Help needed with my 4-1-2-3

[stevecummins78]

You are quite right!

In fact we needed penalties to beat Sampdoria at home in the quarter finals of the cup, then needed a penalty to beat Genoa 1-0 at home then drew at home as well to Palermo. We seem better suited tactically to getting results away from home and against better sides. We are still top after 20 games, 3 points clear of Napoli and 5 ahead of Juventus.

I’m trying to fine tune my attack to maximise the movement I need in transitions. I have just agreed a deal to sign Federico Chiesa from Fiorentina in January. He will balance the attack a bit more as I will have him as an out and out winger on the right ahead of a regular full back and a mezzala tucked inside, and then on the left an inside forward with an attacking full back overlapping. I’m also using a box to box midfielder in the middle with the DLP holding it all together.

[Snorks]

In my Milan save Chiesa is one of those players that causes real problems for me whenever he's against us - what did u get him for?

To be fair, I really do understand your struggle - I find Serie A one of the hardest leagues I've played in FM (this is my first Italian save) due to the sheer number of teams that sit with 3 DCs, 2Dms and wing backs - a 7 or 8 man defence is hard to break down. So yes, the better teams when they are at home, are more forward-thinking and there is a bit more space to exploit, the lower rated, defensive sides are a nightmare - I'll take 1-0 every time!

[stevecummins78]

We were struggling to get a goal at Fiorentina in our last match, despite being totally dominant. So I made a tactical tweak but stayed within the 4123 shape.

I had two wingers stretching the play with two mezzalas inside each of them making runs in the spaces created inside in the channels. I then had a deep lying playmaker supporting with instructions to play direct passes to the five players ahead of him.

The result was the game got stretched and Fiorentina were tempted to come on to us a bit, but that made them vulnerable to being caught out during the transitions when my solid defence won the ball back.

This led to one of my wingers crossing for one of the mezzalas to score with a header on 88 minutes. The deep playmaker then scored from distance in stoppage time.

Satisfying.

[stevecummins78]

On 18/06/2018 at 21:40, Snorks said:

In my Milan save Chiesa is one of those players that causes real problems for me whenever he's against us - what did u get him for?

To be fair, I really do understand your struggle - I find Serie A one of the hardest leagues I've played in FM (this is my first Italian save) due to the sheer number of teams that sit with 3 DCs, 2Dms and wing backs - a 7 or 8 man defence is hard to break down. So yes, the better teams when they are at home, are more forward-thinking and there is a bit more space to exploit, the lower rated, defensive sides are a nightmare - I'll take 1-0 every time!

39M Euro - club record fee

[Experienced Defender]

A very interesting discussion in this thread. So I'd like to suggest one more option as to how you can utilize your 4123 system:

P

APs                           Wa

BWMs     MEZs

DLPd

     FBa    CDd    BPDc    IWBs

    SWKs

Control / Structured

TIs - shorter passing, play out of def, work ball into box, roam from positions

GK (SWKs) - roll it out

BPDc - dribble less, hold position

DLPd - more direct passing, mark tighter, CD less

BWMs - fewer risky passes, hold position

MEZs - CD more

APs - sit narrower, CD more

Wa - CD more, cross to near post

P - move into channels, CD more

With this kind of approach you should be able to dominate the game, create enough quality chances but at the same time retain a solid defensive shape.