Make Josh Sargent a goalscorer

[yourih3]

Started my long term save in FM21 as manager of Rapid Vienna. In the first season, we finished second, behind the almighty Red Bull Salzburg. Before the second season I bought Josh Sargent. He was transferlisted and I needed a new striker. So far, we are again competing with Red Bull Salzburg for the championship. However, after 13 games, Sargent did not score any goal (he played 11 games) at all in the league. One two goals in the Champions League, which were lucky one out of set pieces. Based on his xG, I would expect him to score some more goals. He is also getting in good positions, but the ball doesn't get in. I'm currently playing him as an Advanced Forward, but also tried other (supporting) roles. Based on his attributes, I would expect him as a goalscorer. For example, passing is quite low compared to other attributes (currently training passing). What do you guys think, which role would be most suitable for Josh Sargent to play as? I also added the formation + TI's that I'm currently using. 

 

Edited January 2, 2021 by yourih3

[Experienced Defender]

The goal-scoring record of a striker (or any player) does not depend only on the role he plays in the tactic but also - and perhaps even more so - the amount and quality of support he receives from others. Which - as always - means that you need to look at your tactic as a whole, as opposed to thinking solely about one player's role. And I fear that in your tactic he is likely to be highly isolated, i.e. without proper support. 

[yourih3]

So, to make the stiker more involved, would you in this case change the striker role to a supporting role or change other role around him to support the striker more? @Experienced Defender

When I started with this tactic, I used a IF-A instead of IF-S and a CM-S instead of DLP-S. Maybe this will be sufficient enough when it comes to proper support?

[04texag]

Sargent has been crushing it in my Lazio save, scoring a ton of goals. If you find my club dna thread on positional play, you can see one of the last tactics posted and I've been using sargent in that as a DLFa. 

[dannyfc]

The way you're set-up, I suspect he's simply being marked out of the game.

You're asking him to play on the shoulder of the defence, while everyone else on support is looking to get on the ball and feed into him. It's too predictable for the opposition to read as they don't have any other threat to consider. The system needs more runners (either out wide or deep) to occupy defenders and ultimately make space for him.

At the moment the team is asked to progress the ball into feet of the supporting players, wait for an overlapping full back, then pump crosses into Sargant. He's decent in the air without being great so by the time the defence has surrounded him, and without any other support in the box, he just won't have the space for goal-scoring opportunities.  

The formation itself is quite defensive for one of the league's dominant teams, but if you want to maintain a 5-2-2-1.

• Change the IW support to Winger attack
• Change one of the WBs to an attack role
• Remove both Overlap instructions

However I think you'd be better off going to a back 4 and replacing a CB with an AM to give him more support and attacking threat. There's too much emphasis on the wings currently without the aerial threat to benefit from it. 

Alternatively, as you mentioned his passing isn't great, he'd probably do better alongside another support striker. You could play a 3-5-2, with Sargent as Advanced Forward with his striker partner as either Targetman support or False 9 depending on who you have available. 

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by dannyfc

[yourih3]

Thanks @04texag and @dannyfc!

I will take into account the feedback given, make some changes based upon it and will see how it goes this afternoon.

[yourih3]

It happened: Sargent made his first league goal after two games where I tweaked the tactic! We currently play with this tactic. Like you guys expected, the striker is much more involved in play. I also notice better chances for the striker and the IF-S too (cross by the W-A or WB-S and IF-S finishes). The WB-A is also a very dangerous threat now. I will build from here to make Sargent continu scoring goals ;). 

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by yourih3

[Experienced Defender]

20 hours ago, yourih3 said:

So, to make the stiker more involved, would you in this case change the striker role to a supporting role or change other role around him to support the striker more? @Experienced Defender

Both approaches are valid. Which one you should choose depends on the style of play you want to implement. When I look at your tactic, it seems that possession-oriented football is what you want to achieve. If so, then the lone striker's role and duty should usually be one that makes him more involved the build-up and organization of attacking play, although that's not a fixed rule by any means. But that might on the other hand draw down some of his goal-scoring potential a bit. So it's always sort of a balancing act.