A world without wings

[skinnymalinky]

My current formation is a 4-2-3-1 (Denmark) which I've never used before so I need a few pointers. My 3 AMCs (AML, AMC, AMR) can all dribble and have a fair amount of flair but none excel at crossing. I was hoping to have them all interchanging and cutting inside instead of going to the byline.

Firstly, I need to know is there is a way of ensuring that your wingers cut inside instead of heading to the byline, and what sort of instructions would you give them. Atm, they are on FWR - mixed; RWB - often; Cross - rarely; TTB - mixed. Each have around 13/14 on creative freedom and 7 on closing down.

The second problem is defensive. Without the ball the 'wingers' are too high up the pitch which allows plenty of space for the opposition down the flanks. I've set closing down to around 7 for the wide men as I'm worried about placing too much defensive responsibility on my main creative outlets. Is it advisable to set them as man markers to make sure they track back?

The team as a whole plays a pressing style with short passing and a high tempo as I thought that this would suit my AMCs collecting the ball from deep and running at the opposition. The only players that don't press so much are my MCs as I don't want them dragged out of position.

My other question is how to play my lone striker. I have to good options that are fairly strong and have a good first touch. The idea is for them to stay high up the pitch and to bring the AMCs into play, but again I'm unsure on how to set their instructions. Currently I have them on default (mixed everything) and was goping to tweak once I've got a clearer idea on how to best deploy them.

In short:

A way to prevent my fullbacks being exposed

A method of getting my wingers to cut inside and dribble

An overall team tactic that is best suited to 3 AMCs that have high dribbling stats but aren't great at crossing

Suitable instructions for my striker that allows him to bring others into play and generally be a menace in the box

Thanks

[skinnymalinky]

Very sound advice, MBarbaric.

I'll make all of your suggested changes and perhaps make my AML/AMR man-mark the opposing fullbacks in a bid to prevent them overlapping into acres of space. I'll also keep players on the bench that can play ML/MR so they can come on and help out when I'm being pressed.

A couple of more things. How should I set my defensive line? Atm, I have it fairly high to allow my 3 AMCs to really press the opposing back four, and play close to my lone striker. But perhaps I should set it (the d-line) deeper to give my AMCs more space to dribble.

Also, how much creative freedom should I set for my AML/AMR? Ideally, I'd like my AMC, who is very good at dribbling and finishing, to make runs beyond my front man, so I'll be give him a lot of creative freedom and possibly a free role, so I'm wary of allowing my wide players too much freedom. However, considering they are good dribblers, I've given them a bit of creative freedom (about 13 or so) in order to allow them to come off their wide positions and play more directly. Furthermore, my overall team instructions are set to narrow but with 'play ball down the flanks', as originally I thought that this might further encourage the 'wingers' to play more in-field. However, I'm now starting to think that this is contradictory.

Sorry for all the questions, the only real way to get my tactic off the ground is to experiment - I realise that there is no perfect tactical framework, and it is all really a question of compromise

[Zebedee77]

How is the second defensive midfielder set up? Is he actually getting forward enough to link up the play properly in the centre? This will give the wide men options so that they don't have to try pointless through balls or get to the byline.

Having all three AMs pushing so high up the pitch seems a little too adventurous as 'standard' for me (admittedly I take pride in 'efficient' 2-0s ). How about dropping one of them back a bit and having the fullback on the opposite side push up some more with the primary defensively minded midfielder on that side of the pitch to help cover (adjusting things like pressing so that he does)?

Is your pressing sufficiently graduated? Harrying up the pitch can be an excellent tactic but my personal belief is that doing it as an entire team is much better than leaving 'holes' between the AMs and the DMs in midfield for the other teams to exploit with quick passing or even a longish diagonal ball. It might be an idea to press in a specific 'third' of the pitch, tailoring which third to the attacking intent (or lack of) you've chosen for that day and possibly even to neutralise the opposition's style of play.

For the striker, for me, it depends a lot on how I'm playing that day (defensively, on the break, control, attacking etc). For a fast one with good on the ball skills, I'd suggest playing it to his feet or beyond him (depending on the weakness of the opposition's defence) with perhaps holding up an option if you're playing defensively, or not if he's a truly capable world class striker who can breeze past his man. For a strong one, personally I'd be looking at him trying to hold the ball up with to feet, and depending on how close the AMC is playing to him, possibly to head if he can beat the defender.

[skinnymalinky]

Almost forgot about this thread.

Barbaric, I've tried your suggestions and on the whole they work well. I'm still having problems encouraging my AMR/Ls to cut inside and make runs behind the opposing CBs. I think it a lot of the problems stem from what Zebedee mentions in his post; a lack of a link man in the middle of the park.

Zeb. I play with 2 MCs, not DMCs which perhaps make me fragile at the back. One of the pair is set to FWR rarely and play short simple passes. His closing down is low (around 5) so he doesn't get dragged around the ground. The other MC is set to mixed but with TTB often. His closing down is a couple of notches higher, to apply some pressure in the middle of the park.

I have a universal mentality for both closing down and mentality. I don';t know if there have been any fixes for 9.3 but I found that trying to set these individually would leave gaps no matter what I tried.

I've been mixing my FC's tactic according to his stats. So far I've had most success leaving most things on mixed. What I'd really like him to do, is to stay in position and make occasional runs behind the opposition. His main goal will be to bring others into play, while the AMC will be responsible for making forward runs and scoring goals.

Here's my team

GK Romero

DL Pocognoli

DC Moreno

DC Mendes da Silva

DR Jailens

MC Schaars (De Zeeuw)

MC Skeljbred

AMR Belaid (Feghouli)

AMC Dembele (El Hamdaoui, Feghouli, Belaid)

AML Poulsen (Dembele)

FC El Hamdaoui (Ari, Kalinic)