Pairs & Combinations - The Ultimate Guide (Released)

[llama3]

On 13/10/2021 at 16:21, Ceechalla said:

That makes two of us lol.

Thanks for your advise, much appreciated. 

Eze could start as a slightly awkward fit in the style too. You’re looking to progress the team now - you’re not going to play super slick possession football straight away, but you can take steps to progress towards it straight away.

[Ceechalla]

On 14/10/2021 at 18:12, llama3 said:

Eze could start as a slightly awkward fit in the style too. You’re looking to progress the team now - you’re not going to play super slick possession football straight away, but you can take steps to progress towards it straight away.

Let’s say we change the DLF - S to s DLF - A in the image below. Would this still achieve balance?

[llama3]

On 25/10/2021 at 18:32, Ceechalla said:

Let’s say we change the DLF - S to s DLF - A in the image below. Would this still achieve balance?

Yes, with the big caveat - it needs to suit your players and playing style. 

[Jazzbobification]

I've technically fairly proficient players, with strong, versatile options for the IWs and AP.

The right forward is instructed to pull wider, and sometimes swapped for a winger (although I find this a little one-dimensional).

Passing stats for players in the key positions are strong (90%+), but the right often appears isolated on pass maps - only really connecting with the AP and right full back.

My striking options are fairly limited, with industrious but technically average players of a reasonable physicality. However, I lack anyone with strong finishing for the level (I am an upper mid table side in Austrian Bundesliga).

Overall, on team instructions and roles alone, how do you lovely people think this look for balance, given the above information?

[Abandex]

this thread is just wonderful bro, and thanks for analyzing your team attributes and tell us how to use them to create a more effective approach. love from France

[llama3]

On 05/11/2021 at 13:31, Jazzbobification said:

I've technically fairly proficient players, with strong, versatile options for the IWs and AP.

The right forward is instructed to pull wider, and sometimes swapped for a winger (although I find this a little one-dimensional).

Passing stats for players in the key positions are strong (90%+), but the right often appears isolated on pass maps - only really connecting with the AP and right full back.

My striking options are fairly limited, with industrious but technically average players of a reasonable physicality. However, I lack anyone with strong finishing for the level (I am an upper mid table side in Austrian Bundesliga).

Overall, on team instructions and roles alone, how do you lovely people think this look for balance, given the above information?

Ultimately all your forward players are pushing forward, your central midfielders hold position and pass (none are penetrating) and you've got limited width on the right... One of that attacking trio needs to be a support duty minimum and one central midfielder needs to offer some kind of penetration, even on a possession style system.

[Abandex]

Le 05/04/2020 à 23:47, DiStru_ a dit :

Is MEZ+Winger on the same side not a good combo? I always thought that with hugging the touchline, Winger creates a good pocket of space for MEZ to operate in (pulling the fullback wider and opening up space between him and CB for MEZ to run into).

That said, I can also see where you're coming from, if Winger pulls defence to one side, maybe MEZ would be a better option on the other side, to attack that vacated space aggressively. However, would Winger not be too isolated in that case? What role would you use behind him in a 4123, for example, if MEZ isn't a good choice?

Mez+winger is a very good combinaison. To some sextant, all combinaisons can be good but u have to know WHAT you are trying to achieve. For me, for example i want to use a IF on the right flank. I have an intelligent pacy wide players. 

What does he need?

- space + creators on the team to supply him with good ball

How can i create space ? 

Well, on the opposite side i can use a combinaison of a winger/ mezzala to create overlap+overloading combination to stretch the play on the left side to more extent. I can use TI 

- FOCUS on the left flank

- play wide 

To emphasis my idea to create space all over the opponent defensive shape. It s your main idea. Then u can use the others players to create more space or to balance that with a more conservative/covering play.

[Abandex]

Le 11/04/2020 à 19:09, kr10 a dit :

Thanks a lot for the clarification. Point 1 makes sense now. Just to clarify, a DLF will drop deeper than a CF, even though both are on support?

My tactic looks like this - I have made a detailed post about it in the tactics sharing section, but I'll just show the key screenshot for now. My advanced forward scores plenty,and the support strikers scores a decent amount as well. My main issue is that when I look at the passing combinations and the in-game highlights, I rarely if ever see the bread and butter move I want - support striker dropping deep, receiving ball, and playing it through to the AF.

One potential issue is that the CM-s is pushing up, preventing the DLF from dropping (I have opted not to use a B2B for this reason). However, I can't really switch the midfield roles as I need a CM-d on the right side to give the WP space to drift centrally and cover for the attacking fullback. 

Both flanks work well in isolation, as does as the tactic as a whole - But I feel that stronger interplay between the strikers can take it to the next level. I also made sure to use a right footed support striker so he would cut inside with the ball, to play closer to the AF. 

Tactics in football/FM are a real passion of mine, so it frustrates me to see the combination up-front not working as I would envision it in real life. 

For me, u dont need to think about is this one getting deeper or not ( it s an esthectic point of view) but is this role makes him a specialist at doing this of this.

When coming into a choice between dlf(s)/f9(s)/TM(s)/PF(s) u have to ask yourself as a global unit.

When u play with 2 strikers, and no players on AMR/C/D u have to think about ur transition/attacking phase and WHAT your players will do. 

TI are situationals but role too.

In your case now.

U have to think about, are u favorite  for the win ? Underdog? Why? 

Because it will affect how the IA will intend to play against you. Are they using a wing back role ? They will probably leave space on the break so maybe your AF will have space to exploit by moving but also with on the ball movement.

Then u have to go for the mentality. AF is only with attack dutie, so the game tells you that u absolutely need the right players to exploit the role and also ( by looking PI) it s a more selfish/risky role. 

Maybe is a possession football u might not want to use that role but a more teamplaying one like poacher. With a poacher u still look to break the line to create vertical space but u rely more your mate to create goal scoring opportunity.

WHAT about the DLF(s). Well the DLF(s) is more teammate role than the F9. these two role can be used to create but the F9 is more speciaslist. During Highlights u may see the F9 far way from the box, it means that is not so Interest about the box and je prefers Being involve in the play to a better extent.

When u want to implement a possession game to a higher extent maybe a F9( s) can be a better choice in this way but as he wont be in the box u have to combine it with a more running role ( on the flank?) Raumdeter/insiste forward ? 

Possession is good to pull opposition out. When facing an opposition u can choose how u want to beat them. Against congesting tactics (4141...) u may want to create space by drawing theirs defenders out. 

Short play 

Dribles less 

The association poacher/F9 can be good. F9 will not move on the channel as he is specialist on the central area, so with the short play the opposition will be focus on central area and will potentially leave flank and behind-the-backline-space open.

 

[CKBrahMa]

Hey ! Are you okay if I translate your guide in French ?

[llama3]

7 hours ago, CKBrahMa said:

Hey ! Are you okay if I translate your guide in French ?

I have messaged you privately - yes you can, with credit. 

[tropicsafc]

Thanks so much for this guide. Have been playing FM for over 10 editions and reading this today has really given me clarity over tactics. 

[llama3]

On 13/01/2022 at 16:44, tropicsafc said:

Thanks so much for this guide. Have been playing FM for over 10 editions and reading this today has really given me clarity over tactics. 

Thanks, you're welcome. There are plenty of people who do a great job with guides that drill in much deeper, the purpose of this is really just getting basics right in terms of movement and shape. Glad you enjoyed it!

[mikcheck]

@llama3can I ask you to look at these roles and duties distribution and tell me what you think please:

I have mixed results with this. The thing with the DM(d) is that I feel that sometimes he is too deep when we have possession, but if I use him on support with "Hold position" I feel that he's too high for my liking when at that specific moment we needed him a bit deeper and I'm constantly change it, because I never know exactly what to use there.

Also, the player I have as a IW(a) has the trait to "get forward whenever possible". Would a support duty be fine, even if I want him to be one of the team goalscorers?

FB(s) is instructed to sit narrower and cut inside and AM(s) to roam and move into channels

Thanks

 

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by mikcheck

[Mst82]

Bit late to the party with this one but it transformed my already good season with Milan, to a f*cking epic one! Thanks very much. Forza Rossineri 🔴⚫️🔴⚫️

[llama3]

On 03/02/2022 at 18:51, mikcheck said:

@llama3can I ask you to look at these roles and duties distribution and tell me what you think please:

I have mixed results with this. The thing with the DM(d) is that I feel that sometimes he is too deep when we have possession, but if I use him on support with "Hold position" I feel that he's too high for my liking when at that specific moment we needed him a bit deeper and I'm constantly change it, because I never know exactly what to use there.

Also, the player I have as a IW(a) has the trait to "get forward whenever possible". Would a support duty be fine, even if I want him to be one of the team goalscorers?

FB(s) is instructed to sit narrower and cut inside and AM(s) to roam and move into channels

Thanks

 

 

There’s nothing wrong with each pair of roles & duties, what I’m not so sure about is how they work with your team instructions. 

Your transition instructions want you to play it to the defence, you have a Sweeper Keeper (support) but then you’re not asking the team to play out from the back. Feels a bit contradictory.

 

In short, you need the team instructions and the player instructions to be a bit more complementary.

[llama3]

On 06/02/2022 at 22:06, Mst82 said:

Bit late to the party with this one but it transformed my already good season with Milan, to a f*cking epic one! Thanks very much. Forza Rossineri 🔴⚫️🔴⚫️

Great to hear! It’s exactly what I write it for.

[mikcheck]

Em 09/02/2022 em 20:42, llama3 disse:

There’s nothing wrong with each pair of roles & duties, what I’m not so sure about is how they work with your team instructions. 

Your transition instructions want you to play it to the defence, you have a Sweeper Keeper (support) but then you’re not asking the team to play out from the back. Feels a bit contradictory.

 

In short, you need the team instructions and the player instructions to be a bit more complementary.

Thank you.

Do you think a attacking duty can work with a defending one in a midfield pair?

[llama3]

48 minutes ago, mikcheck said:

Thank you.

Do you think a attacking duty can work with a defending one in a midfield pair?

Absolutely no reason why not - the attacking player needs space to attack ideally.

[dzek]

@llama3 Is it possible to update the pairs & combinations for fm23?

[fc.cadoni]

6 minutes ago, Theodoros Yiorkas said:

@llama3 Is it possible to update the pairs & combinations for fm23?

+1

Would be great to see WCB combinations 

[llama3]

2 hours ago, Theodoros Yiorkas said:

@llama3 Is it possible to update the pairs & combinations for fm23?

 

2 hours ago, fc.cadoni said:

+1

Would be great to see WCB combinations 

Hi both, haven’t had any plans to, but sure I might at some point