Tactically Sound 4-5-1/4-3-3/4-1-2-2-1 (whatever you want to call it).

Hi all,

I like to run what I'd call a 4-5-1 tactic although the game calls it a 4-1-2-2-1 tactic and have had varied success with it. Sometimes it really works and sometimes it doesn't so I was wondering if anyone could chip in with the last few tweaks I may need to get it fully firing.

In the past I have set up

FB (auto) CD (stopper) CD (cover) FB (auto)

.....................DLP (D).........................

...............CM (A)....... BBM (S)

W (S)........................................... W (S)

...................... AF (A)...........................

And then go defensive or counter away from home depending on how good the oppo is and go standard at home and tweak from there. I tend to like playing possession football so usually retain and work into the box. However on an Italian Serie C save my defense was awful so have changed the Centre backs to just Limited defenders on defend. Tend to change the wingers to attack if I'm chasing a game. Is this solid? Do I need to be fluid or rigid? I play lower leagues so will this work here? Any comments welcome on helping me refine please.

Your striker could be a bit isolated, he plays high with nobody close to him. Your flanks are predictable and boring - simply lots of early crosses, nobody trying to get forward to join the striker, or provide different angles of crosses. What are your team instructions? Just retain possession and work into box? You could do with reading wwfan's 12 step guide at the top of the page. Your Central defence and central midfield all looks very good, but your flanks let you down considerably. A more fluid system would suit the reduced amount of specialist roles in your team.

Thanks. I've never really thought about Fluid/Rigid and tend not to touch it but I may have look. Would you suggest turning a winger into an inside forward or just putting one on attack duty?

Would go with the duty first, but experiment and see what happens.

Well just dutied and went more fluid in a pre-season friendly and lost 5-2 away. Put my RB on Attack with the RW on Support and put the LW on Attack.

Had 55% possession and more chances but conceded 3 quick set-piece goals after the break having been 2-1 down (had stayed on counter as away) and that was that.

I would set up your two midfielder's as Deep lying play-maker (Defend) and Advanced play-maker (Support) if your chasing a game and losing then set Advanced playmaker (Attack) to get him forward more and then set your DM to Anchorman (Defend). That's how mine is set up. But Depends what team you are and players at your disposal.

Do you not find that a bit negative Streety? I'd prefer my DM to be just a shield but I've often found it leaves me lacking which is why I went for a DLP for that role.

I'm also playing right now with a 4-3-3. Currently this is my setup:

Mentality: control

Team Shape: very fluid

SK (A)

WB (A) BPD (D) CD (D) WB (S)

DM (D)

AP (A) RPM (S)

IF (S) RMD (A)

F9 (S)

Although from the roles I've selected I should have normally went for a highly structured approach, I decided to go for very fluid because I wanted a group that defends and attacks as a unit.

You are right but at the level I'm playing in my games I have got on the go I don't have a team blessed with quality. It is I believe to be a defensive formation but you can easily change it around, I'm finding my central defenders get taken out of position hence the DM Anchorman to cover the player out of position but as you have the BBM I do agree that you can have your DLP patrolling the back four. Have you tried your wingers on attack and your fullbacks on Support? to get more service to the front man?

I have not yet but I'm gonna experiment in my upcoming friendlies. I'm playing Ryman Premier Level so I ain't blessed with great players by any stretch, but I might use the Anchor man in tough away games. I'm definitely noticing my defenders getting pulled apart especially when I have the Stopper/Cover roles which is why I've switched to Limited defenders to see if that helps.

I'm also playing right now with a 4-3-3. Currently this is my setup:

Mentality: control

Team Shape: very fluid

SK (A)

WB (A) BPD (D) CD (D) WB (S)

DM (D)

AP (A) RPM (S)

IF (S) RMD (A)

F9 (S)

Although from the roles I've selected I should have normally went for a highly structured approach, I decided to go for very fluid because I wanted a group that defends and attacks as a unit.

How is that working out for ya?

I play the same rough formation and set up with two fullbacks on support, two CDs on defend (these are told to mark tight and close down more), then an anchorman ahead of them. The two CMs are an AP(S) and an RPM(S). If we need to be sturdier defensively, the AP(S) becomes either a CM(S) or a DLP(S). If my two preferred creative central midfielders are both out injured (or subbed off later on in a match), then the RPM(S) becomes an AP(A).

The AML/R positions vary in role according to who is picked, but the right-hand player is always an AP(A). The left is either a W(S) or a roaming daughter, and occasionally an IF(S) if I'm forced to play a right footer on the left. The striker is either a treq, AF, or F9, depending on who is playing there. If I go with the F9 then the AML is always a roaming daughter who can exploit the spaces that the F9 opens up.

Your striker being "isolated" is something of a myth, tbh, and even if it wasn't, not all strikers need to be involved in build-up play anyway. In my elite level save, Falcao spent the entire last season being in a so-called "isolated" position (AF with no advanced midfielders and frequently no attack duty wide players at all), with the team mentality set to counter (team shape was flexible for the first half of the season, but I switched to fluid later on as part of my general evolution of the tactic over time - players develop and needs change), and he scored 43 goals in 48 appearances. We only conceded 20 times in the league, too, despite theoretically being wide open on the flanks (PIs fix that).

How is that working out for ya?

Actually it works very well. The team is very dynamic as I have players that create space and players that use the space created.

Actually it works very well. The team is very dynamic as I have players that create space and players that use the space created.

Who are you playing as? I've got a fairly similar set up but not played any games yet so untested.

Actually it works very well. The team is very dynamic as I have players that create space and players that use the space created.

I'm also playing a very similar setup (except the central midfield trio - playing DLPD at DM and CMA and BBM) but I can't seem to get it going in away games. What TI's and PI's do you use?