Southampton 4-4-2 / 4-2-2-2 help

[Gilberto Silva]

I started a new Southampton game attempting to continue the 4-4-2 / 4-2-2-2 shape they use in real life. I had asked about this before, but this is a whole new game whole new tactic. 

Current tactic I am using is below, the only real PI's I have are for the full-backs to stay wider (LB crossing from deeper, don't want him pushing too far upfield.) and the wingers to both sit narrower in possession. We won 5 of our opening 7 games using a combination of this tactic and another in which I push the AML/AMR to ML/MR respectively. Although since then, it has fallen apart and I have lost 6 in a row and then drawn the last game. 

Can anybody spot any obvious weaknesses that I could adjust? My first thinking was possibly switching Ward-Prowse to a DLP-D in order to keep those two CM's holding and shielding the two centre-backs. I thought having Bertrand as a more conservative full-back would help defensively but we have been shipping goals for fun (21 goals conceded in 5 games).

Any advice would be welcomed. 

[Experienced Defender]

13 minutes ago, Gilberto Silva said:

an anybody spot any obvious weaknesses that I could adjust?

The left back's role is too conservative to properly and consistently support his wide partner (who is inside-oriented), especially in a short-passing/possession-oriented style like yours. I would switch him to WB on support duty.

Tight marking makes no sense for your tactical style + does not go hand in hand with aggressive pressing. Therefore, my suggestion is to remove the instruction. 

There is basically no need to instruct the keeper how and to whom specifically to distribute the ball when you already have both the Play out of defence and short passing turned on. Because you are limiting his options too much, which in certain situations can be too risky and thus potentially backfire.

A simple "rule": do not make a tactic more complicated than necessary and do not take more risk overall than necessary. 

[Experienced Defender]

23 minutes ago, Gilberto Silva said:

but we have been shipping goals for fun (21 goals conceded in 5 games)

Because your tactical style is probably too demanding for a team like Southampton + overly aggressive defensive TIs you are using would be risky even for much stronger teams.

[josel15]

I would put the wingers in the ML/MR strata and give different roles to the midfield, for starters.

A CM(D)/DLP(S) or CM(D)/CM(S) with the CM(s) with old position would create a truer double pivot. A B2B will roam a lot.

[Gilberto Silva]

21 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

The left back's role is too conservative to properly and consistently support his wide partner (who is inside-oriented), especially in a short-passing/possession-oriented style like yours. I would switch him to WB on support duty.

Tight marking makes no sense for your tactical style + does not go hand in hand with aggressive pressing. Therefore, my suggestion is to remove the instruction. 

There is basically no need to instruct the keeper how and to whom specifically to distribute the ball when you already have both the Play out of defence and short passing turned on. Because you are limiting his options too much, which in certain situations can be too risky and thus potentially backfire.

A simple "rule": do not make a tactic more complicated than necessary and do not take more risk overall than necessary. 

Thanks for the advice.

In what scenarios would tighter marking be best utilised?

[YLSFM00]

51 minutes ago, Gilberto Silva said:

In what scenarios would tighter marking be best utilised?

Tight marking is best utilised in a low block style with a bottom heavy formation, so, for such a system like the Hasenhuttl 4-4-2/4-2-2-2, which is an attack minded one, it wouldn't work very well.