Need Tactical Help: Juventus

[matty2323]

First time coaching in the Italian league and thought id adopt a highly creative, short passing game. First time ever employing a tactic using a player in the AMC position. Ive been highly successful, winning the title after 31 games without losing. My main concern is i have no idea how to get the best out of my striker. Ive been quite lucky to be honest, exploited the use of high quality set piece takers and won alot of games 1-0 that could have gone either way. My Tactic is:

Now heres where i need the help. Ideally i want my forward to play off the shoulder of the last defender when we progress into the final third. However, when we are deeper (picking up the ball outside our own penalty area) i want him to present and allow the inside forwards the chance to run into the space he presents. The problem is, when i play the striker as a DLP he drops in the AMC positions areas to much. When i play him as an poacher he never gets involved in play. At the moment ive settled for Advanced Forward solely on the aspect of my striker seems to present an option for the AMC to bounce off of. If i could compare it to modern day play, id be looking at a van persie role. plays off the shoulder, looks to get in behind in advanced areas, but can then drop in and hold up play in deeper areas, creating space behind him for wide players to exploit. Ive tried complete forward in the last few games, but hes almost doing to much. Is it possible to have two Trequartista's in the team (AMC and ST) with the striker's run from deep on often? Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

[5uare2]

Two trequartistas means you are asking your other 8 outfield players to do all of the defending - those two will have zero defensive duties, and even for a team that's conceded just 12 goals in 31 games (nice work), I wouldn't recommend that.

At the moment, it looks like that front four will all get in each other's way. If you want a striker who will drop deep to provide space for the inside forwards, you either want a DLP or a trequartista. If you want the AMC and ST to link up better, perhaps change the AMC to a supporting duty, so that it becomes his job to supply the striker; but then, with these two players running the centre, you might want one inside forward to play as a winger so you don't have both wide men running into a crowded centre.

[matty2323]

thanks for the response. Ive got Sigurdsson playing as my AMC (treq) and he finished the season with 21 goals and 27 assists in 35 apps so i dont want to tamper with him to much. Im currently looking at someone like Tevez to lead the line and leave him on AF. His mental attributes (determination, work rate, off the ball etc) makes me think he will look to link up plus have the ability to push in behind. The IF's never seem to actually clutter up the middle, the only time they run into each other is when the ST drifts wide. I dont want wingers as i have crossing on rarely. i dont pick my wide men to cross, i pick them to cut inside, link up etc. Im actually currently thinking along the lines of it might be personnel rather then tactical at the moment.

[TwinsFan86]

You could look for a striker that has the "Drops Deep for Ball" PPM (I know off hand that Rooney has it, Tevez might also have it). That way, regardless of your tactical instructions the player will occasionally drop into space and look to receive the ball there.

[owen5694]

I think using a Deep Lying Forward - Attack is exactly what you are looking for. He still is looking to score but is much more involved in team play then a P or AF. He will hold up the ball well for your T and IF where your AF wont and will look for the pass before trying to take it all himself.