Using wide forwards in CM strata

[KCHDD]

I have been trying to recreate elements of Pep's positional play, where the wingers tend to stay high and wide, only cutting in in the final third. From experimenting, I find that players in AML/AMR tend to cut in too early. This tends to set off a chain reaction where the center of the pitch becomes clogged up and fullbacks overlap when I want them to stay further back. Would putting my wingers in the CM strata as WM and customizing their instructions help them to keep the width better and not go narrow regardless of their role?

[CARRERA]

4 minutes ago, KCHDD said:

From experimenting, I find that players in AML/AMR tend to cut in too early. This tends to set off a chain reaction where the center of the pitch becomes clogged up

to my experience, this is not a problem of CM vs AM strata, it is most likely down to a too big difference of your teams mentality and its progressiveness in terms of build up play. So either drop your mentality to slow down your players movement or increase the progressiveness of your build up play.

[Jack722]

45 minutes ago, KCHDD said:

I have been trying to recreate elements of Pep's positional play, where the wingers tend to stay high and wide, only cutting in in the final third. From experimenting, I find that players in AML/AMR tend to cut in too early. This tends to set off a chain reaction where the center of the pitch becomes clogged up and fullbacks overlap when I want them to stay further back. Would putting my wingers in the CM strata as WM and customizing their instructions help them to keep the width better and not go narrow regardless of their role?

yes that's correct. Wingers playing in the midfield strata will be more like traditional 442 wingers. The only issue that you have to think about is pressing. I tried this in a 451 in a high press, and it was difficult to pressure the opponent with only one forward.