How would you create Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham tactic in FM 23

[Skywalker7]

Most of the tactics that are created before Postecoglou's arrive was based on 4-3-3 but Tottenham has been playing 4-2-3-1 since the start of the season and doing it nicely . I wonder how can I create this kind a tactic in FM engine?

[vrig]

Against Brentford and United I'd certainly have had them down as a 4-3-3, just with Maddison in a more attacking role and Skipp/Sarr more conservative. Most of Maddison's involvements seemed to come in the left half-space, with the 8 often moving over to the right to cover Emerson/Porro. Bissouma looked like a sole pivot to me on both occasions. I didn't catch them today, so I don't know if he changed it up against Bournemouth. 

In FM terms, wouldn't it also be basically impossible to get the fullbacks to invert as much as they do with a double pivot? That could be something to consider as well. Them moving into midfield to open lanes from the CBs to the wingers looks to be a pretty big feature of their style of play.

Maybe like an AP(a) for Maddison next to a CAR(s) or something? Skipp vs Brentford could even have been a CM(d) with stay wider, since he was covering Emerson a lot, though not very successfully. Bissouma behind as a DM(s) would create a temporary double pivot alongside a defend duty midfielder too., if that's what you're looking for.

[mp_87]

It's definitely a 4-3-3.

Sarr plays as a box to box midfielder. Bissouma is the pivot but has a lot of freedom as the ball progresses up the pitch to go where he wants and join in with play, in FM a DM(s) is probably where I'd start from. Maddison as an AP, he has freedom working in the left channel to roam deeper/wider/higher.

Fullbacks a little trickier to get right I'd say. Right back is definitely inverted, defend duty for Emerson whilst Porro is maybe a support. On the left Udogie does invert but it's not as pronounced as on the other side. He also makes more forward runs and you should definitely be using underlaps as an instruction on the left. I'd be experimenting with the WB roles until I found role/duty/instruction that could replicate this best.

Up front I'd say Richarlison is a PF(s), Kulusevski is playing as a winger (not inverted, but as leftie on the right you'll get some natural variation), Son has been at times winger, inverted winger, and at the weekend was more inside forward.

Centre backs nothing too outlandish, Keeper is SwK(d) I'd say.

Positive Mentality, Play out of defence, Shorter passing, Counter Press I'd say would be cornerstones of your instructions. Defensive line starts at default, and would be maxed out against a team that sits back.

Pressing shape would be more difficult, it's a 4-4-2 where Maddison joins the striker as the "2", but as has been frequently discussed this is hard to replicate on FM - different shapes in and out of possession.

Those would be my starting points though.