Do you prefer playing Inside Forwards with same foot with side?

[talhak]

Hi guys,

 

As most of us tend to use Inside Forward role with opposite preferred footed to the side they play. What about playing Inside Forwards with the same preferred foot with the side they play?

In short, I mean playing a left foot player as AML with Inside Forward role? Or playing a right footed player as AMR with Inside Forward role? I mean inside forwards generally try to score whenever it is possible. So isn't it harder to score in this situation? Would like to hear your experiences.

 

Cheers.

[Swillo]

I prefer to use a right footed inside forward on the left or vice-versa so they can cut in and shoot using their strongest foot. Ideally this means they have more of the goal to aim at rather than a left footed AML who would have a narrower angle. Also I don't really like my AMR or AML crossing too much as I tend to use strikers who generally aren't the best at heading. 

[Chip]

Before I started paying more attention the game and reading these forums etc I didn't use a left footed inside forward on the right and vice versa on purpose, but when I noticed I was using a right footed IF on the right side I never had much success and these players never scored much. They contributed to a few assists etc (usually cut backs and the like) but rarely scored any themselves. 

[herne79]

It doesn't bother me at all.  Example - I quite happily play Angel Di Maria on the left as either an IF or WM (with PI to cut inside) and he scores and makes assists for fun.

[talhak]

Thanks guys for your quick contribution.  Similar to @Swillo, me too prefer using opposite footed players on the sides but I just wonder how much can they be effective when using the same foot with the side as I see sometimes in the tactics shared from FM fans.

[tmason122]

For sure, I used to predominantly use right footed players for left sided inside roles (and vice versa) as a source of goals from wide-areas. However on this years FM I've also had quite a bit of success using Raumdauters, particularly with Andre Grey (right-footed) in the AMR position as a source of goals. Obviously plays very differently from an Inside Forward, but if it is goals you are interested in I can recommend it. 

[summatsupeer]

Ideally they should be able to use both feet so there choices aren't limited.  

If using a IF-S he should be able to play risky passes which means forward, but if his weak foot is what he would need to use then it limits his options/execution.

If using a IF-A he gets into shooting positions more so can be good having his "outside" foot as the strong one so he can shoot without having to turn or can cut the ball back.  I think they play a bit like a winger but less crossing.  If he cut inside deeper then he's more likely to pass to central player which can be good for one twos rather than use his weaker foot to play a forward ball.

[Feddo]

I'm also a favourite of playing some with an opposite preferred foot as IF or raum.

However I do have some players (with dribble more as preferred move) with wich it doesn't mather because they dribble so far infield they are almost an AMC and from there they choose where they will attack the goal, left centre or right

[PhroX]

I used to only use IFs if they were "wrong" footed, but through a combination of injury crises and wanting to play good players even if they didn't quite fit my system as I envisioned it, I've been coming round to playing "right" footed IFs in '16 (and, conversely, "wrong" footed players as wingers). I still seem to get a good number of goals out of them, as well as perfectly acceptable overall performances.  All other things equal, I would still probably favour playing a right footed IF on the left and vice-versa, but I wouldn't play an inferior player in that role just because of his footedness.

[anorthernboy]

it depends on the duty for me. I would use a right footed IF/A on the right hand side and a left footed IF/A on the left. I would use a right footed IF/S on the left and a left footed IF/S on the right. I tend to think along the lines of IF/A is more like a winger so it is beneficial to have same side and foot. I view an IF/S as more a playmaker which I feel benefits opposite footed players.

[talhak]

Thanks guys for all your comments.  It was great to hear your experiences. I see Inside Forwards as "shadow strikers" so tend to use them.

[alanschu14]

I have a preference to have the inside foot be the strong foot, but it's not set in stone. With younger players I tend to prefer they have familiarity on either side as sometimes fitness/injury can means I need to react.  I've had good success with IFs of all types.  I'm also a fan of having most of my players strengthen their weak foot just so that they are less hindered in the situations where they have to use it.

[Sourav B]

Well i have seen many reviews and I have not played the previous fms much, I have started playing it from fm16, and in fm17 I have seen some interesting things, which is the DECISIONS play like a barrier between a particular thing to the opposite, I am currently in 32nd season with RM and at the beginning of the save I always preferred opposite foot IFs i.e, left foot AMR(IF) and right foot AML(IF), but then in next few seasons after retirement of Bale and CR7 I got an winger with 199 potential with LEFT preferred foot so I decided to start train him in the AMR position with IF role, then I saw his versatility is 6 which is just bad and he also did not have that much of finishing (13 at peak) so, I decided to train him at AML position with IF role, I saw that guy is a beast with his 17 technique he could easily place a shot but he had 18 crossing and 18 dribbling with 17 first touch and also lightning fast with 16 stamina, he was a beast on the ball but his decision was 15 with composure of 15 which was not that good, at least it seamed at first but I saw him rather then cutting inside he was cutting at a small angle so that he can cross the ball rather than to shoot as his preferred foot was left and also I forgot to mention his teamwork was 9-10, but whenever he had an opportunity to shoot GOD he was a beast, from any tight angle he could chip the keeper and whenever he was a little too far away from goal his deadly crossing made the difference, and also for when he was needed in the box he was there ever time as he was set to attack duty and he had a trait 'gets into the opposition area' he in every single season almost scored with 0.96 g/m ratio with 0.80 a/m ratio and in the international career he had 190 caps and scoring 115 goals, and I enjoyed him a lot he retired at Madrid and deservingly got his legend rep, then again after his retiring I got same kind of player given by Big Benz (Karim Benzema) but with a little (basically massive you will see it later) difference, his potential was 200 with 14 finishing at peak with same kind of stats 18 dribbling, crossing but his mentality was better with 18 composure and 17 decisions and 10 teamwork and same trait 'gets into opposition area' and a bit slower than the previous one, but I am very frustrated to say that every time he gets the ball he tries to cut inside with his weaker and loose the ball, I was so frustrating that in every single season from 21 years of age to 27 his goals are a lot less with assists too and in his 119 appearance he has scored 43 goals in which there are many fk goals which the previous one had too as their stats in set-pieces are similar, which is a good number of goals but again I am comparing this player with previous one which was much better, then I tried experimenting by editing his mental stats to the same with the previous ones and bam!! with a lesser decision making with lesser composure he is doing the same thing as the previous player did, that is rather than cutting inside he runs straight to the near post and shoots when the goal is nearer and cross when the goal is a bit far away, which seems really strange with decision being a good thing as per SI.

[reg22]

In a front three with the central player on support, and either the IF's on support or attack, I like to play my IFs on their natural side, i.e. right footer on the right and left footer on the left. The best example of why I do this is because of Mo Salah, who I found to get all tangled up in himself when attacking on the right. I do have a preference for fairly direct football, so this might explain why.

If I play a front 2 with both on attack duty, with 2 inside forwards on support behind them, I don't mind which side they're on and often set them to swap.

[Sourav B]

25 minutes ago, reg22 said:

In a front three with the central player on support, and either the IF's on support or attack, I like to play my IFs on their natural side, i.e. right footer on the right and left footer on the left. The best example of why I do this is because of Mo Salah, who I found to get all tangled up in himself when attacking on the right. I do have a preference for fairly direct football, so this might explain why.

If I play a front 2 with both on attack duty, with 2 inside forwards on support behind them, I don't mind which side they're on and often set them to swap.

how to swap btw positions in fm18?

[reg22]

13 minutes ago, Sourav B said:

how to swap btw positions in fm18?

In 'tactics' go to the sub menu 'player' then select the first position, then down near the bottom you will see 'swap positions with...' and select the second position

[thizaum]

Could we expand this discussion to wide trequartistas, raumdeuters, and advanced playmakers?

I normally use "same footed" wingers and "other footed" inside forwards. But I don't think it's a crime to do it the other way around, as I haven't had bad results with some specific players (specific strong attributes and PPMs).

But with Treqs and Raums (I don't use wide APMs), I've been more flexible about the foot and the side. Almost to the point of not caring. Do you agree?

If I were to put in order of "foot importance", I would say:

1) IF

2) W

3) APM

4) Treq

5) Raum