Instructions for an offside breaking ST

[Diegas]

So I got a striker with good pace, acc, finishing and composure(maybe smth else is needed?). Also got him to learn 'tries to beat offside trap' PPM.

But still, he gets the ball, sometimes runs a bit and then tries some dribling to the sides or waiting other players. While I want him just to run and hit the ball!

I have set:

Forward runs and run with ball to max, everything else to rarely

Mentality max attacking, creative freedom almost at none and closing down all pitch.

Am I missing here smth? Any ideas for a perfect instructions for a 'run and bang' guy?

[SFraser]

I personally would say that Acceleration, Agility, Anticipation, Decisions and Off The Ball are the key components of a player that can beat a defence with sharp movement.

To get a player clean though on goal you are looking to either completely by-pass the defence with the perfect through-ball or you need to suck defenders out of position and get the player running into the space that has been created. Either way you need to provide the pass for the player to receive and have some means of breaching the defence.

However a player that has the attributes to beat a high line defence with pace and movement will usually have the attributes to beat a deep sitting defender around his own 18 yard box, and this doesn't require the same kind of intricate team moves or Scholes like vision and technique. Instead of having to beat the entire defensive unit and slide it past a prepared keeper the same player on the 18 yard line only has to beat a marker and a likely unprepared keeper. Anelka is a good example of a player whose raw pace frightens defences into sitting deep, but whose agility and finishing makes him equally lethal when man marked on the edge of the box.

[lam]

I would set him up as follows.

target man - supply - run onto ball.

Mid low creative.

Run with ball mixed

LS rare

TTB rare

FRW often (lower to mixed if offside alot)

Cross ball rare

cross from DEEP - important. You mentioned he was running off to the wing. Even if you creative freedom is low and you have rare crossing. If he has to cross he will go where you have set this because your CF is so low.

HUB - off

With your CF so low, you need to be carefull about giving him any often instructions. He may be more willing to take a tough shot if his RWB is mixed and not often

Also.... SFraser mentioned. Anticipation is key too. He needs to know when to break the trap.

Also... take note of the opposition DLine. If its low, breaking the trap is going to be very tough indeed unless you are drawing them onto you first with your own Dline and then countering very fast. However, if a team has a deep DLine then the chances are they are not attacking you that much.

Hope some of that helped.

Lee

[Diegas]

target man - supply - run onto ball.

Maybe this is the problem, cause it doesnt suit me. Cause, you see, I want only this one player to play on fast attacks, not whole tactics. I use 4-4-2 and my main goal sources are: cross+header from my main striker or long shot from someone ariving late in the box. Besides its quite a possesion football.

So the idea is ocassionally for only this one ST to have a chance when opposition comes at me. The long ball from defending players comes well for him, but still, when he gets the ball, hes not rushing at goal... he dribles to the flank or waits for other players. Thats quite stupid... And I never have fast attacks.

I wonder if it could be because of global team instructions? Tempo(at 12)/time wasting(at 5) or counterattack box checking?

[Diegas]

Dunno if I wrote this understandably, cause read now myself and understood little

My point is: normal tactics, but one player lurking for opportunities with the oppositions the D-line when opposition is pressing (or taking corner) and when he gets one - runs and guns (not some other imbecile-like decision in that situation ).

[RobinGoodey]

If you want him to run with the ball and then take a shot - why have you got his Long shots on rarely? You're contradicting yourself there - he will need at least mixed long shots

[Diegas]

I dont want him to make long shots, I want him to go one-on-one on keeper. There are tons of better ways to score than a long shot if you break the offside trap.

[Assenuma]

Robin is right. If you want the guy to take the ball and score, you need to allow him long shots (set it at normal at least). Otherwise the player gets tired running and waits for help or goes to the wing away from the defenders. He should be a lot faster with great dribbling and stamina to do what you need him to do every time. Allow him some shots...

Thierry Henry said after his first season with Barca that he scored less because he would run for 40-60 meters from the wing to get into scoring position which tired him a lot and prevented him from taking good shots. Your problem seems to be similar.

Also, your player needs great dribbling and first touch which help him to get away with the ball. I play in the low divisions of England and I have a very fast striker who I play a similar way you do. However his first touch is so appalling that he dallies on the ball every time he receives a through ball. Defenders have the time to go back and take the ball