[What Makes A Goalscorer?!]

All my posts can be found on my blog www.sisportscentre.com

I don't really like the front 4 in your system there is no variety at all. In fact, you have 4 players all looking to occupy a similar type of space to each other. The two IF's and DLF would be better suited if there was no AMC because as it stands you have the DLF dropping into the same space the AMC is in and have two IF's trying to use the same space. I know the treq will drop deep but when you're in possession they are all still fighting for the same kind of space.

If the Treq drops too deep for you then why not change his role? What do you actually want from the AMC, what is his job? Remember though that you also need to factor in the striker because if it's a playmaking type of player you want in the AMC slot, then do you really want a playmaking forward?

You see the front 4 as the main source of goals and that's fine. But how do you see them scoring those goals? and were do these chances come from? In other words, how are the front 4 interacting with each other exactly?

Thank you.

I suppose what I ideally want is the two IF's to be the major goal threat, with the deep forward dropping off to play them in and create space. My other thought was to have the amc as a shadow striker, to create interplay between him and the striker. I thought this may muddy the waters too much, with the ss and if's all occupying the same area. Same reason as I didn't use an advanced fwd as I didn't want the front 3 all clumped together in the box. In theory, I wanted the trequartista roaming around looking for space but as you say there is too much similarity with the dlf and they step on each other's toes (seems pointless having two players with the same job, supplying the IF's, and it didn't offer the interaction with the striker thay I wanted). Perhaps then I should remove the treq and replace him with a SS or AM (a), to create interplay with the striker and use one IF as a raumdeuter to sniff out the space, relying on the DLF as the main creative influence in that front 4.

I suppose I shied away from a raumdeuter as none of my wide men seem suited for it...I have had making two IF's work seem very difficult though. Tried one IF and one winger, the winger got a couple of goals but just wasn't what I wanted in my tactic.

[What Makes A Goalscorer?!]

Cleon, is there anywhere that all of your postings/articles are collated together? Always an enjoyable read.

I'm currently trying to get a 4-2-3-1 to work with my Blackburn side in 2019. I had an idea in mind, which I'm finding hard to implement (in terms of it playing how it does in my mind).

My main strengths are my wingers, who although less effective as inside forwards are playing that role within my system. They are both quick, one is good on the ball, the other not quite so technical. I'm going the route of my striker coming deep, the IF's advancing on and having them played in - with the treq looking for space and opening gaps and the wing backs providing width.

Set up is

gk (d)

cwb (s)

cd (d)

cd (d)

cwb (s)

dlp (d)

cm (s)

Treq (a)

IF (a)

IF (a)

Dlf (s)

Flexible/Counter

TI's

retain possession/shorter passing/push higher/lower tempo

Keeper distributing to centre backs, who are both have decent passing and composure. Had been playing with attacking Cwbs but found they were never used as passing options and were often caught too high up the field. Trying them on support to see how this effects things, or would I be better putting them on FB (a) so they offer overlaps but don't play so wide?

I see the front 4 as the main source of goals, with the dlp and cm offering an 'out' ball and staying deepee. I have real problems with the IF's offering no threat and constantly running in to blind alleys and being outnumbered. The treq also sometimes comes extremely deep and too close to the cm...

As ever, any advice would be greatly appreciated.