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Seeking defensive solidity in the Conference.


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Hello, everyone! This is something I've meant to get around to asking for a few weeks now but have been making my own attempts to resolve the problem before being humble enough to seek advice as any good manager should.

I'm currently in my third season of a very enjoyable save with Gateshead who I've slowly developed from relegation strugglers to contenders for promotion through a lot of free transfers, realistic pre-season ambitions and a friendly chairman. As I write, it's October 11th 2011, 14 games played and the promotion spaces are very tight - we are in fifth place, only three points off the top of the league.

In a continuing trend from last season (we finished 5th and were beaten in the play-off final), we are top scorers in the division but conceding as many as mid-table sides. My first choice CBs are some of the best in the division but seem to be prone to lapses. The full backs are a little less solid. We're particularly frail away from home, and seem to concede a lot of goals from corners directed to the far post. I'd like to put my best CB there but the tactics editor doesn't allow me to specify that (I have my full backs standing on the line but that doesn't seem to help). I've tried more conservative formations than our usual 4-4-2, making use of a rigid 4-2-3-1 but opposing teams still find their way through. I think if I found a way to minimise goals from corners we'd be a more solid side and have more chance of getting promotion.

Would any of you be able to help me in making us a tighter unit, even just a tactical hint or two? It's a problem I've enjoyed having but I haven't found a solution to it yet. I'd be happy to give more information re: my tactics/players if that would be of any use. Thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying your own respective saves! :D

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(I have my full backs standing on the line but that doesn't seem to help)

I'd put your wingerson the posts as they tend to be poor in the air. Full backs, better defensively, are then free to man mark or other defensive work.

Check all your Set pieces. Often the defaults can be a bit off. Like having your Defenders run forward for Throw ins makes you vulnerable to counters. If you don't have a good thrower why bother with attacking from a throw in.

With Corners, generally I play my fastest striker in attack and everybody else defending. Thus I have a small chance of a CA goal while being solid down back.

Create an away tactic - drop your defensive line back if your defenders are slowish.

Do you play offside trap - at that level, I would probably advise against it as there wouldn't be a great tactical knowledge amongst yoru players.

Midfielders can have hard tackling in my book. Concede the free's further away. Occasional yellow and reds no doubt but you'll probably save some goals too.

In yoru league you may consider a man marking midfield hard man. Take out the one main attacking creative force amongst your oppopnents.

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I'd put your wingerson the posts as they tend to be poor in the air. Full backs, better defensively, are then free to man mark or other defensive work.

Check all your Set pieces. Often the defaults can be a bit off. Like having your Defenders run forward for Throw ins makes you vulnerable to counters. If you don't have a good thrower why bother with attacking from a throw in.

With Corners, generally I play my fastest striker in attack and everybody else defending. Thus I have a small chance of a CA goal while being solid down back.

Create an away tactic - drop your defensive line back if your defenders are slowish.

Do you play offside trap - at that level, I would probably advise against it as there wouldn't be a great tactical knowledge amongst yoru players.

Midfielders can have hard tackling in my book. Concede the free's further away. Occasional yellow and reds no doubt but you'll probably save some goals too.

In yoru league you may consider a man marking midfield hard man. Take out the one main attacking creative force amongst your oppopnents.

Just to prove my point, we just lost 2-4 and 2-3 away and home against mid-table sides we should be beating... Questionable team selection on my part also doesn't help! Our season's in a bit of a dip at the moment from the promising start we had but at least it's only October.

I'll certainly re-evaluate my set pieces. Putting my wingers on the posts might be a good idea as at the moment I leave them upfield for corners which doesn't usually reap dividends. Both my full backs are solid if unspectacular in the air but better than my other options.

4-2-3-1 is my usual away tactic at the moment but it seems to give the opponent more possession. We are definitely best when we have the ball. I have a few hard men for the middle but they are quite slow and therefore can't really handle being in a 4-4-2. I bought someone to help out especially over the summer but he's turned out to be better as a deep lying play-maker. Thanks for the suggestions! Any more please? :)

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Just thought I should add an update:

Nine games have passed now since I followed these suggestions. I've bought two slightly faster players for RB and DM, put all midfielders on hard tackling, brought everyone bar one back to defend at corners (which, I've also noticed, has led to more counter goals as most opponents now only have two narrow men at the back rather than the wide three/four they used to have) and experimented with a 4-3-3 system. The result has been less goals scored, but no goals conceded from corners and only five goals conceded in nine games, two of those in our only loss which was away to L1 opposition in the FA Cup. We're now back in playoff contention.

I think I'm going to stick with this approach. Thanks again, MelbVictory! You may be the making of my promotion. We'll have to wait and see. :D

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