Struggling to create

[Mushy80]

Aim for the season is to stay in the division as only just been promoted, but I’m struggling to create and conceding a from long shots fairly often p, can anyone offer some advice? I like the 4231 with DMCs, trying to sort of get a Rafa style when at Liverpool with Alonso And Mascherano operating as the pivots in a sold team

[Experienced Defender]

Poor balance on the right flank/side. Instead of Wat + VOLat + FBde, it would be far more appropriate to go with: Wsu + VOLat + FBsu. Because the fullback needs support when defending, especially as your team is a just-promoted underdog in the league.

Questions:

- why Dribble less?

- why Hold shape?

- why Be more disciplined?

- why Distribute to specific teammate (and which particular teammate is it)?

- why Higher D-line (why not standard/default, for example)? 

I am asking these questions because I need to understand your reasoning before being able to offer any more specific advice. 

[Mushy80]

54 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

Poor balance on the right flank/side. Instead of Wat + VOLat + FBde, it would be far more appropriate to go with: Wsu + VOLat + FBsu. Because the fullback needs support when defending, especially as your team is a just-promoted underdog in the league.

Questions:

- why Dribble less?

- why Hold shape?

- why Be more disciplined?

- why Distribute to specific teammate (and which particular teammate is it)?

- why Higher D-line (why not standard/default, for example)? 

I am asking these questions because I need to understand your reasoning before being able to offer any more specific advice. 

Hi thanks for reply I’ll give the different player roles a go so if it helps.

 

ive gone for dribble less as a Team instruction just as not a lot of good dribblers I have individual ones set for wide players who are more creative 

 the hold shape and be more disciplined due to not wanting to be drafted out of position a lot ragas team at Liverpool with very structured with each player having a set job and also with being massive favourites for relegation I was trying to have a solid base. 
 

the distribution to team mate is the volante to try and get him to dictate the game for me when in possession and the high defensive line as I have good pace in defence so trying to use this to my advantage 

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, Mushy80 said:

ive gone for dribble less as a Team instruction just as not a lot of good dribblers I have individual ones set for wide players who are more creative

Going the other way around would make more sense - i.e. leaving the team instruction unselected and then instruct those poor dribblers to dribble less in their player instructions. Because the dribble less team instruction does not look compatible with the rest of your tactic. 

 

1 hour ago, Mushy80 said:

the hold shape and be more disciplined due to not wanting to be drafted out of position a lot ragas team at Liverpool with very structured with each player having a set job and also with being massive favourites for relegation I was trying to have a solid base

Be more disciplined could make sense if your setup featured  a lot of roaming and creative roles (such as mezzala, RPM, TQ, CWB and the like). But your setup has no "exotic/fancy" roles, so asking them to be more disciplined looks like an overkill of sorts.

When it comes to the Hold shape, do you know what the instruction is actually about? 

1 hour ago, Mushy80 said:

the distribution to team mate is the volante to try and get him to dictate the game for me when in possession

Well, that does not guarantee that he will be the one dictating your play. If you want a particular player to dictate play, then playing him in a playmaker role looks like a more logical option. 

 

1 hour ago, Mushy80 said:

and the high defensive line as I have good pace in defence so trying to use this to my advantage

Having fast defenders is welcome, of course. However, speed alone may not be enough for playing on a higher D-line. Mental attributes are as important. Because if your defenders are only fast and nothing more than that, are they going to deal successfully with opposition forwards who may also be fast (or even faster)? 

[Mushy80]

14 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

Going the other way around would make more sense - i.e. leaving the team instruction unselected and then instruct those poor dribblers to dribble less in their player instructions. Because the dribble less team instruction does not look compatible with the rest of your tactic. 

 

Be more disciplined could make sense if your setup featured  a lot of roaming and creative roles (such as mezzala, RPM, TQ, CWB and the like). But your setup has no "exotic/fancy" roles, so asking them to be more disciplined looks like an overkill of sorts.

When it comes to the Hold shape, do you know what the instruction is actually about? 

Well, that does not guarantee that he will be the one dictating your play. If you want a particular player to dictate play, then playing him in a playmaker role looks like a more logical option. 

 

Having fast defenders is welcome, of course. However, speed alone may not be enough for playing on a higher D-line. Mental attributes are as important. Because if your defenders are only fast and nothing more than that, are they going to deal successfully with opposition forwards who may also be fast (or even faster)? 

Thanks some good insight will make some adjustments and see what happens many thanks for your help and detailed response much appreciated 

 

as for hold shape I guess that is to make sure my players stay in their areas rather than roaming around closing down like headless chicken? 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Mushy80

[Experienced Defender]

24 minutes ago, Mushy80 said:

as for hold shape I guess that is to make sure my players stay in their areas rather than roaming around closing down like headless chicken? 

No. Hold shape is the exact opposite of the counter instruction and has nothing to do with closing down. You seem to be confusing the Hold shape with Regroup.

Hold shape makes sense when you want to play an extremely possession-minded style of football (like tiki-taka). It tells your players to refrain from counter-attacking even if there is a great opportunity for a counter-attack. But with the more direct passing TI in possession, your tactic is obviously not possession-oriented, so hold shape definitely does not make sense. 

[Mushy80]

32 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

No. Hold shape is the exact opposite of the counter instruction and has nothing to do with closing down. You seem to be confusing the Hold shape with Regroup.

Hold shape makes sense when you want to play an extremely possession-minded style of football (like tiki-taka). It tells your players to refrain from counter-attacking even if there is a great opportunity for a counter-attack. But with the more direct passing TI in possession, your tactic is obviously not possession-oriented, so hold shape definitely does not make sense. 

Doh thanks for that  made a few tweaks let’s see how it goes