Improving my 5-3-2

[Bellyfish]

Just finished my 1st season in the premier league. Finished 17th but were comfortably 19 points above the drop zone. Looking for tips have to improve the above tactic.

Have dabbled with various passing/tempo settings through the season but couldnt decide what worked best.

Individual instructions: WB+CWB asked to mark tighter, DLP asked to take more risks.

From the datahub I have noted the following:

• Our defence is busy (lots of shots faced) but solid (low opposition conversion rate)
• We tackle less
• We win back possession less
• We do fewer passes and our passing is not very accurate
• We dribble less
• Possession is lost most often from our midfield

Obviously my players are poor in comparision to the rest of the league so I'll see improvement if I buy better players. But what changes can I make to the tactic to solve the above issues?

I am thinking:

• We clearly need to win the ball more. Already playing on positive so I don't want to increase pressing. Maybe add tackle harder or tight marking? Don't think I want both.
•  Need to link the midfield and attack better, maybe need a dribbler to move the ball forward.  Perhaps something like BBM, AP(A), CM(D) would work better? Would like the playermaker to be the central midfielder.

Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[Novem9]

My suggestion is direct football.

• Don't use play out of defence and distribute to CBs. I use 5221 and gk long shots are fine. 
• In transition - counter. But disable it if you need to keep score.
• No higher lines and offside trap
• Attacking mentality (or balanced + direct passing and mb higher tempo)
• marking
• don't sure about more pressing, it needs to check visual

Your players are poor. This tactic is not best for possession.

AF(a)-DLF(a) - both strikers in attacking duties for counter

There is a lot of options in CM zone. Depends of your players. But I don't understand CAR role and don't use this. 

MEZ(s)-DLP(d)-CM(s) for example

WB(a) - WB(a) - both laterals are working for wide. Left is higher MEZ and they create diagonal option for passing. Second is higher CM(s) and around of DLF(a) so there is different interaction.

WCB(d)-CB-CB

I don't sure about two WCB. It's riskly. There is WCB is cover for MEZ zone. 

 

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Right wing of your tactic is very riskly. WCB(s) = Azpilicueta in Conte times + CWB(a). CAR is not enough to cover this zone imo.

CM(a) is blocked by DLF(s) isn't?

Possibly you need to use 5212 if you feel your CMs are not enough support attacks

Cheers!

[kjarus1]

Hello,

Currently playing with a 5212. First thoughts on your tactic:

- Defensively you are not applying enough pressure to the opposition. You are neither counter-pressing, countering or trigger pressing with also bottom heavy set-up (most players are below half-line) which means that the opposition is just having a free-day against your team.

- Defensively all above mixed with a higher defensive line I imagine results in opposition easily coming to your half and exploiting space behind defense. Offside trap can prevent that but in this case you have WCB(S) and other two on defend duties which means in transition they are not in the same line and, thus, offside trap fails. You could remove offside trap and change your CD(D) to CD(C).

- Offensively what type of game style are you trying to achieve? Regardless of more patient or direct approach, I would swap Carrilero to a more vertical runner (box-to-box, mezzala etc.). Once your DLP receives the ball, he needs a runner next to him that can carry the ball into the final third in order to breach the gap between your midfield and strikers.

- Offensively I see the logic here for using Carrilero in order to cover a very aggresive right flank, but what about moving WCB(S) to the left and in-possession have him occupy the space of CM(A) and WCB(D) to the right so he is a bit more protective for your bombing CWB.

[CARRERA]

On 19/08/2022 at 12:55, Bellyfish said:

Just finished my 1st season in the premier league. Finished 17th but were comfortably 19 points above the drop zone. Looking for tips have to improve the above tactic.

It would be nice to know the expectations for your team. I assume 17th is quite a good result for you team, as you mentioned that your players are poor in comparison to the other teams.

So, generally spoken, I wouldn't change too much if you match or exceed expectations. One thing tho I would change is remove Play out of Defence, as it is particular suited to teams, that want to build up slowly in particular, to lure the defending team out of their shape. If you are the team thats under constant pressure (which I assume, as you are the Underdog team), your players will clear the ball more often or loose possession due to mistakes as they can't handle the pressure of being pressed constantly. In addition to that, on a positive mentality, your Team will play their way out anyway instead of hoofing the ball thoughtless.

Edited August 23, 2022 by CARRERA