Help with a 3 striker tactic

[AllyJoseph]

Hi guys.

Been playing FM since the CM days of Amiga and always managed to find success in one way or another, however I always try to change my tactics to suit my preferred style once I get more into the game. I end up being top heavy and have 6-7 strikers(I love buying strikers), so I tend to transition my 4-2-3-1 into more of a 4-4-2(more of a 4-2-4 with AMR/AML) to accommodate more strikers. I have tried on numerous occasions to try and get a 3 striker tactic to work, play ultimately always breaks down in and around where the AMC would be due to either a lack of width of a break down in my midfield. This has always happened regardless of the quality of my midfield which just gets overwhelmed by the AI 4-1-2-3 or 4-3-2-1.

 

Well I heard a lot about 3 striker tactics being en vogue this year, so I thought I'd jump in again. I read about the super tactics potentially game breaking due to how good they are, but hey, If I can get my 3 strikers I'll have a go for a few seasons.

 

However, when I try it, it doesn't work. No matter how I try and set up. I don't see a way of it working(far be it for me to accuse people of cheating) without people constantly reloading to get a desired result. Opposition teams seem to have 30+ shots to my 8-9. We just can't cope with the barrage that was coming towards me. So I thought I was doing something wrong, maybe I should download a tactic and tweek that in a test save then take it forward to my actual save. The results were even worse, 40 odd shots a game for the opposition, 6-7 for me.

 

So what the hell am I doing wrong? Currently deploying a variant of 5-2-3, 3 cb's, 2 wing backs, 2 cm, 3 strikers. I've tried changing it up to more of a 3-4-3 with just as little success. No matter how much I try I can't seem to shoehorn in my strikers.

 

What am I missing? What are the key facets of a 3 striker formation that I need to rely on? How are people inviting so much pressure onto them and still winning games?

 

Cheers

[M4nager1a]

Three strikers needs a plenty of Playmakers and an additional support from a Striker( False nine,Target man-S,CF-S) 

The effective 3 strikers will Close down opposition's defenders so it will prevent enemy from building up from their defence.It could also provide width for the team with its number also shall the team played narrow,it could outnumber the defenders and hopefully,finds spaces to score goals.

In your case,I'll suggest you to switch between 3-4-3, 3-5-2 and 3-1-4-2.Make the best out of those Formations.With 4 to 5 midfielder intact,your Striker will be getting alot of feeds from midfielders.Dont forget its crucial to use the "supportive" Striker role as I mentioned earlier.

And an additional note,stop using selfish role like IF,Raumdeuter,Etc.They tend to play by themselves and rarely pass to the strikers which is a problem for 3 strikers formation

 

Have a good day my fellow manager! Peace out ✌️ 

 

[Pakito]

I'm still on FM16, but my signature tactic there has become a 3-4-3 / 4-1-2-3 with a flat three upfront.

Unlike what the previous post suggests, I had success without playmakers. The team relies on fast counters and wide support stretching the opposition back line. Possession % is usually in the low 40s or worse, but we're deadly with the ball.

Now, if your front three only cares about scoring, you're gonna run into serious problems... because maths. Either your wide players or your midfielders are gonna get overrun, no ifs, ands, or buts.

I had serious problems with defensive stability until I realised that I needed "Eto'o under Mou" kinda strikers, and man marking was the only way to achieve that within my specific system.

I play an advanced forward flanked by two deep lying forwards on support. All three close down more (I run a staggered pressing system). More importantly, the DLFs are tasked with man marking the opposition fullbacks if the opposition plays with fullbacks + wingers, or the two deepest midfielders if they sport a narrow 4-2-3-1 (very common in the league I'm in). You don't need them to be good tacklers, but high work rate and teamwork plus stamina do wonders.

This prevents the opposition from overrunning our wide players 4 vs 2, or the mids 5 vs 3. It generally forces them into a sterile possession; as soon as we get the ball back, the DLFs drop their men and run to create a 3 vs 2 on the counter. If I'm a serious underdog, I even have the AFa pick up a man (generally the defensive midfielder vs a wide 4-1-2-3).

So my suggestion is: check where you're losing the battle, and specifically instruct the strikers help out there. Support roles without man marking just don't cut it. You're gonna learn the pattern facing different formations, and will be able to set the appropriate man marking strategy before the game begins.

[Experienced Defender]

On 13/06/2018 at 23:40, AllyJoseph said:

So what the hell am I doing wrong? Currently deploying a variant of 5-2-3, 3 cb's, 2 wing backs, 2 cm, 3 strikers.

Too little info, but let's play nonetheless:

DFs        P       F9

 

DLPs    MEZs

WBs                                WBd

CDc   CDst   CDc

SWKd

Counter / Structured

Basic TIs - shorter passing, play out of def

Basic PIs:

SWKd - fewer risky passes, roll it out

all 3 CDs - fewer risky passes

WBd - sit narrower

DLPs - more direct pass

MEZs - more risky passes, run wide with the ball

P - move into channels

[sporadicsmiles]

I'm not sure what you expect to happen, really. Any tactic with 3 strikers is going to be seriously deficient in midfield or in defense (depends how exactly you set up). They will always be weak out wide. You are going to concede a lot of chances and you are not going to dominate games. You will expect to win by scoring more than the opposition, and be prepared to concede a lot yourself. This sort of thing is not a grind out result type tactic. The way people survive the pressure is by scoring more goals. As you have found, setups like this are not balanced and are exploiting the inability for the AI to cope with 3 strikers (I will not comment on my feelings on using this, everyone can play the game how they want).

I have never played like this (I am a grind out a result kinda guy), but I would assume you need extremely good CBs to make it work. And probably two midfield work horses.Having pace up front is also good, you will get a lot of counter attacking chances with 3 men up front, and pace is lethal on the break.

If I were you, I would actually stick with dropping a striker into the AMC slot (you can retrain one of your strikers to play there), and work from there. I had success with a 4312 in FM17, which is not a million miles from what you play with the 523. Or just stop buying strikers and invest in the defense! Do not let Arsene Wenger influence you too strongly!

[bennyj22]

It literally doesn't matter what you do,

If you use three strikers you will win pretty much every game. It's completely game-breaking.

I would strongly not advise.

[herne79]

1 hour ago, bennyj22 said:

If you use three strikers you will win pretty much every game. It's completely game-breaking.

Clearly not otherwise the OP wouldn't have felt the need to start a thread asking for help.

[bennyj22]

Okay maybe I exaggerate a bit. But still, it is a known exploit. And from personal experience, I would advise against it.

However, if the OP is adamant on using three strikers - putting them in flat formation as all AF (a) was unstoppable for me. It didn't really matter what I did with the rest. Often I played a 433. Sometimes a 4213.

[mitze90]

On 10/10/2018 at 21:08, bennyj22 said:

Okay maybe I exaggerate a bit. But still, it is a known exploit. And from personal experience, I would advise against it.

However, if the OP is adamant on using three strikers - putting them in flat formation as all AF (a) was unstoppable for me. It didn't really matter what I did with the rest. Often I played a 433. Sometimes a 4213.

I agree.

I keep getting huge scores, and doing better than I should (usually promotion when I'm tipped for relegation) getting record breaking point totals and being 30+ ahead on goal difference after ten matches.

 

Definitely seems like an exploit.

Nearly end of a season with Colchester...

.

[RodentofDoom]

On 10/10/2018 at 19:20, bennyj22 said:

It literally doesn't matter what you do,

If you use three strikers you will win pretty much every game. It's completely game-breaking.

I would strongly not advise.

No, this is faulty logic.

It like me saying ALL Englishmen are hate spewing, oxygen stealing EDL members because all EDL members are English.

 

*True - all exploit tactics use 3 strikers

False - all 3 striker tactics are exploits

A venn diagram will show you how you are wrong

 

 

to the OP

You need to use roles that support and compliment each other

The attributes each player has will modify how they play each role.

 

I currently mostly use a DF(s), TM(s), P(a) combo

I sometime switch 1 (s) role to DLF(s) and the (a) role to an AF(a) one

but that largely depends on which players are selected and how I want them to play and how they seem to interpret the role(s).

 

I have 1 player 100% rated for Poacher duty, but when I play him in that role he acts more like a winger

He runs wide with the ball, holds up play and then crosses to the the TM/DF or CM(a) who have advanced into the box

His PI's are left at default, this is just how he plays the role, none of my other strikers (2 of which are also Wingers) do this.

 

*Possibly only partly true, I am slightly suspicious about the "Strikerless" tactics.