Different Formations (A Long Post About Old and New Formations)

Picking a formation in Football Manager can be a daunting task at times, do you go with the unknown and try a 343 and be a bit adventurous or do you stick to the good old 442. The reason why so many people use 442 is because its familiar and always a safe bet for any side to use, its also very flexible and allows you to change into other systems during a match if you need to shake things up a bit. Another reason why the 442 is so popular is because of the balance between defending and scoring, you can create a very solid 442 that is tight at the back but lethal when going forward. A lot of other formations like a 424 or 433 all have quite a few weaknesses against certain formations were as the 442 can be used against almost every formation there is.

There are a few types of 442;

Standard 442, Diamond, Diamond Wide, Defensive Midfielder, Attacking Midfielder, Sweeper/Stopper

These are the basic 442's that you are likely to encounter.

Standard 442

This is the more neutral focused 442 that concentrates on the defending and attacking ability of you're team, this is a very good starting point for any side to see what you're team is capable of. This type of formation should produce a fair amount of goals as well as keeping it very tight at the back if set up correctly. The wingers in this formation are vital for providing crosses into the box for your strikers. A lot of people also like to play one attacking midfielder and one defensive midfielder to make it a lot more balanced.

Diamond

The 442 diamond normally consists of a flat back four, two central midfielder, a defensive midfielder, an attacking midfielder and 2 strikers. This set-up is very dependant on your fullbacks as they will be responsible for getting forward at every opportunity available because you have no wingers. So at times if the fullbacks are struggling to get forward you might find your strikers could get isolated for periods in the game. The wings can be a problem area at times, especially if you're playing against two very good wingers as they will have lots of space and time on the ball. If you do use this formation ensure that your fullbacks are good going forward but extremely good at defending duties too.

Diamond Wide

Unlike the diamond one above this set-up does have wingers and is a good system to use if you want to use overlapping fullbacks (these are explained further down). The vital part of this formation is the attacking midfielder’s position and the defensive midfielders too. The attacking midfielder will have both attacking and defensive duties; if he does not track players back when your side is not in possession of the ball then you will have a huge gap in middle of the park. This can cause big problems as your defensive midfielder will then move forward to try and win the ball and if he doesn't win it your defence will have all sorts of problems to deal with.

Defensive Midfielder

One of the more popular 442 systems to use is one that implements a defensive midfielder. This offers extra cover in front of the back four and when used right you should find the opposition’s chances are rather limited. This is an extremely useful set-up if you need to keep clean sheets and dominate the game in the midfield areas. The defensive midfielder’s job is to break up play and distribute the ball up field as quick as possible or hold onto the ball and wait until a clear cut pass arises, however holding onto the ball for too long can cause problems especially if he loses possession from dwelling on the ball.

Attacking Midfielder

Another popular choice on the Football Manager series is the use of an attacking midfielder. A lot of people use this system and play through the attacking midfielder letting him get forward and create chances. A free role can work well in this position for the correct player as it allows him the licence to roam and wander looking for the ball. However if you play through the attacking midfielder the opposition might soon see this and make it incredibly difficult for you to get the ball to him. If you realise this is happening then change your passing style to down the wings and utilise the wingers.

Sweeper/Stopper

A sweeper or stopper can be used in any formation or system but is mainly used for a back three rather than a back four and is mainly used in real life by the Italians. For this type of system to work you need the sweeper to be very good for the level that he is currently playing at. If he is not then it simply will not work how it should and be more of weakness that a strength.

I've not gone into too much detail about what each system does as I just want to cover the basics in this thread, but further down the line, we will take a more in-depth view of all the formations and really analyze them, but first let’s cover the bread and butter stuff. The stuff that I am about to write is just a starting point for people who want to create tactics but have little knowledge, I'm not saying these instructions are spot on because they might be for someone else but not you. But this is a good reference for a starting point for each position.

Defence

There are also four main ways to play your fullbacks as well, you can have over lapping fullbacks who are very offensive minded and provide a very attacking option to the team. But the draw back of playing with over lapping fullbacks is your wingers will have a lot of defensive duties to do in a game and you might find you get exposed a few times down the wings when your fullback is out of position. Another way in the flat back formation is to make them mark the opponent's forwards or wingers. These players have to be dependable and willing to give up any kind of offensive play as they will be very defensive minded so don't expect them to contribute on attacks. A third way to get them to work would be to have them work with the wingers (not over lapping though) and get forward to get crosses into the box at every chance possible for your strikers. The fourth way is more of a mixture between attacking and defending, the settings of this specific way really depends on how neutral you want to be, a good idea would to be leave a lot of things normal as that is neutral.

Over Lapping fullbacks:

Crossing, dribbling, teamwork, stamina, passing, off the ball and fitness. I found that fullbacks with these stats do well indeed. Also look out for the descriptions, I like to use explosive or attacking fullbacks as they are better suited to the job

Defensive fullbacks:

Work rate, stamina, teamwork, decisions, positioning and acceleration, determination, strength and tackling

Attacking fullbacks:

Work rate, stamina, teamwork, decisions, positioning and acceleration, determination, strength, crossing and dribbling.

The Sweeper and Stopper systems are very similar and positional look the exact same, but it's what they do that makes them different. You have the sweeper set to where he'll push up and mop up any balls that the defenders in front of him cannot deal with and does what the name "sweeper" suggest and sweeps up any trouble your front defenders might make. Were as the stopper system uses man marking to either mark a striker or a central midfielder of the opposing team. Plus he is expected to play quick and early balls to your midfield to start early counter attacks.

Sweeper System:

The sweeper should have a good understanding of the game and be a leader on the field. He controls the defence, always staying behind the fullbacks. For this to work you need a sweeper who as high concentration, decisions, influence, positioning, team work, tackling and a little bit of pace wouldn't go a miss too. If you can't find a player with the right stats then I suggest you don't play the sweeper system as put the wrong player as the sweeper and you may get crucified, but get the right player here and you can have a very solid back 4.

Stopper System: The stopper is responsible for marking the centre forward or centre midfielder of the other team. He also has an important offensive part of distributing the ball to the midfielders so you need a player who is good at passing, decisions, anticipation, decisions, tackling, concentration, work rate, positioning and a good first touch can help too.

Midfield

The midfield of a 442 formation can be very variable indeed; you can play a flat four midfielders which is very stable and safe. You can use two wingers, one attacking midfielder and one defensive midfielder which are a common thing on Football Manager to do. Or instead of using two wingers you can bring them in to the middle of the pitch so you have two central midfielders. This way makes you a lot narrower but is good if you have very attacking fullbacks who like to venture forward. You can also use two wingers and two defensive midfielders if you wanted to as well. There are also lots of other ways like using a flat three midfielders with one defensive midfielder behind them but if I try to describe every variation I would be here all day.

Left/Right wingers:They are in charge for the crosses in the offence, and they usually carry the ball up the field, since they have more room than the centre midfielders. For wingers you need players with some of these stats crossing, creativity, dribbling, pace, acceleration, tackling, balance, technique, passing, finishing, long shots, teamwork, work rate and off ball. Not all of these are vital but some are. I have already explained in another thread what the vital and not so vital stats are.

Left/Right Centre midfielders: Distribute the ball the best they can to start quick attacks and try to stop or slow down opposing plays before they get to the defensive line. Good passing, decent tackling, work rate, team work, stamina, heading can be quite good and decent concentration are all important if you want them to be alert for 90 minutes.

Attacking Midfielders: These guys are the links between midfield and strikers and play in a very important position of the pitch. The ball is often there to be won in the last third of the pitch, so ideally you want an all round player a bit like a DMC. Some of the stats he needs are creativity, passing, off ball, technique, finishing, work rate, stamina, teamwork, flair, long shots, pace, acceleration.

Defensive Midfielders: The defensive midfields are key players for breaking up play and beginning attacks. Some of the stats needed are tackling, strength, aggression, marking, stamina, work rate, teamwork, pace, passing, acceleration, determination, concentration and creativity.

Strikers

As for the strikers in a 442 formation you can't really do much with them as there are only two of them. So you can play two fast strikers, two big strong strikers or one of each. In these very basic formations, the forwards do no special work. Runs to the corners need to be only occasional, and dropping back to the midfield shouldn't be the primary way of getting the ball, this position is actually self explanatory.

Striker: They are here to score the majority of your goals, remember though, not both strikers will be prolific it usually tends to be just one out of the two who scores the most goals. A few stats to look for are pace, technique, acceleration, dribbling, long shots, finishing and off ball.

Target man:You will need this play to keep hold of the ball and bring others into play and feed balls through to the slower striker. A few of the stats needed for this player type are strength, jumping, balance, agility, aggression, heading, anticipation and bravery.

Picking a formation in Football Manager can be a daunting task at times, do you go with the unknown and try a 343 and be a bit adventurous or do you stick to the good old 442. The reason why so many people use 442 is because its familiar and always a safe bet for any side to use, its also very flexible and allows you to change into other systems during a match if you need to shake things up a bit. Another reason why the 442 is so popular is because of the balance between defending and scoring, you can create a very solid 442 that is tight at the back but lethal when going forward. A lot of other formations like a 424 or 433 all have quite a few weaknesses against certain formations were as the 442 can be used against almost every formation there is.

There are a few types of 442;

Standard 442, Diamond, Diamond Wide, Defensive Midfielder, Attacking Midfielder, Sweeper/Stopper

These are the basic 442's that you are likely to encounter.

Standard 442

This is the more neutral focused 442 that concentrates on the defending and attacking ability of you're team, this is a very good starting point for any side to see what you're team is capable of. This type of formation should produce a fair amount of goals as well as keeping it very tight at the back if set up correctly. The wingers in this formation are vital for providing crosses into the box for your strikers. A lot of people also like to play one attacking midfielder and one defensive midfielder to make it a lot more balanced.

Diamond

The 442 diamond normally consists of a flat back four, two central midfielder, a defensive midfielder, an attacking midfielder and 2 strikers. This set-up is very dependant on your fullbacks as they will be responsible for getting forward at every opportunity available because you have no wingers. So at times if the fullbacks are struggling to get forward you might find your strikers could get isolated for periods in the game. The wings can be a problem area at times, especially if you're playing against two very good wingers as they will have lots of space and time on the ball. If you do use this formation ensure that your fullbacks are good going forward but extremely good at defending duties too.

Diamond Wide

Unlike the diamond one above this set-up does have wingers and is a good system to use if you want to use overlapping fullbacks (these are explained further down). The vital part of this formation is the attacking midfielder’s position and the defensive midfielders too. The attacking midfielder will have both attacking and defensive duties; if he does not track players back when your side is not in possession of the ball then you will have a huge gap in middle of the park. This can cause big problems as your defensive midfielder will then move forward to try and win the ball and if he doesn't win it your defence will have all sorts of problems to deal with.

Defensive Midfielder

One of the more popular 442 systems to use is one that implements a defensive midfielder. This offers extra cover in front of the back four and when used right you should find the opposition’s chances are rather limited. This is an extremely useful set-up if you need to keep clean sheets and dominate the game in the midfield areas. The defensive midfielder’s job is to break up play and distribute the ball up field as quick as possible or hold onto the ball and wait until a clear cut pass arises, however holding onto the ball for too long can cause problems especially if he loses possession from dwelling on the ball.

Attacking Midfielder

Another popular choice on the Football Manager series is the use of an attacking midfielder. A lot of people use this system and play through the attacking midfielder letting him get forward and create chances. A free role can work well in this position for the correct player as it allows him the licence to roam and wander looking for the ball. However if you play through the attacking midfielder the opposition might soon see this and make it incredibly difficult for you to get the ball to him. If you realise this is happening then change your passing style to down the wings and utilise the wingers.

Sweeper/Stopper

A sweeper or stopper can be used in any formation or system but is mainly used for a back three rather than a back four and is mainly used in real life by the Italians. For this type of system to work you need the sweeper to be very good for the level that he is currently playing at. If he is not then it simply will not work how it should and be more of weakness that a strength.

I've not gone into too much detail about what each system does as I just want to cover the basics in this thread, but further down the line, we will take a more in-depth view of all the formations and really analyze them, but first let’s cover the bread and butter stuff. The stuff that I am about to write is just a starting point for people who want to create tactics but have little knowledge, I'm not saying these instructions are spot on because they might be for someone else but not you. But this is a good reference for a starting point for each position.

Defence

There are also four main ways to play your fullbacks as well, you can have over lapping fullbacks who are very offensive minded and provide a very attacking option to the team. But the draw back of playing with over lapping fullbacks is your wingers will have a lot of defensive duties to do in a game and you might find you get exposed a few times down the wings when your fullback is out of position. Another way in the flat back formation is to make them mark the opponent's forwards or wingers. These players have to be dependable and willing to give up any kind of offensive play as they will be very defensive minded so don't expect them to contribute on attacks. A third way to get them to work would be to have them work with the wingers (not over lapping though) and get forward to get crosses into the box at every chance possible for your strikers. The fourth way is more of a mixture between attacking and defending, the settings of this specific way really depends on how neutral you want to be, a good idea would to be leave a lot of things normal as that is neutral.

Over Lapping fullbacks:

Crossing, dribbling, teamwork, stamina, passing, off the ball and fitness. I found that fullbacks with these stats do well indeed. Also look out for the descriptions, I like to use explosive or attacking fullbacks as they are better suited to the job

Defensive fullbacks:

Work rate, stamina, teamwork, decisions, positioning and acceleration, determination, strength and tackling

Attacking fullbacks:

Work rate, stamina, teamwork, decisions, positioning and acceleration, determination, strength, crossing and dribbling.

The Sweeper and Stopper systems are very similar and positional look the exact same, but it's what they do that makes them different. You have the sweeper set to where he'll push up and mop up any balls that the defenders in front of him cannot deal with and does what the name "sweeper" suggest and sweeps up any trouble your front defenders might make. Were as the stopper system uses man marking to either mark a striker or a central midfielder of the opposing team. Plus he is expected to play quick and early balls to your midfield to start early counter attacks.

Sweeper System:

The sweeper should have a good understanding of the game and be a leader on the field. He controls the defence, always staying behind the fullbacks. For this to work you need a sweeper who as high concentration, decisions, influence, positioning, team work, tackling and a little bit of pace wouldn't go a miss too. If you can't find a player with the right stats then I suggest you don't play the sweeper system as put the wrong player as the sweeper and you may get crucified, but get the right player here and you can have a very solid back 4.

Stopper System: The stopper is responsible for marking the centre forward or centre midfielder of the other team. He also has an important offensive part of distributing the ball to the midfielders so you need a player who is good at passing, decisions, anticipation, decisions, tackling, concentration, work rate, positioning and a good first touch can help too.

Midfield

The midfield of a 442 formation can be very variable indeed; you can play a flat four midfielders which is very stable and safe. You can use two wingers, one attacking midfielder and one defensive midfielder which are a common thing on Football Manager to do. Or instead of using two wingers you can bring them in to the middle of the pitch so you have two central midfielders. This way makes you a lot narrower but is good if you have very attacking fullbacks who like to venture forward. You can also use two wingers and two defensive midfielders if you wanted to as well. There are also lots of other ways like using a flat three midfielders with one defensive midfielder behind them but if I try to describe every variation I would be here all day.

Left/Right wingers:They are in charge for the crosses in the offence, and they usually carry the ball up the field, since they have more room than the centre midfielders. For wingers you need players with some of these stats crossing, creativity, dribbling, pace, acceleration, tackling, balance, technique, passing, finishing, long shots, teamwork, work rate and off ball. Not all of these are vital but some are. I have already explained in another thread what the vital and not so vital stats are.

Left/Right Centre midfielders: Distribute the ball the best they can to start quick attacks and try to stop or slow down opposing plays before they get to the defensive line. Good passing, decent tackling, work rate, team work, stamina, heading can be quite good and decent concentration are all important if you want them to be alert for 90 minutes.

Attacking Midfielders: These guys are the links between midfield and strikers and play in a very important position of the pitch. The ball is often there to be won in the last third of the pitch, so ideally you want an all round player a bit like a DMC. Some of the stats he needs are creativity, passing, off ball, technique, finishing, work rate, stamina, teamwork, flair, long shots, pace, acceleration.

Defensive Midfielders: The defensive midfields are key players for breaking up play and beginning attacks. Some of the stats needed are tackling, strength, aggression, marking, stamina, work rate, teamwork, pace, passing, acceleration, determination, concentration and creativity.

Strikers

As for the strikers in a 442 formation you can't really do much with them as there are only two of them. So you can play two fast strikers, two big strong strikers or one of each. In these very basic formations, the forwards do no special work. Runs to the corners need to be only occasional, and dropping back to the midfield shouldn't be the primary way of getting the ball, this position is actually self explanatory.

Striker: They are here to score the majority of your goals, remember though, not both strikers will be prolific it usually tends to be just one out of the two who scores the most goals. A few stats to look for are pace, technique, acceleration, dribbling, long shots, finishing and off ball.

Target man:You will need this play to keep hold of the ball and bring others into play and feed balls through to the slower striker. A few of the stats needed for this player type are strength, jumping, balance, agility, aggression, heading, anticipation and bravery.

The Italian Metodo(1934)

Another modification to the 2-3-5, implemented by Vittorio Pozzo, 1934 coach to the Italian World Cup team. It was meant to be the Danubian style, with which the Austrian team were destroying all opposition, but he had no playmaker -- his centre-half was more of a defensive type -- and thus no source of attacks. This problem he solved by pulling the two inside-forwards back into midfield to start off the attacks and to act as playmaker. His centre-half then took on a more defensive role. This meant that his attack looked somewhat like the M of the W-M formation we will see later.

Advice on the metodo: The centre-half has to be alert, as he is now a part-time "fullback" instead of a playmaker. He still helps out in attack, but just not as often. The two inside-forwards need to have the same qualities the 2-3-5 centre-half had, as they are now the offensive playmakers. The centre-forward has to be more skilful as he is the only one with the responsibility of scoring goals.

The W-M (!925)

The 1925 amendment of the offside rule meant that an attacking player need only keep 2 opponents in front of him and not 3 as stated before. This made the offside trap a much more challenging proposition. If one defender made a mistake, then the goalkeeper would be left on his own to defend the goal... Unsurprisingly, the number of goals scored in the English First Division rose by 43%, from 1,192 to 1,703.

The perceptive Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman, along with his captain Charlie Buchan, devised a system to stop this problem after a 7-0 drubbing by Newcastle. They noticed that it was the centre-forward doing most of the goalscoring. Thus, the centre-half was pulled back to become the stopper, or the centre-back. To fill up the gap created in midfield, the two inside-forwards were pulled back to create a four-man midfield which the Italians called the magic square. The team thus had the general shape of a W of defensive players and an M of attack-minded players, giving rise to the name W-M. The typical W-M centre-forward was brawny and could score well.

Arsenal's W-M was very successful because of a few special touches that Chapman put in: Firstly, his defensive W was a lopsided one. This meant that when an attack began on the opposition's left flank, Arsenal's rightback would come in for the challenge, while Arsenal's defensive right midfielder, stopper, defensive left midfielder and leftback moved to respectively deeper positions as shown in the diagram to your right. Secondly, the Arsenal wingers could also cut in to score goals. Thirdly, one of the inside-forwards was used as a playmaker, to fill up the gap from the loss of the centre-half

Brazil's version of the W-M in 1950 was the diagonal system, with only 2 fullbacks, covering the centre and right part of the defensive third of the field, the left flank being the job of a withdrawn left midfielder who was expected to help out in attack. This led to some defensive vulnerability, but lots of attacking firepower. Its vulnerabilities were only exposed once, by the Swiss, which held the Brazilian team to a 2-2 draw with their bolt system. This was enough, and the Brazilians switched to an orthodox version of the W-M, which proved very successful, taking them to the Final where they lost to a highly adapted Uruguayan team using a sort of metodo which was really more like a 4-3-3.

Advice on the W-M: To use the orthodox W-M successfully, the defense has to be alert, and passing within the team must be good. In other words, as with all other formations, teamwork has to be strong so that communication is done efficiently. Scoring must not be a difficulty to the forwards as there are now less forwards up front, and where attacking play is concerned, the midfield has to help out as well as the movements upfront have to start with the midfield.

To use the Arsenal version, your wingers should have about the same skills as a 2-3-5 centre-forward, for scoring goals is another of the new responsibilities of the wingers. You can use all four midfielders as a bridge between the defense and offense, as the role of playmaker will be taken up by one of the inside forwards. For the Brazilian version, strong defenders with lots of stamina are the thing to have because if the withdrawn left midfielder gets caught out, then the two backs will have to cover the entire defensive third of the pitch.

The Swiss verrou(1931)

Also known as the Swiss bolt formation, the verrou is a system of play that requires disciplined and highly-fit players who can afford to run hard and long throughout the entire game and can act in both offensive and defensive roles. Generally played with 3 defenders, 3 midfielders and 4 forwards, the entire team advanced on attack. Even the defence was shifted up to the centre of the field, in the neutral third of the pitch. But the special feature of the verrou was the defence.

On loss of the ball, all ten outfield players retreated, and their functions were as follows: the four forwards would harass the opposing attackers, slowing the attack down and giving time for the rest of the team to move back into place. The midfield "line" shifted further back, allowing the centre-half to take the position of the centre-back. The defense retreated to just outside the penalty area, and the former centre-back now became the deep centre-back, the player behind all the rest save the goalkeeper. This feature of the verrou, the deep centre-back, will be seen later on in another system.

Advice on the verrou:Highly fit, disciplined players are required, as stated above, along with good teamwork and good sense of positioning. This is not a very easy formation to use, because of the fitness and discipline required.

The Catenaccio(1947)

In 1947, Nereo Rocco became the new coach of Triestina, a small club in Italy's Serie A. Triestina was then only barely surviving in the league. Rocco's catenaccio system saw Triestina shooting up to second in the league later that season.

Catenaccio at its most attacking is played with a 1-3-3-3 formation. The most important part of the catenaccio was the focus on defence. Though not as outright defensive as the verrou, this defensive alignment was also important -- it led to football's darkest era (in Italy, anyway) when sterile, goalless matches were produced.

Three of the fullbacks had man-to-man marking duties, and the deep centre-back, the solitary "1" behind the defence, would be the libero, the free man. This libero would have no marking duties, and would patrol the backline to cover up in case a fullback made a mistake. Almost all of the game was spent with long balls probing the defence, or sending only the forward line to attack, so that there would be enough players left to defend if a counterattack from the opposition developed. At its most defensive, a catenaccio team can even play with a 1-4-3-2 or 1-4-4-1 formation.

Advice on the catenaccio: Catenaccio was a very wary, cautious form of play and is not recommended except when you are David against Goliath... but then again, if you already have your own rather successful style, stick to it

The W-W(1953)

Hungary's problem in the 1950s was the centre-forward. Along with the W-M came the brawny centre-forward, which is what the Hungarian team did not have in 1953. Gustav Sebes, the 1953 coach of the Hungarian national team, changed the W-M to a W-W in the following manner:

He pulled the centre-forward back to play as a playmaker, taking over the role of the two inside-forwards. They were instead pushed up to give Hungary a two-pronged strikeforce. The wingers were pulled back to give a 5-man midfield.

Hungary's national team also attacked as a unit, with the backline moving into the opposing half. This adventurous play was open to counterattacks, via a long ball over the desperately out-of-place defence and speedy forwards. But the likelihood of this was lessened by the even more adventurous play of goalkeeper Gyula Grosics, who often came out of the 18-yard box to clear loose balls.

Advice on the W-W: If the W-W is to be used successfully, you need two centre-forwards, one playmaker, and two very good runners who can play up and down the wing. This is for the forward line. For the defensive W you need to have five alert players who can run well, have plenty of stamina and pass well.

The Brazilian 4-2-4(1958)

We call it the Brazilian 4-2-4 because it was brought to a satisfying maturity in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden by the Brazilians. Brazil showed the world that despite the four fullbacks used, the 4-2-4 need not be a defensive formation relying only on counterattacks. In fact, one of the more exciting parts of the Brazilian 4-2-4 game was the attacking outside fullbacks, which lent the midfield some support on attack. It sometimes became a 2-4-4, and at its best, was a 2-2-6 with even the fullbacks joining in the attack. This added excitement to many of the Brazilian games in the World Cup and was also the main reason why they won every game (of course, including the Final) to clinch their first World Cup.

Advice on the Brazilian 4-2-4: If the Brazilian style of the 4-2-4 is to be played successfully, two of the fullbacks in your starting lineup have to have good ball control, speed, good shooting and passing, and some amount of creativity, for sometimes they will have to function as wingers. Speed is one of the more important as the fullbacks will have to move back when a counterattack develops, or when they have made a mistake. The fullbacks should NOT move back the moment they have passed the ball away. When they have lost the ball, they should try to get the ball back, to proceed with the attack, rather than to mindlessly clear it upfield.

The 4-3-3(1962)

The focus in the 1962 World Cup in Chile was shifted to defensive tactics, and the Brazilian team mirrored this trend. Aimoré Moreira, the Brazilian coach, shifted Mario Zagalo back into midfield. In 1958, he was a winger who occasionally dropped back to help out in defensive duties in midfield. By 1962 he was shifted to midfield, thus becoming a left midfielder who sometimes helped out with attacking moves on the left wing.

Played with 4 fullbacks, 3 midfielders, and 3 attackers including a winger, the 4-3-3 is both a defensive formation and an attacking formation. The Argentinian flavour of 4-3-3, played in the 1978 World Cup, was highly attack-oriented. Four fullbacks with zonal marking was the standard then in Argentine club sides. However, so many players tended to move forward that the formation ended up looking like a 2-3-5 at times. The modified 3-man forward line consisted of 2 wingers (said to have been extinct when England won World Cup '66 without wingers) and a centre-forward. Osvaldo Ardiles and Mario Kempes were "midfielders" on paper, but were really "inside-forwards", attacking from time to time.

Advice on the 4-3-3:To play the Brazilian flavour well, the same things as the 4-2-4 are needed: overlapping fullbacks. For the Argentinian flavour, all you really need are attacking players. Quite a few of them. They must also have above average ball control, and good sense of positioning as always.

The English 4-4-2(1966)

This is a tamer formation than the 4-2-4, because there are less forwards used here. The forward line has been cut down to 2 forwards, and thus no real wingers were used. Of course, play still extended out to the wings, but this was only around the midfield area. This shortening of the paragraphs reflects the amount of tactical innovations in the time period: this was one of the last new tactics to come about. We are, by 1966, watching the fountain of tactics dry up.

England's midfield was interesting as it used Nobby Stiles as a sweeper in front of the defensive line. Stiles's hard and effective tackling meant that the defenders could concentrate on their man-marking duties. England's other special touch was that the strikers' off-the-ball running would draw the opposing defenders away and thus create space which the midfielders, Charlton and Ball, could put to good use.

In the 1982 World Cup, France and Brazil had their own versions of the 4-4-2... France used a sweeper while Brazil used zonal marking and overlapping fullbacks. However, due to the lax refereeing, and their finishing problems up front, these two teams were knocked out by the end of the first round.

Advice on the 4-4-2: To use this formation well, no wingers are needed. The forwards used must be of high standard, as they are the ones shouldering the full responsibility of getting the goals. Off-the-ball running, or decoying, is a good practice. This allows for more chances as it will pull defenders away from the line of action, giving the ball-player a clear path to goal. Faking passes might go well with this

Total Football (1970's)

Pioneered (in the World Cup, at any rate) by the Dutch and the Germans in the 1974 World Cup in West Germany, the team plays as one giant unit. There are no fixed roles in a team (except the goalkeeper of course.) When a fullback has the ball and thinks he can start an attack, he can move up on his own, and any player, even a forward, can help out by moving back to fill up the gap in defense. In other words, the team is not divided into defenders, midfielders and forwards; anyone can do anything (intelligently, of course) he wishes to.

However, as total football is nothing but 10 skilful players having fun, the Dutch team lost its light springy image in 1978 without Johan Cruyff, star of the 1974 Dutch World Cup team, who announced he would not play in that World Cup. Franz Beckenbauer played in the libero position for Germany, and often moved up to join in the attacks, thus bewildering the opposition fullbacks who already had their own man-marking assignments. The German flavour was also diluted when Franz Beckenbauer followed Cruyff and "retired" for the '78 World Cup.

Advice on using total football: This style of play is not really a formation. Rather, the advantages of using this against an opponent is that the opposition will spend their time trying to figure out what tactics your team is using while your team can take advantage of the confusion and (hopefully) score! This should only be used, however, if the communication and rapport between the players is very good, and that most players have above average ball skills. Otherwise passes might go off target, possession might be lost, and big gaps might be created that the opposition can use to devastating effect. In other words, this is an all-or-nothing formation... either it works well, or it backfires badly. Not much of an in-between.

451

The 4-5-1 lineup is seldom a starting lineup but rather a formation used later in a game, when a lead or a tie need to be saved over time.

Sweeper (SW): The sweeper should have a good understanding of the game and be a leader on the field. He controls the defense, always staying behind the fullbacks.

Stopper (ST): The stopper is responsible for marking the centerforward or centermidfielder of the other team. He also has an important offensive part of distributing the ball to the midfielders.

Left/Right Backs (LB/RB): In the flatback formation, they mark the opponent's forwards and are the only real defenders. These players have to be dependable and willing to give up any kind of offensive play.

Left/Right Defenders (LD/RD): They mark the opponent's forwards. In the flatback version, or in more advanced teams these players are used to carry the ball up the outside with the midfielders, allowing more effective crossing.

Left/Right Midfielders(LM/RM): When playing 4-5-1, outside midfielders need to take charge and demand the ball more than usual. With only one forward, offensive plays have to be played over the outsides, since a 5 men midfield can hardly push up fast enough to support the single forward.

Centermidfielders (LC/CM/RC): Even though offensive plays should be played over the outsides, quick passes through the middle can be an effective tool. If at least two of the centermidfielders are fast enough to perform a counterattack, they can easily involve the forward into this play and either win time or go for the goal.

Forward (F1): The single forward will have to cope with a game with few chances to score, for this formation is usually used to hold the ball and win where offense is ranked only second. The forward will also have to fight for every ball in the offense and do a tremendous amount of running. A substitute should be brought into the game should the 4-5-1 be performed over a longer periond of time.

433

The 433 is an evergrowing formation over recent years as more and more teams are using it. The roles of the three forwards, however, are clear. Two should be making runs to the outsides and one either dropping back or waiting for the cross. The midfielders adapt their runs and running paths to those of the forwards. The defense can't count on much support from the midfield.

Left/Right Backs (LB/RB): They are the only real defenders. These players have to be dependable and willing to give up any kind of offensive play.

Left/Right Defenders (LD/RD): They mark the opponent's forwards. These players can beused to carry the ball up the outside with the midfielders, allowing more effective crossing. They also can be sacrificed for a defense with more depth.

Centermidfielders (LC/CM/RC): Distribute the ball among the offenders and try to stop or slow down opposing plays before they get to the defensive line. Also, the offense depends on occasional crosses and long balls down the lines, since the 3 midfielders cannot work the ball forward. These players have to concentrate on holding possession.

Forwards (F1/F2/F3): Runs to the corners feed the offense, and dropping back is usually the only way of getting the ball, due to just 3 midfielders

343

3-4-3 is probably the most offensively concerned startup formation. It is used against teams that are expected to play defensively, or in cases when several goals are needed, for whatever reason. The positions are basically the same as in other startups. The only difference might be that the outside forwards need to make runs to the corners, since the outside midfielders are rather busy with defensive jobs.

Sweeper (SW): The sweeper should have a good understanding of the game and be a leader on the field. He controls the defense, always staying behind the fullbacks.

Left/Right Backs (LB/RB):Mark the opponent's forwards.. These players have to be dependable and willing to give up any kind of offensive play.

Left/Right Defenders (LD/RD): They mark the opponent's forwards. In the flatback version, or in more advanced teams these players are used to carry the ball up the outside with the midfielders, allowing more effective crossing.

Left/Right Midfielders(LM/RM): They are in charge for the crosses in the offense, and they usually carry the ball up the field, since they have more room than the centermidfielders. This time, the defense should be the more important of the tasks.

Left/Right Centermidfielders (LC/RC): Distribute the ball among the offenders and try to stop or slow down opposing plays before they get to the defensive line. Good passing, and ballhandling skills are needed to fill this position.

Forwards (F1/F2/F3): Runs to the corners are the primary weapons of forwards. The centerforward and the opposite forward should break inside to receive the cross

532

The 5-3-2 is a rather defensive lineup against teams who are known to have a weakness in the defense center. Due to the lack of real outside midfielders offensive plays are likely to develop through the middle.

Sweeper (SW): The sweeper has a little more freedom in this lineup. He is able to make runs to the midfield since the defense can get along without him. He should avoid becoming the fourth midfielder though, since the opposing offense can easily adapt to this change.

Left/Right Backs (LB/RB): In the flatback formation, they mark the opponent's forwards and are the only real defenders. These players have to be dependable and willing to give up any kind of offensive play.

Left/Right Defenders (LD/RD): They mark the offensive midfielders, making the game easier for the midfielders. In more advanced teams these players are used to carry the ball up the outside with the midfielders, allowing more effective crossing. The 5-3-2 isn't suited for this, though.

Left/Right Midfielders(LM/RM): Defense prevails when playing 5-3-2. Through good communication, the midfield can win a man for the offense, if at least one midfielder does the defensive part of the play.

Centermidfielder (CM): Distribute the ball among the offenders and try to stop or slow down opposing plays before they get to the defensive line. Good passing, and ballhandling skills are needed to fill this position.

Forwards (F1/F2): The forward basically have to do all the work for themselves by themselves. That means hustling after every ball and dropping back into midfield on more than one occasion

541

The 5-4-1 adds to a 4 men flatback a sweeper, which indicates that this lineup is highly defensive. It is used as a starting lineup for teams that are playing a team with a faster midfield than one's own. As in the 4-5-1, the forward (F1) will have to run tremendously, so that a substitution will be necessary.

Sweeper(SW): The sweeper should be supporting the midfield, since the defense ought to be able to stop or slow down an attack without the sweeper.

Stopper (ST): The stopper is responsible for marking the centerforward or centermidfielder of the other team. He also has an important offensive part of distributing the ball to the midfielders.

Left/Right Backs (LB/RB): In the flatback formation, they mark the opponent's forwards and are the only real defenders. These players have to be dependable and willing to give up any kind of offensive play.

Left/Right Defenders (LD/RD): Cover the outsides of the field. If successful, opponents' offensive game is shut down severely. Since the entire 5-4-1 concentrates on defense, these players should not be expected to support the offense.

Left/Right Midfielders(LM/RM): When playing 5-4-1, outside midfielders need to take charge and demand the ball more than usual. With only one forward, offensive plays have to be played over the outsides, since a 5 men midfield can hardly push up fast enough to support the single forward.

Centermidfielders (LC/CM/RC): Fast centermidfielders with a good ball control are essential for counterattacks, usually the only way to score with the 5-4-1 (assuming that the opponent is considered somewhat superior). It is also necessary for the midfielders to hold their positions and not to fall back too much, because that would crowd the space in front of the own goal to such an extent that getting rid of the ball becomes possible only by clearing the ball: a certain way of losing possession.

Forward (F1): The single forward will have to cope with a game with few chances to score, for this formation is usually used to hold the ball and win time where offense is ranked only second. The forward will also have to fight for every ball in the offense and do a tremendous amount of running. A substitute should be brought into the game should the 4-5-1 be performed over a longer periond of time

235

This formation, also known as the Pyramid, or the classic formation, as it was used for 50 years after its invention, has only two defenders. Three midfielders and five forwards should be sufficient evidence to show that this is an attack-oriented formation. Attacking plays generally began from the center-half, who had usually two options: to pass to one of the five forwards or to dribble forward himself. The defence is manned solely by the defenders (naturally) and thewing-halves, the two outside midfielders, helped out by marking the opposing wingers.

The Danubian style, based loosely on the 2-3-5 and used successfully by the Austrian, Hungarian and Czechoslovakian national teams in the 1930s, was only different in one aspect. The passes used by the players were strictly kept on the ground, and no aerial passes were used.

Advice on the 2-3-5: This formation requires defenders that have good stamina, good sense of positioning, and good tackling skills, as they have to do the defending of the goal alone. The wing-halves should be able to run fast and pass well, and possess some amount of trickery, for they will have to outwit the opposition wingers.The centre-half should have a great control of the ball, superb sense of positioning and good passing. Wingers have to be creative, have a decent aptitude in dribbling down the flanks, and be able to beat defenders with ease, for they are the suppliers of the goals, and must beat the opposing wing-halves to do so. Great passing is another important asset for the winger, as he has to find the centre-forward in good positions to enable him to score. The centre-forward must be one man who is able to get the goals; people who can put the ball over the bar from two metres out need not apply. The centre-forward must also have a strong shot and good passing, so that in case he gets into trouble, he can pass it out to the wingers to try again

352

The 3-5-2 formations are used by teams whose players know to work together. This lineup is slightly more offensive than the 4-4-2. The defenders need to communicate well, and the midfield has to be included into defendeng a great deal. Details are below

Sweeper (SW): In this formation, the sweeper needs absolute control over the defenders. The communication between the defenders has to be errorless, since they are more likely to be outnumbered than the 4-4-2 defenders.

Stopper (ST): The stopper has more responsibilty than usual. He does mark a forward, but he also organizes the defense.

Left/Right Defenders (LD/RD): Communication is the key to a happy marriage and a stabile 3 men defense. These players should be less active in offensive plays unless the midfielders can fill in sufficiently.

Left/Right Centermidfielders (LC/RC): Both centermidfielders play a defensive part in this lineup. They cover for the centermidfielder who leads the offensice plays, and at least one of them functions as a defender when the ball is in their own half.

Left/right Midfielders (LM/RM): Need to call for the ball more than usual, since a team with a central midfielder tends to drive the ball up the middle rather than the outsides.

Centermidfielder (CM): This player needs good ballhandling and passing skills, for he has the control over the offensive plays, distribution of the ball in the opponent's half, and standard situations.

Forwards (F1/F2): One of these should occasionally drop back to support the centermidfielder. Other than that, the forwards' assignment should be clear.

HUNGARY'S GOLDEN TEAM - THE MAGICAL MAGYARS 1954 WORLD CUP

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">"They are the best team I ever played against. They were the best ever."

Stanley Matthews, England's lengendary winger </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Even more than Pele's Brazil, the Magical Magyars was often referred to as the greatest national team of all-time. The side contained at least five players that considered as the finest of ever. Their attack was led by Puskas, the "Galloping Major" and team captain. Partnering him was Kocsis "the Golden Head". Hidegkuti was the first player to perfect the deep-lying center-forward role. Czibor was one of the greatest left-winger of all-time. Boszik was the a graceful midfielder and master playmaker. Apart from having great players, Hungary also plays a revolutionary formation, the prototype of Brazil's 4-2-4 four years later.

Achievement: Reaching the 1954 World Cup Final after winning the 1952 Olympic and completed a four-year unbeaten run.

Team formation and Tactics

DEFENCE

Lorant was the sweeper. Buzanszky was an attacking right-back and Lantos played on the left. Zakarias was a defensive midfielder but concentrate more in defence than in making play.

MIDFIELD

Hidegkuti was the key man of the new tactic. He was a center-forward but attack from a deep position from forward-midfield, combining with Puskas and Kocsis. Bozsik was the playmaker and the brain of the team.

ATTACK

Puskas was the key man in attack, creating and scoring goals. Kocsis played as the other central striker. Czibor occupied the left-wing but could also score goals. Budai played on the right. Unlike the orthodox wingers, both men would also drop back to help the midfield.

Link

BRAZIL OF PELE AND GARRINCHA

1958 WORLD CUP

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> "Individually, the 1958 was the most talented of my time."

Pele </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The 1958 Brazilian team was the only team that can match the Magical Magyars for skill and class. Brazil's line-up, boosting a 17-year-old Pele and the devastating winger Garrincha, also had other all-time greats. Didi was perhaps the greatest midfield tactician of all-time. Vava provided the team with the scoring touch and Zagalo the drive and balance. In defense, Brazil also had the world's best pair of full-backs in Djalma and Nilton Santos. Gilmar was the greatest Brazilian goalkeeper of all-time.

Achievement: Winning the 1958 World Cup and then the 1962 Cup with a similar squad.

TEAM FORMATION / TACTICS

Defence

Djalma Santos and Nilton Santos were the attacking full-backs, making overlapping runs to support the attack. Captain Bellini and Orlando marked zonally.

Midfield

Didi was the chief playmaker who build most of the team's attack. Zito played more or less as defensive half. Left-winger Zagalo frequently dropped back to help the under-manned midfield.

Attack

Garrincha sticked to the right winger, beating defenders before providing deadly crosses for Vava. Pele and Vava played as twin center-forwards.

424 or 433

Link

BRAZIL'S TEAM OF THE CENTURY 1970 World Cup

The 1970 Brazilian team was the best ever, with a forward line comprised of Pele, Jairzinho and Tostao. The midfield was run by the master-passer Gerson and the splendid Rivelino. The strength of their defence could only be rated at averaage, but their attack was so strong that, except in the 1-0 win over England, they always score three or more goals in the tournament. One fascinating fact about the team was that they fielded 3 superb left-footers - Gerson, Rivelino and Tostao.

Achievement: Winning the 1970 World Cup with superb, stylish and attacking football.

TEAM FORMATION / TACTICS

Defence

Carlos Alberto marshalled the back four from attacking right-back position. Everaldo performed the same full-back role on the left. Brito and Wilson Piazza marked zonally.

Midfield

Gerson was the playmaker from whom most of the team's attack was build. Clodoaldo's role was primary defensive but also attack occasionally. Rivelino played mostly on the left side as a false winger, a role occupied by Zagalo in the previous Brazilian team.

Attack

Jairzinho occupied the right wing, providing crosses and also cutting inside to score goals. Tostao was the nominal center-forward but he setup more goals than he score himself. Pele played in attack but would often drop back to "make play".

Link

I think thats enough for now

Please feel free to add to these if people think I've missed one. Or maybe you want to go into more detail about one I have already covered

1. The Family of Wingless Tactics: 4-1-2-1-2, 4-1-3-2, 4-3-1-2, 4-3-2-1 and variations

1.1 It is instructive in my mind to outline some of the positions and concepts which are familiar to all of the above formations and their variants, before moving on to explaining any formation specific nuances.

1.2 The above Family of tactics are commonly adopted by continental sides (although they have occasionally been seen in the premiership) and aim to facilitate a midfield which is dominant, adaptable, creative and fluid. In addition to the midfield, the fullbacks are another key component and are relied on heavily to provide width and penetration in behind and down the channels (helped out sometimes by a quick SC/AMC doing the same). AC Milan use all of the Family and their variations. To highlight their fluidity and adaptability it is clearly a purely subjective matter of opinion as to exactly which of the Family they might start, finish, and play a match with.

The attacking midfielders in this Family of tactics can be devastating if they run with the ball and then either play the killer ball in behind or go on to finish themselves (e.g. Kaka), or if they simply make forward runs and arrive late in the box to finish off a pull back (a la Scholes).

The beauty of this Family of tactics is that depending on the opposition, the manager can clearly decide to make his midfield (one of the key parts) either balanced, ultra defensive or ultra attacking, by playing one or more defensive/attacking players.

1.3 Below I will outline the key positions for the so-called winger-less tactic family. I will hopefully try to maintain a decent balance between accurate real-world information and Football Manager specific points.

It should be noted that the first ‘stratum’ of the formation referred to numerically (i.e. the ‘4’ in a 4-1-2-1-2 for example) is the back four compromising of two fullbacks and two DCs (or a stopper/sweeper combination). The second stratum referred to (i.e. the first ‘1’) is the DMC. The third stratum (i.e. the first ‘2’) are the MCs. The fourth stratum should this be used (i.e. the second ‘1’) is the AMC(s). The fifth stratum referred to (i.e. the second ‘2’) are the SCs.

1.4 Full Backs

As said, a key element of this tactic. They need to be real box to box full backs as they provide most of the width, so they should be energetic, good crossers and comfortable on the ball. This tactic can fall down heavily if the opposition wingers are so good that they manage to either keep their fullbacks pinned back or exploit the gap when their fullback has gone forward. This might mean the SC(s) become isolated and play is forced through the middle meaning that if the opposition plays narrow and defensive there would be little real penetration.

1.5 DCs

Either flat or playing a stopper/sweeper system. Pretty standard stuff and the juicy bits of this tactic are in the full backs and in the midfield.

1.6 DMC

Depending on the team and the opposition this position is either a deep lying playmaker of the Pirlo mould or a tough tackler of the Gattuso mould. Either way, the DMC will look to bring both fullbacks into play and also depending on the type of DMC, might either give it short to one of his creative MCs or may even play some nice through balls to take advantage of the potentially devastating forward runs and movement of the more advanced MCs (and SC(s) and fullbacks too sometimes).

1.7 MCs

Depending on the type of DMC employed, where there are three MCs employed, the MCs will usually consist of (1) a box to box ‘English’ style midfielder combining defence and attack (e.g. Ambrosini) (2) a playmaker either deep-lying or in the hole (e.g. Pirlo/Kaka) and (3) a quick dribbling creative finisher (e.g. Kaka/Seedorf), or a combination of the above depending on the opposition.

Where there are two MCs employed then they will both usually be fairly creative box to box midfielders. The ability to run with the ball and receive it in wide positions can also be useful here a la Seedorf.

1.8 AMCs

These will be highly creative, dynamic, attack minded players who look to receive the ball and run with it, either drawing defenders to them and leaving gaps for them to slide the killer ball through or look to drive into the penalty area with the ball and score themselves.

They will often be given a free role to roam about the attacking third and cause havoc by for example receiving it on the wing (and therefore perhaps doubling or even tripling up that area of the pitch with the fullback and quick SC respectively) and then cutting inside to shoot or pass.

Consequently they must be fairly mobile, and have good movement, touch, finishing, passing and vision.

1.9 SC(s)

Where one SC is employed he will either be quick and creative or a more rounded player who is decent in the air and a decent finisher. The quick type SC will look to run onto killer through balls from the MCs/AMCs and also to run the channels and, in conjunction with the fullbacks, penetrate the opponents defensive line and occupy defenders. The more rounded SC will look to play intelligently and perhaps hold up the ball, play the odd through ball for the MCs/AMCs running on past him, and also get on the end of the crosses from the fullbacks (and/or an attacking midfielder on free role) and put the ball in the back of the net.

Where two SCs are employed they will usually be the quick type and the more rounded target man type mentioned above. The quick striker will often look to run the channels and cross for the target man and/or midfielders who have burst into the box.

1.10 SPECIFIC FORMATIONS

In addition to the generally applicable points made at 1.2 above, I think the following tactic specific points are worthy of comment:

4-1-2-1-2

It is fair to say that this formation relies heavily on two hardworking box to box MCs and a very good AMC used as a playmaker. This formations also lends itself to two fast strikers who can operate as wingers at various points as the formation is otherwise fairly narrow full backs aside (but they have already been dealt with at length).

4-1-3-2

This formation is slightly more balanced than the 4-1-2-1-2 as it leaves some scope for the outer central midfielders to get involved in some wing play should they choose a la Seedorf. If the three MCs are told to hold their position and play a cautious defensive game, as there is no actual AMC in the hole, this formation can lend itself to one of the SCs dropping off and playing a good link role a la Viduka.

4-3-1-2

This could potentially be a very attacking formation if all of the MCs employed were attack minded and given attacking instructions. This is rarely the case however. What usually happens is the central MC out of the three will be either a defensive ball winner or a deep lying playmaker. Either way, the three MCs will usually consist of (1) a deep-lying playmaker/attacking playmaker, (2) a box to box all rounder and (3) a defensive ball winner, or any combination of thereof, opposition dependent. If the two SCs have good movement they can pull out wide, hopefully dragging their markers with them and leave a big gap for the AMC (and/or runners from MC) to exploit.

4-3-2-1

Affectionately known as ‘The Christmas Tree’, this formation is perhaps the most interesting out of the family of wingless tactics. The two AMCs are crucial here. They will be given free roles to either pull wide, run past the lone striker, or occupy the space in ‘the hole’ and generally look to receive the ball and/or pull markers out of position and then cause havoc by either passing or dribbling and finishing. They can do this because they are backed up by the three MCs behind them.

A nice contribution

Cheers for the compliment Cleon Have been a user since Champ Man Italia but (absurdly) was only made aware of the existence of these forums a few months ago, and even then only joined to have a quick peak (hence the the username - picked the first thing that came into my head!) So at that point I'd kind of missed the boat on much of the FM2007 discussion and developments. But since then I've developed a big fondness for the community and will hopefully try to contribute a fair bit on FM2008 if I can. Is there any way I can change my user name to something less flippant? Cheers.

Check your email, the gmail one

Cheers

Very nice post..doing my cameo's poppin in here and there..

Has anyone got more information on the 4-2-3-1?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rashidi1:

Very nice post..doing my cameo's poppin in here and there.. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Cheers Rash Happy to write up some more should there be need.

4-2-3-1

Usually a defensive formation as it only uses one player up front. But, it is very flexible as the AML/R can either go forward and support the lone ST or drop back to create a five man midfield. Played to keep posession/slow build up/control the game, but it is also used as a good counter attacking formation

It contains a normal back for, two CM's/DM's, AML/R, AMC and ST. Depending on how you want to play the CM's can either both stay back and be strong/good tacklers etc, or you could have one DM type (De Rossi) and one more creative DM type (Pirlo). Again depending on style, fullbacks either just defend or they can go forward aswell. AMC, is very important as he is the link between the midfield and the attack. Should be creative, good passer, good decisions etc (Kaká/Diego/Riquelme type). Finally, the ST. I prefer a big, strong all-rounder up front (Drogba/Torres), but you can also play a fast striker and get it forward quicker.

Used a lot in Europe, by many teams especially Spain/France/Italy.

Good work fella

All off the top of my head

Incredible thread Cleon! Very well explained and innovative formations, albeit some of them are difficult to make (successfully!).

Had to dig deep to bring this back

you forgot the third greatest team of all time : (

but rashidi covered it in one of his topics

Has anyone ever tried to play total football in FM? It would be amazing to do so but on FM i dont even know where to start lol

awesome to see some analysis of classic teams/tactics

I'll reopen this

1970 Brazil

The Brazilian vision of the 4-4-2 system had strong tactical development with the Head Coach of the Brazilian National team during the 1978 World Cup, Claudio Coutinho. His concept of the counter attack with the fullbacks and constant circulation in the middle was a tremendous step in the development of the Brazilian Football Philosophy played today. Brazil had won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962 without too much concentration on tactics. At that time the individual skill of the Brazilian player was enough to generate that success. It was during the 1966 World Cup in England that the 4-3-3 Brazilian tactical system proved ineffective against very organized man to man marking and very strong and fit teams sach as Germany, England, Portugal, etc. As the physical conditioning trainer of the Brazilian National team during the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, Claudio Coutinho saw coach Zagalo start a very effective way to confuse the opposite defense. Zagalo had too many good players in the middle, and the idea was to bring back left forward Rivelino, who was called “the false wing†to help to build the attack with short passes. He would drop to the midfield zone, creating an open space, allowing Tostao (CF) or any other player to penetrate in his back space. Zagalo had to find a way to organize so many good players without harming their performance. Zagalo was creating the concept of play without the ball in open space. With players such as Pele, Gerson, Rivelino and Tostao rotating in that open space, carrying their defenders with them, the space in the middle was open to Pele, who could penetrate as the center forward on the space left by Tostao. Pele could do the finishing or the penetrating and had had Jairzinho as the opposite point of attack always right forward in fast counter attacks. Zagalo was creating the first variation of the 4-4-2 system and it was very successful. Brazil won the 1970 World Cup playing very offensive football, with the first real tactical organisation, coupled with the quality of technical skills and physical conditioning.

Hopefully I made this clear enough. I'm sorry if I didn't. I'm going to try and cover Brazil though the years.

Thanks for reading.

Thanks for the contribution

could you give a more specific details about 4-3-3.

Like the instruction for the playe?

I'm using 4-3-3 on Ipswich Town in FM07, I used almost the same instruction on FM08 but the they play are somewhat differ so much.

In FM07 my team were so aggressive. The 2 cm, right and left manage to get 7-10 tackles per game. While in FM08 I see only 2-3 tackles.

What I clearly see is the lack of aggressiveness . I put closing down to often to all of my cm and my right and left wingback. Also to my right forward and left fwd.

Thx in advance

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Cleon:

235

This formation, also known as the Pyramid, or the classic formation, as it was used for 50 years after its invention, has only two defenders. Three midfielders and five forwards should be sufficient evidence to show that this is an attack-oriented formation. Attacking plays generally began from the center-half, who had usually two options: to pass to one of the five forwards or to dribble forward himself. The defence is manned solely by the defenders (naturally) and thewing-halves, the two outside midfielders, helped out by marking the opposing wingers.

The Danubian style, based loosely on the 2-3-5 and used successfully by the Austrian, Hungarian and Czechoslovakian national teams in the 1930s, was only different in one aspect. The passes used by the players were strictly kept on the ground, and no aerial passes were used.

Advice on the 2-3-5: This formation requires defenders that have good stamina, good sense of positioning, and good tackling skills, as they have to do the defending of the goal alone. The wing-halves should be able to run fast and pass well, and possess some amount of trickery, for they will have to outwit the opposition wingers.The centre-half should have a great control of the ball, superb sense of positioning and good passing. Wingers have to be creative, have a decent aptitude in dribbling down the flanks, and be able to beat defenders with ease, for they are the suppliers of the goals, and must beat the opposing wing-halves to do so. Great passing is another important asset for the winger, as he has to find the centre-forward in good positions to enable him to score. The centre-forward must be one man who is able to get the goals; people who can put the ball over the bar from two metres out need not apply. The centre-forward must also have a strong shot and good passing, so that in case he gets into trouble, he can pass it out to the wingers to try again </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

This is one very possible formation in FM2008. I tested it out with Liverpool and it became an intensely attacking formation.

The key lies in giving the right players barrow instructions. These would be include all 3 midfielders, who should be barrowed. Upfront its even more interesting.

How did you set up the front 5? When I tried it, I had the outer strikers drop back to AML/AMR with barrows and same for the central striker to AMC. It was pretty prolific, but I only did it on a test game not my proper career one. Although I might attempt this again once I get a bit better players