Let´s talk Target Man.

[Wenger6]

The "Target Man" role is one of my favorite in all of football (be it Football Manager or real life football). I have had quite a bit of success utilizing a TM in various iterations of FM, I will never forget Callum Brittum (that was legit his name) a Welsh tower that won me the EuroCup with Blackburn. I just wanted to open up this thread for two reasons: I want to hear how do you set up your tactics to get the most of your TM and what players (be it real or regens) have been good for you. 

[westy8chimp]

Love target men. Matt Smith one of my favourites in real life and FM. 

I like to use fbs set to cross more often and from deep. At least one attacking winger. (or play 532 with one wbs crossing from deep, one wba crossing from byline) 

Ncb or bpd at the back. 

Matt Smith being Matt Smith in my current Millwall save... 

 

[westy8chimp]

This was one of my fav seasons on fm 18. Skip to post 3 and some lovely videos of Matt Smith headbutting the ball. 

Is there anything sweeter than seeing a big man connect with a cross and Bury it? 

Wish I knew how to make a compilation video of them!

[beverage1982]

I have been having fun with Wesley at villa in this role this year. Have found it harder to get crosses in this year though

[Jpastore]

Could I use a TM(a) in  a short passing tactic as a hold up player to bounce passes of. I don't want to use a DLF as i still want him to lead the line and always be in the box when crosses come in. 

[Gunnersmoke]

50 minutes ago, Jpastore said:

Could I use a TM(a) in  a short passing tactic as a hold up player to bounce passes of. I don't want to use a DLF as i still want him to lead the line and always be in the box when crosses come in. 

You can but by default players will play high balls to your tm you could try a pf on support I’ve found to be a bit better while not encouraging others to ping a ball into him

[Wenger6]

57 minutes ago, Jpastore said:

Could I use a TM(a) in  a short passing tactic as a hold up player to bounce passes of. I don't want to use a DLF as i still want him to lead the line and always be in the box when crosses come in. 

It is one of the hardest things to pull of with a TM. Its kind of the Giroud role on Arsenal. I would still use DLF (s), I feel they get into the box a lot anyway. 

[Rashidi]

@westy8chimp A man after me own heart. That’s a blast from the past - Matt Smith.

Yeah the TM has come a long way from being a forgotten role in FM16 into an indispensable on since FM17. If combined with the right roles you can create some devastating tactics. Most of my underdog systems and even one of my overpower attacking systems use that role.

Easy to set up. And he combines well with a few roles notably the poacher and the PF.

[Rashidi]

TM are more suited to tactics that are quick in transition. You don’t want them to run out of options by being surrounded by defenders, that raises the bar needed for the quality of TM.  

So if you want to build a solid attacking tactic that camps and want to use a TM sometimes it’s better to use a DLF or a CF.

[saihtam]

14 hours ago, westy8chimp said:

Love target men. Matt Smith one of my favourites in real life and FM. 

I like to use fbs set to cross more often and from deep. At least one attacking winger. (or play 532 with one wbs crossing from deep, one wba crossing from byline) 

Ncb or bpd at the back. 

Matt Smith being Matt Smith in my current Millwall save... 

 

Have you come by anyone these last FM who is similar to Matt or even better?

[westy8chimp]

24 minutes ago, saihtam said:

Have you come by anyone these last FM who is similar to Matt or even better?

I don't get to watch as much football as I used to so I'm well out of touch with Championship, lg1&2.

I was hoping Beric (St etienne) would be slightly better, tho target men never look too impressive stats wise so maybe I'll give him a go. 

Weghorst at Wolfsburg should be good. 

Michael Smith... Not sure if he's still at Pompey, always liked him too! 

I'm happy to hear suggestions as well! 

[saihtam]

2 minutes ago, westy8chimp said:

I don't get to watch as much football as I used to so I'm well out of touch with Championship, lg1&2.

I was hoping Beric (St etienne) would be slightly better, tho target men never look too impressive stats wise so maybe I'll give him a go. 

Weghorst at Wolfsburg should be good. 

Michael Smith... Not sure if he's still at Pompey, always liked him too! 

I'm happy to hear suggestions as well! 

I remember I used Lacina Traoré a lot, his heading is not the bets, but guy is taller than Smith..

I think his stats are bit worse these last FM than they where before.

Thinking about TM tactics myself. Do you think TM alone up top and supported by shadow striker would be good fit?

[westy8chimp]

Lacina was a great player but struggled to get work permits for me in the last few years. 

I haven't tried on FM20, but I've found runs off of the target man to be too reactive rather than proactive... So whilst the theory of a shadow striker or other attacking runner from midfield is perfect... It often doesn't play very well. It works well with dlf, cos as they drop deep and collect the ball the others are reacting and making the fwd run. With tm, especially a long ball... He is usually further forward than any midfield player at point of contact, so flick ons go nowhere... Tms are good at heading it back to teammates tho. 

[burnum]

Being 6'6" myself, the TM is my favourite role in all of football, although I rarely use it on FM, as I usually prefer lone-striker systems. Wout Weghorst (Wolfsburg), Mario Mandzukic (Juve), Wesley (Villa), Ishak Belfodil and even Andy Carroll (when he's not injured) should all make for great Target Men. If you're a smaller team you could try Yaya Sanogo (usually gets transfer-listed by Toulouse). Pietro Pellegri and Gobe Gouano are two youngsters from the Monaco Reserves who could be developed into great TM as well.

[Rashidi]

Gonna probably continue my stream with Schalke trying to fit Matt Smith as a TM into the side

 

[beverage1982]

I know often the slight against the TM is that you can't use him in a lone striker system. But if you were going to set that up in a 4141 DM how would it work.

 

Counter attacking I'm assuming and lots of runners off of him. How about something like this on say fluid counter preset?

 

TM (a) -to make the golden zone bigger for players to run into.

IF (s)

W (s)

Ap (a)

B2b (s)

 

Or should it be TM on support and a wider play on attack to get beyond?

 

Also in terms of good Targetmen. Perica and Petagna are always solid options but I've been enjoying Wesley a lot this year!

Edited December 6, 2019 by beverage1982

[Experienced Defender]

I play Rondon as a lone TM on support in my Newcastle save (FM19) in my primary 4141dm wide (a.k.a. 4123) tactic, and he is doing a pretty good job. 

[beverage1982]

1 hour ago, Experienced Defender said:

I play Rondon as a lone TM on support in my Newcastle save (FM19) in my primary 4141dm wide (a.k.a. 4123) tactic, and he is doing a pretty good job. 

What roles do you have around him?

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, beverage1982 said:

What roles do you have around him?

You wouldn't believe how simple the tactic is (not plug-and-play, but a normal tactic):

TMsu

IFat                                Wsu

MEZsu   CAR

HB/A

 FBsu      CDde     CDde    FBat

SKde

Only instructions are: Balanced mentality, shorter passing (and sometimes counter). 

And I have a couple variants of the tactic with small modifications for certain type of opposition, but this one is primary.

[westy8chimp]

19 hours ago, Rashidi said:

Gonna probably continue my stream with Schalke trying to fit Matt Smith as a TM into the side

 

OK, I'm a cheat. Started a new game with Rangers... Added manager to Millwall.. Transfer list Matt Smith.. Accept offer from Rangers. Confirm deal, retire. 

Now the dream team are formed.. Tavanier... Probably the best RWB I've ever seen live! And Barisic... Crossing 18 at LWB. 

Easier for Matty Smith to assimilate in Scotland than the Bundesliga 😂 

[craiigman]

1 hour ago, westy8chimp said:

OK, I'm a cheat. Started a new game with Rangers... Added manager to Millwall.. Transfer list Matt Smith.. Accept offer from Rangers. Confirm deal, retire. 

Now the dream team are formed.. Tavanier... Probably the best RWB I've ever seen live! And Barisic... Crossing 18 at LWB. 

Easier for Matty Smith to assimilate in Scotland than the Bundesliga 😂 

Just started a Brighton save with the idea of Murray being a target man in a 352. I've never had success with a 3 cb's on FM. What's you system look like?

[Rashidi]

2 hours ago, westy8chimp said:

Easier for Matty Smith to assimilate in Scotland than the Bundesliga

I want Matt Smith to spend his last few seasons chasing lager and ladies.

[westy8chimp]

4 hours ago, craiigman said:

Just started a Brighton save with the idea of Murray being a target man in a 352. I've never had success with a 3 cb's on FM. What's you system look like?

Pretty much identical to the QPR setup I linked earlier in the thread. I like to keep my 532 simple. I've changed the wbs to support to encourage crossing from deeper... Not liking the byline play on fm20 atm. Set them to cross more often too. 

[craiigman]

21 minutes ago, westy8chimp said:

Pretty much identical to the QPR setup I linked earlier in the thread. I like to keep my 532 simple. I've changed the wbs to support to encourage crossing from deeper... Not liking the byline play on fm20 atm. Set them to cross more often too. 

Have you changed the CF to a TM? Was thinking the same thing with the wing backs.

got this for far:

Edited December 7, 2019 by craiigman

[westy8chimp]

2 hours ago, craiigman said:

Have you changed the CF to a TM? Was thinking the same thing with the wing backs.

got this for far:

You probably looking at my leverkusen 532 in the first post of the thread....but yes defo TM upfront with AF. 

That setup is good. I'd maybe change the mez for something more defensive... But I play 532 very one dimensionally... Get ball out wide, cross it in, let the big man challenge. 

[westy8chimp]

Oh no... It happened again... Tavanier swings in a peach... Matty Smith plants it. Poetry.

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by westy8chimp

[poobington]

Westy what does your system look like?

[edwinisdenim]

Personally, I had Lukaku as my TM on FM2019 with Manchester United. 

He himself is already a great striker, but having him on TM as Support, both my wingers, Martial and Lingard scored tons of goals. 

 

*unrelated topic - Lingard is overrated in this version though. 

[westy8chimp]

11 hours ago, poobington said:

Westy what does your system look like?

I'll post a screenshot later... But that vid is quite a good illustration. 

532 but quite a passive midfield with a high defensive line... So the 6 are often close together and I use play out of defence, so get some passing going while my wing backs get high up the pitch. 

Tavanier is wb-a, barasic is on support the other side. So typically, as in the video we play down the right. 

My mids are bbm, dlp-d, car (left to right) so once the ball is pumped out wide we have the two strikers jn the box and the bbm and lwb usually lurking on edge and back post respectively. 

Front pair TM-a, pf-a left to right. 

The crosses are coming mostly from the right to I like the TM as the left striker... Tends to stay in box more where the PF can sometimes get drawn towards the ball carrier. 

Both on attack, not interested in them being involved in build up. It's quite one dimensional by design. 

High tempo, direct. Bpds and dlp often sending rangey passes to the wbs who cross it in. 

I also do distribute to cbs... If we start with the ball at Gk I don't want to just go long too early and give the ball away. My TM is a goalscorer not an 'out ball'. So often the passage of play is two step.. Gk to bpd to dlp perhaps a few more short passes back and forth... Then to wb who can sometimes still be quit deep, so itl go back for another phase while we get into attacking positions then it's the riskier pass back to wb and the cross comes in. 

[poobington]

What mentality? Cautious?

[westy8chimp]

10 minutes ago, poobington said:

What mentality? Cautious?

Attacking. 

[mattmccready]

Great thread guys 

[dom.march]

Le 06/12/2019 à 20:12, Experienced Defender a dit :

You wouldn't believe how simple the tactic is (not plug-and-play, but a normal tactic):

TMsu

IFat                                Wsu

MEZsu   CAR

HB/A

 FBsu      CDde     CDde    FBat

SKde

Only instructions are: Balanced mentality, shorter passing (and sometimes counter). 

And I have a couple variants of the tactic with small modifications for certain type of opposition, but this one is primary.

Hi Experienced defender, and what would be your  "couple variants of the tactic" ?

truly Yours

[Tyburn]

Matt Smith! Legend.

[Experienced Defender]

5 hours ago, dom.march said:

Hi Experienced defender, and what would be your  "couple variants of the tactic" ?

As far as I remember, those "couple variants" did not necessarily include the TM role, and were basically meant for matches when I did not have all my preferred starting 11 available. So they were not separate tactics, but rather slight modifications of this basic one.