Formation Questions

I'm always very curious about how other people play the game, so with this in mind...

...tell me, what is your favourite formation in FM08?

Do you always tend to play the game with one formation or do you regularly change?

Do you pick your formation based upon your players or based upon the style of football you wish to play?

Finally, what is your all time favourite CM/FM formation?

Personally, I tend to alter my formation based upon my team but I always favour certain styles. In FM07 it was the 4-4-2 diamond with two wingers. In FM08, I have found the 4-4-1-1 to be far more effective.

I usually attempt to build my squad around a favourite formation and I tend to keep the same formation unless I simply don't have the players to fit it anymore due to player sales or having certain types of players that fit into other systems better.

Be interested in hearing your answers.

4-4-2, the best. Two strikers=lots of goals. Especially with Nathan Jarman. But i do like to set the players mentallity and stuff like that.

4-1-4-1

thats what i always use. solid counter attacking football.

if i find i lose a few key players and am letting in sloppy goals i go for 3 CB 2WB 1DM 3CM 1FC (3-3-3-1? or 5-1-3-1?) that way i grind out 1-0 victories.

goes for any team, een if i was at barca or arsenal i never play free flowing fancy football.

My favourite formation ever was my 3-1-4-2 on FM 05-07.

I'll set my formation to suit the positions of my best players (to start with)

ie. Just taken over at Everton in 2032, and having to use a 4-1-2-2-1 formation.

Gradually I'll add another striker to that, and set up with a 4-4-2, which changes slightly before every game, then at least 3 or 4 times during each game.

On FM08 I have mainly been using a 4-2-3-1 system similar to the one Liverpool used last season. My side scores loads of goals with the 4 attack minded players and doesnt concede so many because of the 6 defensive minded players.

gmb01512 - I take it that is a 4231 system with AMR/AMC/AML?

Swarfega - Interesting approach. I tend to keep my formation as consistent as possible. Is your 4-1-2-2-1 a narrow system or one with wingers? I played a narrow system similar to that recently and it was awful for my team!

C.

Usually 4-1-4-1 but will use 4-2-2-2 ocassionally.

Originally posted by crouchaldinho:

gmb01512 - I take it that is a 4231 system with AMR/AMC/AML?C.

The 3 attacking midfielders are all in the narrow A/M positions with forward arrows.

Originally posted by crouchaldinho:

Swarfega - Interesting approach. I tend to keep my formation as consistent as possible. Is your 4-1-2-2-1 a narrow system or one with wingers? I played a narrow system similar to that recently and it was awful for my team!

C.

I've yet to play a game! So I'm not sure yet. The wingers at the club are not use to me, so my hand has been forced. I'll just play narrow and direct until my personnel improves

As a rule, I've always believed that your tactics should be crafted to your players, not the other way around.

I'm usually a 4-4-2 guy. But in my current game I just took over at Saturn in the Russian Premier League, and I found the squad set to a 4-2-3-1, with 3 AMCs, so I decided to go with it for the time being. There is an abundance of strikers on the squad, so it won't take much tinkering to nudge it over to a 4-4-2 if I decide to go that way. My biggest need before I can to that is a good ML or AML. But I'm resisting the urge to make the change, in part because I'd like to try some new tactical ideas, and this gives me the chance to do just that.

Originally posted by SWaRFeGa:

I've yet to play a game! So I'm not sure yet. The wingers at the club are not use to me, so my hand has been forced. I'll just play narrow and direct until my personnel improves

Good luck with that then!

I found that I just wasn't creating enough chances with that narrow formation. However, my squad isn't brilliant. You'll probably be alright with some class AMCs!

C.

my fave was 4-3-3 with the right and left back on farrows and direct ball on the very first champ man won everything with middlesboro except european cup (now known as champions league)but now recently been told there was a bug where you couldnt win it anyway

I using 3-1-4-2 FORMATIONS with AT. Madrid, been banging 38 Goals in just 11 Games and at the Top o League!

My two striker are Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan

In FM08 I have favoured the 4-1-2-2-1, as long as the striker is good enough. Used this with Man City and used Huntelaar as the lone striker, worked a treat, managed 3rd in my first season.

However with my Chippenham game in dafuges challenge the good old 4-4-2 is working fine.

I usually use 3-1-4-2. The 2 wide oplayers in the 4 have long arrows forward. I play attacking a quick tempo with short/mixed passes.