Which are your favourite Tactics Creator formations on FM11?

I did this poll last year for FM10 and thought we needed a new one for FM11!

You can see the old polls here:

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/227481-Favourite-Tactics-Creator-Formations-FM10

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/227479-Favourite-Tactics-Creator-Formations-FM10

This poll will just be looking at the favourite choices from the default tactics creator formations. I'm also going to allow multiple voting so that you can vote for all of your favourite formations to use in FM11 rather than just picking one.

As for the options, the poll is restricted to 10 options, so I have had to be creative with the categories. Every tactics creator formation should be represented in one of the options though. If you pick an option with a family of formations (which is most of them!) then please feel free to state in the thread which option you were going for.

I'll also be running this same poll on the tactics forum for those that don't particularly visit GD. I'm interested to see what the results will be.

So, which are your favourite tactics creator formations?

None of the above.

4-2-4 (4-4-2 with AMR/L)

Well, my favourite is 4-2-3-1 deep

but 4-4-1-1 seems to work best.

4-2-3-1 Narrow - Works best for me with my lineup

None of thse from poll. 4-4-2 with AMR & AML.

"Attacking" 4-4-2 where I push the wide midfielders to AML and AMR, as mentioned by a couple of others so far.

Of those you listed though, I voted Narrow Formations (4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 [three STs version] or 4-2-2-2), for the narrow 4-2-3-1 with AMCL, AMC & AMCR. I use that a lot when playing as Spanish teams.

Well, I've plumped for the 4-4-1-1 because that tends to be the starting point for all my formations, although once I've distributed my roles and duties it normally looks more like the 4-2-3-1 Deep when on the pitch. In attack the wingers push forward and the central midfielders act as a double pivot. I find that keeping the starting position of the wingers in line with the CMs helps keep the defensive lines more stable, with two clear banks of 4, a lone striker pressing the back line and an AM either pressing an opposing DM or closing off passing angles into the midfield.

I still find the Nike defence the most effective solution so I very rarely use three at the back, although I might give it a go when (if?) the match engine begins to handle it better. And I've never really got the hang of strike partnerships; I've always had much more joy with midfield runners supporting a mobile lone striker.

The reason 4-4-2 with AMR and AML isn't one of the options is because it isn't a Tactics Creator default formation (I'm pretty sure that's the case anyway).

I've gone for the narrow formations and I usually play a 4-1-2-1-2 or a 4-3-1-2

Of the formations mentioned, I've had tremendous success lately with a 4-4-2 diamond; it's been hard to get used to looking at the big hole where an MC should be and being comfortable, but I'm starting to get over it.

Outside of that, though, the 4-4-2 with advanced wingers is still my favorite; default or not, it's a pretty common formation.

Interesting to see the narrow formations are still looking quite popular so far.

I love 4-2-3-1 and always have easily the most successful formation for me in both attack and defence.

I love 4-2-3-1 and always have easily the most successful formation for me in both attack and defence.

Is that the 4-2-3-1 deep or the 4-2-3-1 with three AMCs?

Is that the 4-2-3-1 deep or the 4-2-3-1 with three AMCs?

4-2-3-1 deep with a RDM and LCM, works wonders for me.

Ah, yes, that's one of my favourites too. I played that a lot on FM10.

Go 4-4-2!

4-4-2 Diamond with N'Zonzi in DM

So we all like flat back fours so far then.

I'm having tremendous success with the flat 3-4-3 at the moment. The two side midfielders drop back to give five in defence which the AI finds really hard to break down. The three strikers up front pin back the opposition fullbacks and are deadly on the counter attack.

The main drawback away from home and against equal/superior teams seems to be low possession (sometimes less than 40%). However, these teams tend to come out and attack, allowing my solid defence to play direct balls up to my three counter attacking strikers and destroy teams on the break.

Against weaker teams its important to encourage the side midfielders to act more like wingers. Setting philosophy to 'fluid' or 'very fluid' and using more attacking players in these positions seems to do the trick. The three centre backs provide cover and allow the other seven players to beseige the opposition area.

My results with the other flat back three formations haven't been nearly as good. I think that this is because they only use one/two strikers and don't pin back the opposition fullbacks, allowing the opposition to use their superior possession more effectively.

Interesting to see the good old 4-4-2 ahead!

Nobody using five at the back formations then?

I hope nobody minds me bumping this as I feel that it should get some more votes and provide a welcome distraction from all of the patch threads!

I like to mix it up but usually 4-5-1, with winger and inside forward as the wide men. Deep lying forward and two midfielders supporting from midfielders.

4-4-2 with AMR/L should definately be added as a dafault formation in the TC.

I have two formations which I use a lot, slightly adapted to each team.

Brazilian style 4-2-2-2. Flat back four with wingbacks. DM/DLP and Playmakers on support and attack. DLF and Poacher or Advanced Forward. Short passing, Lots of creative freedom, lots of roaming plus retain possession on always unless I'm a severe away underdog.

Deep 4-2-3-1 . Counter-attacking. Flat back four with fullbacks. DM/DLP. Support attacking midfielder in middle and either inside forwards or playmakers on the sides. Complete forward, poacher or advanced forward.

4-1-3-1-1 (with AM playing off ST's shoulder) and 4-1-1-2-2 (DM, CM, RW, LW) Closest one is the 4-1-3-2 out of your options

4-4-2 all the way for me at the moment.

4-5-1 have always played this way.

I was playing 4-5-1/4-3-3 for a while (and it was my staple in FM2010), but in recent months I've been playing flat 4-4-2 and I've started quite liking it.

Nobody using five at the back formations then?

Don't trust the match engine with it (or a 3-4-3), which is a sad reason, but there you go.

4-4-2 flat.

I don't know why but the flat 4-4-2 has resulted in some of the best football my teams have played on FM just lately. I've tried pretty much every playing system but 4-4-2 has been the most fun for me personally.

i dont think my tactic is represented in your poll, unless you would call such a formation 451.

-------------------------------------- targetman-----------------------------------

inside forward(att)-------advanced playmaker (att-------- inside forward (att)

--------------------central mid (def------------- deep playmaker (def

wb (supp)------------CD(def--------------------CD (def-------- wb(supp

Usually a straight up 4-4-2 diamond -if- I have the squad for it.