Watford FC's 3-5-2

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I have been a Watford fan for about 18 years and have had some terrible terrible years and some magical ones. Watford are now, with the take over of the Pozzo family, nearing the good times again. The squad we have assembled this year is extremely exciting and I believe, this year, we will get promoted!

For the last few years, Watford have always favoured a 3-5-2 formation.

This year, with the acquisitions we have made, we seem to be continuing that theme.

Now, moving on to FM.

I am in the second season, after getting promoted into the premiership, but seem to be struggling a bit now.

Last year, we cruised in top spot until c. March time, until a horrible run, due to complacency, ended up in the playoffs, narrowly winning them!

My Team

Stats

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I believe my roles compliment each other well. (I think?)

My Idea

Goalkeeper (Pass Short, Distribute to Defenders)

I wanted him to play short passes and follow the logic of Luis Van Gaal - That he is an outfield player.

Middle CB (Close Down More, Mark Tighter, Get Further Forward, Pass it Shorter)

The theory here was that he could come out of the three and close down AMs/CM A/F9/DLFs and cut out any balls through from the CMs/DMs to the further forwards.

Outside CBs

The theory was that they would sit back and cover any forwards left by the Middle CB.

Wing Backs (Stay Wider, Mark Tighter, Close Down More, Fewer Risky Passes)

To Support. They are there to provide width going forward and to to also provide cover for crosses etc. I wanted them to also close down any people that got passed the halfway line really.

I am finding though that when they go forward, they lack passing options and try to find players on the edge of the box and the pass gets cut out.

Right CM (Mark Tighter, More Direct Passing)

He is on defend duty so put him on more direct passing to make sure that he was quickly releasing the ball.

Left CM (Mark Tighter, More Direct Passing)

He controls the game, and I feel that in possession, he is marvellous.

I want the two CM to get at the opposition, without losing shape.

AM (Moves into Channels, Mark Tighter, Roam, More Direct Passing)

My aim was to get into any DMs/CBs quickly and to stop them releasing the ball

ST Left (Move into Channels, Close Down Less, More Direct Passing)

Close down less to prevent them getting drawn out of position, I wanted them to block forward passes from opposition CBs and FBs.

ST Right (Mark Tighter, Move into Channels, Close Down Less, More Direct Passing)

Same reason as above really.

Why Standard?

I was originally on control, but felt that my backline was too higher, and that I was playing too wide and too fast.

I set Standard so that my width was slightly narrower.

Why Fluid?

To decide this, I was looking at how my strikers played.

I wanted them to sit further back when defending. The more Rigid I go, the higher up the field they are when attacking. So by choosing Fluid, I believe I get a nice balance between the AF and the DLF becuase the AF still sits on the Halfway line when the ball is on the edge of my D.

Problem 1

From the screenshot above, you can see the big gap between the CBs and the CMs. I dont want to play a DM, but I would expect my Stopper to be going into that gap a bit more.

Could I reduce the Counter, and raise the backline to reduce that gap more effectively?

Problem 2

From the screenshot above, Pudil has the ball and has the option to go back to the CM. What he does is tries to chip the ball into one of the three int the centre and we lose possession.

How can I move the AM (number 11) out wide (He already has move to channel)

Problem 3

I suppose linked to Problem 1. The CB Astori is lookign to play the ball forward. He tries to pick out number 16 with a short pass and its intercepted by their number 16.

Why is not going to number 7? Should number 7 be deeper to fill the gap?

When I am going forward, the WBs seem to struggle to find a pass, even though my AF and DLF are on move into channels. They seem to get forward and try to play to the CMs on the edge of the box and it gets intercepted.

The video below just highlights my frustration at the minute.

[video=youtube_share;gKrHVO1pMbM]

I would very much appreciate your assistance.

Regards,

Luke

ok I play this shape and do the same with the central mids. Why did you go for a shadow striker?

As far as I can tell the shadow striker will attack the frontline and you already have Vydra doing this. I play a trequartista instead and this should make them more flexible in attack, perhaps with a 'drop deeper to receive ball' ppm?

However I am dominant in the league I am in, you may want to go for an advanced playmaker and set your central midfielders to a cm(s) and a bwm(d) perhaps??

also, take off hassle opponents and if you're pushing higher up consider an offside trap? if you want your goalkeeper to act as an outfield player why have you avoided setting him as a sweeper keeper?

Well, I find the Shadow Striker actually sits quite well and receives the play well.

Where would BWM(d) sit in relation to a DLP(s) or CM(d) - I would worry that he would close down too far?

Sebs, He is an Attacking SK

Will get rid of hassle and add an offside trap

oh hold on isn't problem 2 going to be solved by taking direct passing off your central midfielders? they're trying to force it because you're telling them to force it

Sebs, He is an Attacking SK

Will get rid of hassle and add an offside trap

haha sorry I'm not sure what I was thinking. I would wait for other advice before ruining your season

btw my roles in the same shape are as follows:

Sk(s)

WB(s) (left)

Cwb (right)

dc(d)

dc(d)

dc(d)

dlp(s)

cm(d)

treq

tm(s)

cf(a)

I switched the attackers roles this season from af and a dlf like you have because I wanted to dominate aerially and it has led to a lot more crosses

I seem to be slightly better defensively than I was before, but still, the CM arent sitting deep enough

have you thought about setting one a regista and one as a cm(d)?

also, this is an average position graph, how do they sit when you don't have possession?

and finally, why do your cms need to go back? what about your defence coming forward?

have you thought about setting one a regista and one as a cm(d)?

also, this is an average position graph, how do they sit when you don't have possession?

and finally, why do your cms need to go back? what about your defence coming forward?

Well that was what I was trying to do was get the middle CB to be the stopper and almost be a reverse half-back.

have you considered a libero? not sure if that's workable tho

I played this formation in FM previously and have recently got back into it doing much better than I did before.

Just from my experience, I found having DC(D) DC© DC(D) a lot more secure at the back than any of the other alternatives, especially against 4-4-2 formations. Against someone with 1 up front and 3 AM's I tended to swap to DC© DC(D) DC©. Can't say for certain how this helped me, but it certainly did the trick.

Going forward having my AMC as a Treq and pass into space instructions helped me massively in creating chances

I also play this formation and have taken Crewe Alexander from Div 2 to the premier. I use two variations depending on who i play. Standard/Rigid or Counter Rigid. My back 3 are set up as Stopper CD Stopper. My Full backs have attacking mentality when playing standard and support when on counter. DLP/Support & CM/Def in the middle - AP/Attack - 2 CF up front with one on Attack the other support. With this set up i find that the centre-backs focus on defending as the wing-backs push forward; the wing-backs and midfielders defend, in addition to aiding with transition from defence to midfield; the attacking midfielder is responsible for transition (passing throughout midfield) and forming a front three; and the strikers focus on putting the ball in the back of the net.

As you've got a great name on you Luke, I'm going to help you out. I actually work at Watford (have a look in your Staff page, I'm one of your scouts if you haven't sacked me), and as such know the formation pretty well. I also used to work at Sports Interactive and in fact helped out on the Watford data on FM2013/2014, so I know my way around the tactics screen as well.

Anyway, we’ve played a few versions of the 352 since introducing it after 6-7 games of the 2012-2013 season, for example a deeper lying, more counter attacking 532 Gianfranco Zola setup with Marco Cassetti and Daniel Pudil providing slightly more defensive cover than a high pressing Beppe Sannino 352 with Ikechi Anya and Marco Faraoni playing as wingers. I’m going to run through the tactic from the end of the 2012-2013 season as that is probably most synonymous with Watford in the Pozzo era.

Tactically the idea is to try to control the ball when possible, but the pace in the team unearthed a counter-attacking potency that was particularly noticeable away from home. As such in terms of mentality it would be Control in home games and Counter away.

Also, while the playing style was fairly open and flowing, in order to focus Deeney and Vydra on scoring goals and to keep the defenders from wandering too much I’d have Fluidity on Rigid, which the caveat that they can roam from positions.

GK: In this possession based formation the goalkeeper will need to have the ball at his feet fairly often. This can lead to mix ups such as Chris Wood’s comical goal for Leicester where he deflected an Almunia long ball directly into the goal, but also facilitates the sort of ball-playing game that proved effective.

Defence: Not much ball playing expected of the central defender of the three, but the two lateral centre halves have to get the ball to either the regista or the wing backs. Central defender also primarily used for marking and heading, while the laterals need to be a little more aggressive to cover the channels. For the back three therefore I would use CD (X) LD © CD (X).

Midfield: Nathaniel Chalobah’s positioning, vision and passing ability demonstrated the importance of the regista in a possession system. The wide midfielders/wing backs provide consistent width, the opportunity to switch the play and crosses from a variety of positions along the flank. While it’s a bonus to have good dribbling, crossing and passing ability in these areas the key attributes here are stamina, work rate and pace, it’s a very physically demanding position. WM(Automatic) works here in FM terms.

Two central midfielders are called ‘mezzali’ but to get them doing what they should be doing in FM they work best as AP(A) and BWM(D). The defensive midfielder (a role Jonathan Hogg filled more often than not) provides cover for many gaps created by players advancing from behind him, but also in the centre for the creative spark in the team, the AP (A), a role synonymous with Almen Abdi, who provided plenty of both goals and assists.

The physicality in the team is provided by Deeney, whose power in advanced positions was complimented by the onrushing second striker in Matej Vdyra, whose pace was emphasised by the run he got on defenders from deeper positions. DLF(S) would work just as well.

Hope that helps, lemme know how it goes. You Orns!