Halfback role needs to be reviewed

[talc25]

In my latest saves, I've been playing around using a Halfback, wich according to the description and real life use of the role, is a defensive midfield who drops down into the central defenders and reinforce the defense.

 

In a back 4 setup, the role is working as intended, the player in the roles does indeed drop down to defense. However, if you play with a 3 ATB setting the role is essentially useless. He won't drop back into the CD role it's supposed to. Now this is when you state the obvious "Of course, there's 3 central defenders and he has no place to go back into". Yeah, but that's not the case if you are playing WCB, or if you give instructions so the defender stays wide, opening up the space for the HB to drop down into. What currently happens is that he won't drop down and you end up with a 1 man on central defense.

This is not how it works in real life football, and based on descriptions, it's not how it should work in FM either.

[andu1]

Can't imagine why you would use a half back in a 3 man defence.

The only way the role makes sense is in a 2 man defence.

[TokyoWanderer]

hace 4 horas, talc25 dijo:

This is not how it works in real life football

Can you find an example of how a half back works with three central defenders? I bet you can't.

[Andros]

whilst i agree that the half back is designed for a 2-man CB pairing, how would you describe what man city is doing with its use of 4 CBs?  Yes, I know walker played on the weekend, but there are some unique things going on there.  Perhaps the op was referring to this kind of situation?

[TokyoWanderer]

Oh ok, I guess you could say that what City did at the end of last season with the Stones-Rodri pairing resembles a back three with a "half back" completing a back four at times when they were attacked.

Well, FM can't replicate most of what City does honestly, and it was also a tactical revolution that appeared after FM23 was launched.

[talc25]

15 hours ago, andu1 said:

Can't imagine why you would use a half back in a 3 man defence.

The only way the role makes sense is in a 2 man defence.

As I mentioned in the post, if you use a WCB wich will open to the wing, the HB will drop down to make a pair with the central defender. That's a reason to use a HB on a 3 man defense. And the role is supposed to work in all settings, if they overlap, that's for the player manager to figure out.

15 hours ago, TokyoWanderer said:

Can you find an example of how a half back works with three central defenders? I bet you can't.

Sporting Clube Portugal played a 3 ATB with Ugarte on a HB role.

6 hours ago, TokyoWanderer said:

Oh ok, I guess you could say that what City did at the end of last season with the Stones-Rodri pairing resembles a back three with a "half back" completing a back four at times when they were attacked.

Well, FM can't replicate most of what City does honestly, and it was also a tactical revolution that appeared after FM23 was launched.

It's not about replicating what City does, despite some tactics doing it in a way in game, it's about the role suddenly not working as intended in a specific setting. If the role details that he drops down into defense, that's what it is supposed to do, specially as I mentioned above, if I set my WCB to open into the wings to afford space for the HB to drop down into.

[SimonHoddle]

I don’t really like how it works with 2 at the back either tbh. When I’ve used it my CBs seem to split miles apart and the HB doesn’t fill the space. I think your example requires significant tactical innovation which is beyond the limits of 23 (let’s see if possible in 24). But I do think the positioning needs to be improved 

[Lordluap]

Try changing from Half Back to Anchorman.  Or Offset the HB to the side where you want him to drop.

I get the feeling the A will give you more of the movement you want.

 

HB wont replicate the recent Stones-Rodri movements.  HB is more price Busquets at Barca or Kroos at times at Bayern under Pep.