsar said: Thanks for telling me. I'll have to look into it. Can anyone else confirm that they are getting the same problem? Same issue here. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingjericho Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 1 hour ago, crusadertsar said: Thanks for telling me. I'll have to look into it. Can anyone else confirm that they are getting the same problem? Same issue here Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zemahh Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 9 hours ago, crusadertsar said: Can anyone else confirm that they are getting the same problem? Some images seem to work if you click on them (from your website), but looks like hosts don't allow hotlinking. Personally, I find Imgur fantastic for uploading images. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusadertsar Posted November 23, 2020 Author Share Posted November 23, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, Zemahh said: Some images seem to work if you click on them (from your website), but looks like hosts don't allow hotlinking. Personally, I find Imgur fantastic for uploading images. Thanks! You mean SI forum site doesn't allow hotlinking? So if I upload the actual source images here it should would. Or if I upload them to imagur and then use links from there? So if on my website I use imagur to upload pics, then they should work on here as well. Edited November 23, 2020 by crusadertsar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zemahh Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 24 minutes ago, crusadertsar said: You mean SI forum site doesn't allow hotlinking? Looks like a problem with the site images are hosted on. If you host them on Imgur, for example, SI forum embeds them just fine. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusadertsar Posted November 23, 2020 Author Share Posted November 23, 2020 5 hours ago, Zemahh said: Looks like a problem with the site images are hosted on. If you host them on Imgur, for example, SI forum embeds them just fine. Thanks! That's what I'll have to do Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedster Posted November 25, 2020 Share Posted November 25, 2020 (edited) Wow! Thanks for this rtg! I’m trying out a 4-4-2 with Notts C. Defensive wingers(one support, 1 attacking) pressing forwards(support) One wide midfielder is keeping width with an inverted fullback (to support midfield) and on the other side I go with one inverted winger and attacking fullback. Both cm are b2b one a little more attacking since support from fullback centrally. 😅 Edited November 25, 2020 by Speedster 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusadertsar Posted November 26, 2020 Author Share Posted November 26, 2020 (edited) 22 hours ago, Speedster said: Wow! Thanks for this rtg! I’m trying out a 4-4-2 with Notts C. Defensive wingers(one support, 1 attacking) pressing forwards(support) One wide midfielder is keeping width with an inverted fullback (to support midfield) and on the other side I go with one inverted winger and attacking fullback. Both cm are b2b one a little more attacking since support from fullback centrally. 😅 Nice! Sounds like a good set-up for a good geggenpress tactic, a la Maslov Edited November 26, 2020 by crusadertsar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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