Target man and smaller clubs

Do you think that having a target man is a disadvantage for smaller clubs? Especially as their players just tend to boot the ball aimlessly upfield hoping to get the target man? Especially as lower league players have lower attributes for their distribution?

My team, Albion Rovers, got relegated last year for playing like that, and now I am thinking of playing next season (Division 3) without a target man, but still having playmakers in midfield, so we can hopefully work up the ball rather than booting it up the field, despite asking them to play a short passing game. We have a good team, definitely good enough on paper to challenge seriously in the league above us - it's just a bit hard to know how to get the best out of them as a unit.

Thanks, and keep playing

Having a Target Man doesn't necessarily mean a direct passing game.

Not if it suits their style of play, and he's good.

The target man is ok. His finishing attribute is 17! Imagine that, and playing for a tiny Scottish club? Needless to say, he is very inconsistent, even not playing that well most of the time.

What about the rest of you who manage small clubs? Do you play with a target man?

At present I don't use a target man. Currently Altringham in the BSN. But thats because of the way my team plays. I use a 442 with a creative midfielder and a ball wining midfielder. 1 of my wide men has high crossing attribute and plays as a winger and the other plays as a more supportive wide player that cuts inside and plays through balls and links up play.

I have 1 forward who's awesome as long shots, dribbling and passing and therefore plays slightly deeper and the other who's more clinical and has good heading so likes to get on the end of my wingers crosses.

Although I am considering bringing in a strong, tall centre forward who could play as a target man to hold up possession and rough up the defence a bit as an alternative option.

The target man is ok. His finishing attribute is 17! Imagine that, and playing for a tiny Scottish club? Needless to say, he is very inconsistent, even not playing that well most of the time.

What about the rest of you who manage small clubs? Do you play with a target man?

I was meaning more his strength and jumping, but that finishing is impressive.

I'm managing a non-league club and I use two kinds of target man. Most oppo defenders are slow and lumbering, so setting a nippy striker as targetman with 'run onto ball' works nicely, especially when he comes off the bench with defences tiring (most of my goals come in the last 15 mins). My other TM is a tall but slow fella but he isn't so effective 'cos none of my boys can cross.

Finishing does not a good target man make, as SCIAG says.

If you want to use the target man to bring other players into play, you'll want good strength, as he needs to shield the ball while holding it up. Obviously a target man when you're playing to head needs good jumping and heading. Technique also seems to help when holding the ball up. Bear in mind that this type of striker is not expected to score loads of goals - one of the better PPMs is "plays with back to goal", so go figure. You're wasting your striker playing him as a target man with 17 finishing; you want him to be the one that puts the ball in the net, not the one that helps others get into positions to get the ball in the net.

What can be very effective in lower leagues with the right players is target man run onto ball - this needs a striker with high pace and acceleration. If you can burn the opposition defenders for pace, this will get you loads of good chances as long as the opposition aren't playing very deep.

I tend to use poachers as they get past the defensive line easier, dribble and get others into play..as well as score. I have one target man who i'm thinking of dropping deeper to get involved more.

He tends to lose the ball a lot; any suggestions?

All in all though, I try to keep things simple when attacking (never roam, short passes, exploit middle) as the quality imo Isn't quite "there".