Poacher settings

[Neil Train]

would welcome some thoughts on this. i'm playing with 2 poachers, and an AMC behind. Was warned against playing two poachers but thus far it's been pretty effective. However, i'm sure it can be tweaked to get even better results. what i'm wondering is the tackling and closing down settings. My (limited) tactical knowledge would lead me to believe that with NO closing down the two of them would be more likely to be in space to receive balls from my 3xMCs who are all ballwinning MCs (the outer ones support, the MCC defend). But that this would mean less players closing down and assuming defensive duties, and less chance of the strikers winning the ball back in advanced positions and creating chances.....

what would you say is the best approach for this and why? would be interested to hear from those who have a greater tactical knowledge than myself, actually that's almost everyone:)

[Sheffield Sunday]

Your initial reasoning that less closing down = players in space is sound. However, making it work would really depend on the quality of the players you have. If you have great MC's that can run all day long closing the opposition down then it could work.

Personally I wouldn't use that approach. I like to have a strong forward, with good aerial ability playing with his back towards goal on the shoulder of the last defender. The reasoning being that it draws the defenders out to deal with him alowing the rest of the team a little more space.

Playing with two poachers in space might make mean that they get picked up less by defenders, but the downside to me is that it probably allows a defender on stopper duty to step out of the back line and close down your midfield stopping the balls getting forward.

The best thing to do is to try it, and see what kind of results you get. Good luck!

[Arianyr]

To be safe I would set one player as a 'pure' poacher, and another to hunt for the ball. You could use the same type of player for both since with forwards the pressure and interceptions are more important than actual tackling and marking skill anyway.

Having two pure poachers means having two players who just stay up front and wait for the ball, and that would just make it harder for the rest of the team

[Neil Train]

i'll try to respond to both your posts at once. yep, i'd decided that trying different settings and watching the movement of my front 3 (i'm playing 4312 with the AMC as primary playmaker as well as a 3rd option in the box) in slo mo for a few games.

maybe it's because i'm playing fluid, dont know, but the gap between my 3 midfield destroyers and the poachers isnt great so short passing reaches them no problem. they're also, despite being poachers and despite me playing attacking, often in deep positions. i dont have really physical strikers, mine are more technically gifted, especially dribbling, and the basis of my attack is to encourage my front 3 to run like forrest gump. so far it's producing results and to be honest it's great to watch especially as i tend to watch full games and i want them to be pleasing on the eye.

i've already noticed that one of my poachers - ironically the one with the lowest strength attribute - wins the ball back quite often. this would suggest that i set him to close down lots and the other one rarely. the problem is that i have my poachers swap position so this wont work! they're both gonna have to have the same setting. still, for a trial period i'll set one to close, one not, and just watch what happens. i've played a number of games with the default TC setting for poachers which is high closing down and they're still finding space and scoring goals i just wonder if i'll get even MORE goals with a lower setting.

theoretically though only 1 of my front 3 will be closing down, the other 2 will still be in space whatever happens.

and yes, i have very high workrate across the midfield so i know i'll get the ball back eventually:)