Feedback on my tactical ideas

Hi guys.

I did really well on FM08 with my own tactics, but iv'e been taken back by FM09 (). It just seems impossible. I win all the pre-season games by 11-0, 9-0, 5-0 etc etc, but when the first league game comes along, I get beaten by Hull everytime

So..........

Iv'e read through the TT&F 09 thread and im still having massive problems with tactics.....

Im gonna detail a new tactic I quite fancy and was wondering if people could have a quick look and tell me what they think please?

Its a standard 4-3-3 with a flat back four, flat three in the centre and a flat three up-top, played narrow and at a slow tempo.

The central midfielders are all defensive quality players (Kompany, Veloso & Palombo) and their job would be to pass short (low mixed on the slider), tackle hard and rarely Shoot long or use through balls. for FWR & RWB, they will have mixed on the slider. The creative setting would be about a 6 and the mentality about a ten. Crossing for all these players would be mixed and from deep positions on the pitch. Tackling would be set at normal with closing down at 10.

Up top on the left and right the players would have a mentality of about 15, but again with a low creativity setting of about 6. their passing would be set to low short. The central striker (Robinho) would have a backwards arrow and ticked for freerole & playmaker. He would have a mentality setting of around 12, but with full RWB and through balls (FWR would be set at mixed) and a creativity setting of 15 (only player with a high creativity setting). Robinho's passing would be mixed (middle of slider). Crossing from Robinho would be mixed and deep. For the other two strikers higher up, crossing would be mixed, from the byline. Closing down from all players set at maximum with tackle hard.

The back four would be very defensive and all have the the same settings of mentality 7, creativity 5, rare RWB, FWR, LS & Through ball. They would rarely cross from deep and the passing set at short on the slider. Closing down would be set to about 5.

On the team settings, I would simply choose to select playmaker and man marking/ tight. For the three strikers however, I would change this to loose/ zonal. Passing would be focused mixed ans time wasting at about 7 with a deep defensive line.

So, on them tactics, what do you think as a starting point? Hopefully the tactics should be very disciplined and the team should control the possession without letting much past.

Thank you for tacking the time to read this and I appreciate any feedback

Thinking on abit more.

Would it be better to have the defenders pass high direct (very close to long ball)?

It would mean less control, but the ball would be with our defence much less.....

Hi mate.

There's only one way to see if your system works - try it! ;-)

My advice for a 4-3-3 formation is as follows.

A 4-3-3 is almost two formations really. A 4-3-3 in attack, and a 4-5-1 in defence so chose your forwards wisely - they will need to track back and assist in defending when you do not have the ball - the extra player in midfield allows for a stronger defence.

I would use a DMC sandwich in between two AMC in the middle. Your DMC must be a really good player for this system to work, who is able to hold their position, disrupt the oppositions attack and maintain possession offering support in front of the defensive line and support behind the two other central midfielders and attackers. The defensive central midfielder should be able to read the phases of play effectively and have good awareness of passing options and they must be disciplined in maintaining and organizing shape, balance and depth to their team.

A narrow formation is good as you want your midfielders close together to protect the defence - bare in mind a 4-3-3 can also be a more defensive formation (remember Greece in Euro 2004?).

Many people (IMO) make a mistake of playing 3 strikers up top but I only use wingers, idealy you would have AML(ST) & AMR(ST) either side of a target man (all round striker).

The two wingers must be good at dribbling and flair and set to run with ball often and also comfortable dropping back and getting stuck in when needed - man marking might be needed here.

I like my 4-3-3 teams to press for the ball pretty high up the pitch so I would have a slightly high defensive line with closing down pretty high. The key to 4-3-3 is winning the ball back, then counter attacking with width so you want to play ball down wings and have counter attack on with a direct style of play.

That's all I can think of for now - good luck!

The system you're proposing seems to see the "back 4" as a separate entity to the rest of the squad. While it may seem logical to keep all 4 players back, playing tight and hitting the ball for the rest of the team to deal with, you're sacrificing a lot of attacking impotus by not allowing the full backs to at least support the attack.

Then we have your midfield. All defensive, all in a line, all doing the same thing. There's no progression and no fluidity.

And then the attack are basically being asked to do all of the attacking work.

With no creativity, three isolated banks of players who cannot work with any body outside of their "line", it's little wonder you can beat weaker teams easily but struggle against anyone of any note.

If playing a 4-3-3 (flat), I would consider giving a little bit more creative freedom to the fullbacks, and consider perhaps mixed forward runs. Maybe a couple of notches more mentality. This will keep them tight to the "back line", but allow them to help the midfield...

... which needs probably one player at least bing a bit more attacking. More forward runs, more mentality, more creativity. He can go forward and help the attack, whilst not being too adventurous. Then, you can either have one or two midifielders holding back, covering so that the fullbacks don't have to stay back all the time.

And then the attack could do with at least one forward dropping back a bit with lower mentality, while the other two have higher creative freedom (15).

From what you've outlined, your basic problems seem to be that:

• There's little posibility for interplay between "strata" in your formation (the defence, midfiled and attack isolate themselves)
  This can be solved by use of FWRs and spliting mentality of each "stratum" to allow differentiation and communication.
  
• There is no room for creativity
  Which is fine in the defence, and perhaps even the midfield, but with no creativity at all you're unlikely to break anyone down. Especially if your players are isolated.

There are other things that I would personally change, but that's enough to get you started. You need to have a good shape and at the moment I think there's little chance that the side will play as a unit at all.

Cheers for your replies, very much appreciated.

Taking them into account. I think I will set the WB's to have mixed FWR & Mixed RWB to link up more with the midfield. I will also set the defensive line to midway so the gap between defence and attack isnt massive.

I will tell all of the midfielders to often RWB and mixed FWR, but close down to 12 and tackle hard.

For the two strikers staying up-top, ill increase the creativity to 12.

This seem ok?

Just wanting some feedback before I go at the game again you see.....

Cheers for your replies, very much appreciated.

Taking them into account. I think I will set the WB's to have mixed FWR & Mixed RWB to link up more with the midfield. I will also set the defensive line to midway so the gap between defence and attack isnt massive.

I will tell all of the midfielders to often RWB and mixed FWR, but close down to 12 and tackle hard.

For the two strikers staying up-top, ill increase the creativity to 12.

This seem ok?

Just wanting some feedback before I go at the game again you see.....

I would my 4-3-3 as follows.