Twin Target Men?

[Bruce Drundrige]

Hey... Has anyone ever used two (or more...) target men in a formation?

I'm currently using a SC as a Target Man (support) and FC as an Advanced Forward (attack) and they've struck up a decent partnership, although the FC has a canny ability for hitting the ball straight at the keeper. His all round play has been surprisingly good though.

Anyway, I've got a new striker arriving in the January transfer window who will be perfect for the target man role, but i'm reluctant to move the SC I have there currently as he's hitting a bit of form, although his attributes are probably fine for the advanced forward role.

So I'm wondering, could I play the new guy as a Target Man (attack) alongside a Target Man (support)? Would they get in each others way? Would they be too similar? Thinking about it, would it be like Shearer and Sutton from a few years ago? Or Celtic playing with Hartson and Sutton more recently?

(the new guy is too good not to put into the team, and the FC's lack of goals are what will see him dropped. I'm Morton, playing in the SPL))

[Tubey84]

It could work, but you'd have to supplement it with a late-arriving AMC or two adventurous wingers to provide an incisive edge behind the backline. It would certainly allow you to get the ball into the final third and "make it stick", allowing you to get deeper players bombing forward.

Saying that, if I were you I'd be very reluctant to make any major tactical changes unless your side is currently underperforming.

[Wee Lad]

I'm just commenting on your straight at the keeper bit -- any way to get them not to do this?? I have two really decent strikers in my squad ATM who get loads of chances, but nearly every one is straight at the keeper. I have a DM also who has great finishing and shooting skills, but always nails it straight at the keeper. I've seen games where he should have gotten a hat-trick, but every shot is at the keeper.

[Bruce Drundrige]

@Tubey84 - I see your point, and the partnership is working well and there's no real reason to change it with the current players, the new guy IS worth changing it for. I think I'll probably put him as the Target and move the current Target to Advanced Forward.

@Wee Lad - I dunno mate, his finishing is 17 but his mental attributes aren't so good (12 for composure, 8 decisions etc) so I reckon he's a 'can't finish if he has to think about it too much' which is what a lot of the straight at the keeper efforts are, one-on-ones where he has time to think about it. And blows it.

[Zebedee77]

Consistently hitting the keeper seems to indicate a lack of composure to me. Maybe try a PPM to help a striker doing this a lot out?

[Tubey84]

I've actually become convinced that it's tactical, as well as due to composure etc.

I've seen a large reduction in the amount of ridiculous missed chances in a tactic I'm using. Yakubu in particular now just slides the ball into the corner of the net more often than not - perhaps things like the player not being involved in the game too much means he misses the first chance he gets etc.?

[Bruce Drundrige]

Consistently hitting the keeper seems to indicate a lack of composure to me. Maybe try a PPM to help a striker doing this a lot out?

As a recommendation from my Ass Man I got one of my other strikers (Febian Brandy) to 'start placing shots' and I reckon he's got worse...! He's certainly scoring less goals and his avg rating is down, and he also seems to be hitting the keeper more. I wonder if it detracted from his previous style which was just hitting and hoping...?