Anyone have good experiences with defensive and direct tactics?

Perhaps defensive and counter combined of course.

I have a hard time tweaking it the right way with UE Llagostera in Spain sometimes.

They are massive underdogs, so I think it is good with a proper defense.

EDIT: spelling.

Not hard, just apply some logic to your setup.

Characteristics of Defensive football

1. Direct passing from the back?

2. Players tackle only in their zone and hard?

3. Quick transitions..requiring key positions to be occupied with players with good otb and acceleration.

4. Player who can hold up ball?

5. Do I want to punch from middle or from flanks? Each requires a different set up

You need a clear idea of how you want to play and then it gets easy to set it up

Hey Rashidi1,

you make it sound simple but I can't seem to apply any of that to a system that works. I have a clear Idea of how I want to play but I can't get it to work.

I want to play a 4-4-2 narrow diamond and counter directly through the middle using my AM an Advanced forward and Target man. I want the the ball thrown up to my target man where he can either flick it beyond to my AF or it can be layed of to my AM and move forward with the ball, with my attacking 3 outnumbering 2CB's or going 3 on 3 with 3 CBs or 2CBS and a DM.

I choose Defensive Mentality because I want the quick balls to the forwards that it says on the tin and a Structured shape because I want to create depth quickly and want my forwards to provide an option for a deep pass often. (which according to the lines and diamonds manual it will do)

My formation looks like this with roles:

------------------------AF---------TM(s)-----------------------------

-----------------------------AM(s)------------------------------------

---------------------CM(d)---------BB--------------------------------

------------------------------REG-------------------------------------

-------FB(s)--------CD(d)---------CD(d)-----------FB(s)------------

------------------------------GK(d)------------------------------------

Thought Process Behind the roles:

AM(s) - only on support because I don't want him running behind my TM as I already have that from my AF so need him in a position to pick up balls that aren't flicked on.

CM(d) - Needed as shield as the Regista will roam.

BB - Shuttler to be the 4th person joining in with my attacking 3.

Regista - felt neccesary to relieve pressure as he would be roaming looking for the ball and is my best passer so want him playing the balls up to TM.

FB(s) X2 - As it's a defensive formation don't want them bombing forward quickly would rather they considered their options.

TI's: More Direct, Higher Tempo, Sit Narrower

PI's: Front 3 close down much more tackle harder and roam from positions.

Really getting destroyed with this formation, It all seems reasoanable and logical to me, where am I going wrong? Thanks

I did a thread all about defensive football using a narrow diamond here;

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/391083-The-School-of-the-Defensive-Arts

Hi Cleon,

I've been other this thread a number of times while trying to make my formation, but for what ever reason it's not working for me and I'm not seeing where the errors are in my own formation.

I'm taking off play narrower against teams that are wider than me and making the adjustments depending on the formation I go up against but my wings are getting destroyed, even if I set both of my FB's to defend.

secret of solid defence with any team you can imagine, is in players instructions, not in team instructions, i can help but i really need more info than you already provided.

at this moment, i can also see that with the formation you show here, you are more prone to defence mess even with some great players instructions, thats just not a perspective defence formation

The Regista doesn't fit your system and proposed philosophy. If you want to hoof the ball up to your target man then you don't want a playmaker such as the regista who is going to be the focus of play and will generally seek to be more creative than just hoofing it to the target man. Consider something more generic such as a DM(D) (perhaps change the CM(D) to a CM(S)).