How to set up Fellaini?

Hi,

so I'm struggling with how to set up Fellaini to utilize both his striker prowess and his defensive abilities.

Basically I want him to help defense and tackle a lot. But I also want him to run to the 6-yard box and put his head up and everyone else to use Fellaini as a Target Man.

Of course when there are free kicks and corners I want everyone to target Fellaini's head.

IRL he scores with his head all the time (see Brugge game), but I don't want him to just be center-forward like DLF or so, especially given that I play with one CF and I have better forwards.

Basically I end up setting him as BBM(s) in center-midfield, or even Anchorman(d) in defensive midfield position, but I can't find any way to set him as target man. In player instructions, I can't even do any set piece instructions since set piece instructions are available only for defenders.

Any thoughts?

Well a lot depends on your system and tactics as a whole. Can you post those?

Maybe try him as a wide target man? I'm not sure.

Louis Van Gaal has said openly that Fellaini would play at #10 and #9 this season, as opposed to #6 or #8 so putting him in central or defensive midfield probably isn't what you're looking for.

That being said... Fellaini in FM is quite different than Fellaini in real life I've found. You can use him in midfield to much better success than you'd find in real life during his time at Man Utd. I think in real life he has become sort of this.. strange deep(ish) target man, whereas in FM he functions very well as a BWM or DM or whatever.

Sure, here is my tactic, more details in another thread.

Yes I've hear LVG say that, but I personally don't want to add second striker, and if I add #10 it would be Mata, not Fellaini.

So I want Fellaini to be a little lower but still be a target man. He has 18-19 heading and jumping reach and it is wasted currently.

As BBM, he often shoots at the goal but always with his foot, not his head.

If you're playing that formation then he'd be better as a CM-A to encourage him to get forward. He'll still help out when you haven't got the ball.

You could then for arguments sake set the keeper to distribute to Fellani specifically. And if you watch the games to see where he ends up in the box when attaching you can then instruct the wide players to cross to that area.

*edt* Just looked at your post in the other thread and for the second tactic I'd play him in the AM slot as an AM-A with Mata as an AP-S in the CM slot.

The reason being you want to get him in the box and then Mata can supply the balls into him and the striker.

It also depends what your TI's are as "Work the ball into the box" for example reduces the frequency of crosses from what I've noticed.

http://strikerless.com/2015/03/24/a-more-in-depth-analysis-of-the-withdrawn-targetman/

This thread talks about the Fellaini role and how to make it work in FM. You could make him a CM-A and copy the PI's and see how it goes.

http://strikerless.com/2015/03/24/a-more-in-depth-analysis-of-the-withdrawn-targetman/

This thread talks about the Fellaini role and how to make it work in FM. You could make him a CM-A and copy the PI's and see how it goes.

Good thread, thanks. Though they completely ignore the header part

In FM14 I liked to use him as a Shadow Striker and try to get him to lose the dropping deep PPM (conflicting instructions). I think of the Shadow Striker a little like a Ball Winning Midfielder but is expected to make lots of forward runs into the box.

I used a 4231 wide as my standard tactic which didn't include Fellani. I had a "plan b" where I moved the AML into AMCL as a Shadow Striker and instructed my right side players (W-S + FB-A) to cross to far post.

In a 433 I don't think you'll get the best out of him but a heavily PI'd CM-A is probably best. Can't remember exactly what PI you can give but something like: Less Runs with Ball, Get Further Forward, Close Down More, Tackle Harder and Shorter Passing. Basically trying to make a more attacking BWM.

In FM14 I liked to use him as a Shadow Striker and try to get him to lose the dropping deep PPM (conflicting instructions).

You can't limit or stop a PPM from happening unless you get the player to unlearn it. It doesn't matter what you instruct the player to do, he will still do his PPM when he feels its the right time. This is mainly functioned by his decision making, nothing you can do at all can counter this.

I think of the Shadow Striker a little like a Ball Winning Midfielder but is expected to make lots of forward runs into the box.

It's nothing like a BWM at all, it's not even similar. It's basically a Advanced Forward starting from the AM slot. It's a role that's based on attacking and he will look to go along side or beyond the current striker. A BWM is a hustler type of running running around to win the ball back, that's nothing like a SS at all.

You can't limit or stop a PPM from happening unless you get the player to unlearn it. It doesn't matter what you instruct the player to do, he will still do his PPM when he feels its the right time. This is mainly functioned by his decision making, nothing you can do at all can counter this.

So are you saying here Cleon if you have a player with say "Shoots from Distance" PPM and you give him a "Shoot less often" PI he won't follow the PI at all? as in the PI won't temper the PPM a little?

So are you saying here Cleon if you have a player with say "Shoots from Distance" PPM and you give him a "Shoot less often" PI he won't follow the PI at all? as in the PI won't temper the PPM a little?

PPM's are tendencies so he will still decide when to use his PPM regardless of his instructions. He will follow your instructions but when he decides he will use his PPM. How often and frequent (for usage of his PPM) is down to his decision making though.

You can't limit or stop a PPM from happening unless you get the player to unlearn it. It doesn't matter what you instruct the player to do, he will still do his PPM when he feels its the right time. This is mainly functioned by his decision making, nothing you can do at all can counter this.

It's nothing like a BWM at all, it's not even similar. It's basically a Advanced Forward starting from the AM slot. It's a role that's based on attacking and he will look to go along side or beyond the current striker. A BWM is a hustler type of running running around to win the ball back, that's nothing like a SS at all.

That's what I meant, "lose" wasn't the best term, meant unlearn which sometimes fails, hence the "try".

I understand they are very different roles when in possession. Out of possession I would still say they are a LITTLE alike, both close down more and tackle hard, SS even has tackling as a recommended attribute. SS is the most aggressive of the AM roles when out of possession, just like the BWM is for MC. In possession, agreed they are totally different and is more like a AF-A.

I spent way too much time building a 4231 that resembled the Belgium National Team tactic in the 2014 World Cup. I think CM-A is the way to go for the "Fellaini role", but other roles are equally important: a CM - D (or DLP -D) and a LFB to provide cover, a Winger - A to provide width and space, and the AMC - S + DLP - S to generate what I'd call "organized chaos" in the middle.

I have to say I'm very happy with how this setup works defensively, IF the CM -A is a sort of BWM in disguise (tackling, positioning, work rate, teamwork...), and I'm fairly happy with its offensive shape, although I think that, to get the most out of him, the CM- A needs some very specific PPMs, either gets forward whenever possible or gets into the opposition area, or even both. I was shocked to see that the FM-Fellaini had neither "gets forward whenever possible" nor "gets into the opposition area".

Got a feeling that SI might implement some kind of "WithdrawnTarget Man" role in FM 16.

Got a feeling that SI might implement some kind of "WithdrawnTarget Man" role in FM 16.

Hopefully not. There are existing Roles to fix / get rid of before adding even more Roles.

Hopefully not. There are existing Roles to fix / get rid of before adding even more Roles.

Plus the Enganche and even DLF on support are basically this already.

Got a feeling that SI might implement some kind of "WithdrawnTarget Man" role in FM 16.

I'm hoping and praying for something like that. I can recreate the Mama Sidibe role with ease with that