Strikerless 460: super movement / multiple attacks from deep positions

I have been trying out a new tactic that does not employ a striker in a striker position.

The thinking behind it was to concentrate my attacking threats where the opposition is at its weakest. As such I didn't want to play a striker in a conventional position only for the central defender to try negate his threat.

So where are my attacking threats coming from? The way I saw this working was to have multiple runners from deep positions. As such I have a central midfielder attacking alongside a box to box midfielder, a shadow striker flanked by two attacking inside forwards.

I have three central runners from deep as well as two inside forwards running between the full back and centre backs, being overlapped by two attacking wingbacks.

So I've set up as follows:

Defensive / very rigid.

Reason for this is I want to be solid defensively as well as have attacking roles for my players. I have found by playing defensive I sit deeper leaving more space for my central players to play a nice short passing game. It also draws the opposition defence out more leaving more space behind them, which is what my team looks to exploit.

Note this system requires players with good pace in attack, good off the ball stats and good teamwork.

Gk: just a regular keeper, distribute short / to defender

LB: complete wing back attack

CB: centre defender defend

CB: centre defender defend

RB: complete wing back attack

DMC: half back

LCM: box to box midfielder

RCM: centre midfielder attack

AML: inside forward attack

AMC: shadow striker

AMR: inside forward attack

So you have the central dominance of the diamond system but still have the width that is often the big weakness of the diamond system.

The amount of attacking options forward at times is frightening.

I haven't tweaked player instructions but team instructions are drop deeper, pass shorter, retain posession, play narrower.

Note I use defensive strategy mostly but counter also works quite nicely also.

Has anybody else tried this formation? How did you go about it? Did you do anything different? Was it successful?

Any advice on improving my system?

You have some many players charging forward on the break, that it frankly looks like you will have 6 headless chickens in the team. A good way of achieving what you want is simply to get people moving in different directions. A False Nine as a lone forward is an excellent role for the job - he will try and draw a defender with him when he drops deep, and either drives at the defence, shoots etc, or, he will link play and can hold the ball up and keep it moving, so a counter attack does not break down as quickly. Mixing your duties up might help with the creativity too. Currently you have everyone charging forward, but into central positions only. An IF(S) for example might cut inside and play reverse passes. A Trequartista could drift wide instead. A natural winger can stretch an opposing defence and create space for your team. There are loads of possibilities.

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You have some many players charging forward on the break, that it frankly looks like you will have 6 headless chickens in the team. A good way of achieving what you want is simply to get people moving in different directions. A False Nine as a lone forward is an excellent role for the job - he will try and draw a defender with him when he drops deep, and either drives at the defence, shoots etc, or, he will link play and can hold the ball up and keep it moving, so a counter attack does not break down as quickly. Mixing your duties up might help with the creativity too. Currently you have everyone charging forward, but into central positions only. An IF(S) for example might cut inside and play reverse passes. A Trequartista could drift wide instead. A natural winger can stretch an opposing defence and create space for your team. There are loads of possibilities.

My usual setup in a tactic is to have a winger attack infront of a wingback / fullback on support on the right side, and on the left an inside forward on support duty with a wingback or complete wingback on attack. I could try using this setup with the trequartiista in the AMC slot instead of a shadow striker? Do you think this is a better setup?

You obviously need players breaking into the box from somewhere, but you currently have almost every player doing that. If you mix up players dropping back, pushing forward, drifting wide, coming inside etc then you'll be fine. Just picture the movement of the roles and duties and think about how the space interacts.

I have gone strikerless in my Montrose save. Yes Montrose!

I have gone with Counter/Rigid.

4 at the back, 1 full back on support the other on attack. Centre backs are limited defenders.

Defensive midfielder on defend.

Wide midfielders, one on support the on attack.

Central midfielders on attack and support.

And an Enganche.

Working a treat at the moment. Only been beaten once in 12 games since changing to this. I play with a slow tempo, short passing, work into box, higher denfensive line and either narrow or wider dependant on the formation or team I am playing. Very good defensively and working well in front of goal. My wide players are getting most of the goals with a few added in from the Enganche and the central midfielders.

What you've essentially done isn't too different to Cleon Defensive Arts set-up, other than you've moved your Strikers wide and they're now IF's.

I agree with the comments that you probably have too many charging forward, so how about changing the BBM to a DLPs and the SS to a Treq? You'll still have at least 3 looking to hit the box and have some creativity in midfield to set them up.

It appears as though he would have too many players going forward, but I'm undecided. With defensive strategy the players would behave differently in their roles than in a control strategy. Would have to test it out!

But generally speaking it's a good idea to be a little less symmetrical in your approach.The way I see it is this: When you play a certain way on one side of the pitch, it's often unproductive to have the other side do the same thing.

For example, if both flanks offer a direct early attacking option, and you use one of them, the other one wasn't used. You had two options but they were essentially the same. You could have been better off having the other flank offer a short passing option instead. Now you really have two options, and they complement each other. You can play the ball up right away and the other flank will join from deep. Or you can pass shorter to one flank who then has the more direct player on the other flank offering an option in behind the opposition defensive line.

But symmetrical tactics can work just fine and mixing it up for the sake of it is pointless. Wide strategies that complement each other are the way to go, however.

I play

CD CD

WB(a) DPL(d) WB(a)

DPL(s) AP(a)

IF(a) T(a) IF(a)

It works well, often my midfielders will get 100+ passes, lots of goals and I don't concede much. I thought there might be too many playmakers but it works

I've done something fairly similar to you in FM 14. I'll try and find the past save for it but for now, this is by memory.

I had 3 in the AM strata. 1x SS/AMa, 1x EG, T

I had the AMCL and AMCR man mark the opposition full backs. This way they start out wide from a defensive position but then overload the centre during the attack, much like an Interiores. The EG provides a steady platform for attack with a Treq roaming around in case he is marked out of the game. The SS/AMa is your main goalscorer.

In the CM strata I had 1x CM/DLP(d) and 1x BBM

In 2015, I would use a RP instead of a BBM. You want this pair to control the game.

I had a HB who could drop between the 2 CBs, and 2x CWBs with Stay Wider to provide the width for the team.

I loved this tactic and absolutely dominated with it. Actually in some ways I think AMCL/AMCR man-marking the opposition full backs was an exploit - it was just too good. The AI in 14 relied on full backs helping out the wingers to properly attack down the flanks, but this setup prevented that completely. Coupled with the fact that the centre of the park was packed with my players this was the perfect counter to the overabundant 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 systems in that game.