Trying To Develop A Brendan Rodgers Back 3 Leicester Tactic FM21

[FMunderachiever]

Hi Everyone

Im a Leicester City fan, and trying to create a Rodger's style tactic that seems to be serving us very well at the moment.

Just wanted some advice on how to communicate this into the game.

What im working on at the moment is a sort of hybrid from the Man City, Arsenal, Leeds, Wolves and Europa League wins that has served us so well so far.

Just looking for some thoughts on roles and team instructions.

At the moment, im going with this, albeit i have injuries:

I find the player roles a bit confusing for a new Rodgers tactic.

The idea behind the current roles are that in attack we will be more like a 3-4-2-1 shape, With Maddison and Praet getting into the left and right sided ACM roles to support Vardy, whilst the wing backs offer the width.

Ive given Maddison and Praet PI's to get further forward and to come inside with the ball to get into pockets of space, whilst when defending, hopefully they will revert into the narrow block of 4 that was so difficult to break down vs Man City and Arsenal away:

But then in certain circumstances the formation could be switched to use Barnes in the AML and Cengiz Under in the AMR to provide pace and directness on the counter attack but perhaps not together.

Team instructions I am struggling with.

These days, Leicester seem like a team that will play patient, probing build up, but wont pass the ball for the sake of passing the ball. Depending on the opponent with the Man City and Arsenal games, we can be adept at sitting back but using pace on the counter attack, we tend to struggle more when the onus is on us to break an opponent down.

We are not a team that puts lots of crosses into the box, so "work ball into box" could be an option, but in games where we are not favourites to win then the directness comes mostly from passing forwards early and having forward players "get at" their opponent in dribbling situations.

 

Would be grateful for any suggestions if anyone has tried to build a similar tactic

Thank you

 

[lcfc314]

I like the starting setup you have, although there are a couple of points I think are worth adding:

• The wide CBs are ball playing - Fuchs through long range passing and Fofana through dribbling. BPD will help start counter-attacks without needing to use the counter instruction
• Tielemans' real life performance might better be reflected by RPM? When we do get forward he's often in and around the box
• Positive mentality pushes the defensive line and line of engagement up a bit, we sit quit deep so perhaps both of these could go down a notch
• Against teams with 1 DM (e.g. Man City 4-3-3) we had Vardy mark Rodri - having him mark the DM position should replicate this

[FMunderachiever]

5 minutes ago, lcfc314 said:

I like the starting setup you have, although there are a couple of points I think are worth adding:

• The wide CBs are ball playing - Fuchs through long range passing and Fofana through dribbling. BPD will help start counter-attacks without needing to use the counter instruction
• Tielemans' real life performance might better be reflected by RPM? When we do get forward he's often in and around the box
• Positive mentality pushes the defensive line and line of engagement up a bit, we sit quit deep so perhaps both of these could go down a notch
• Against teams with 1 DM (e.g. Man City 4-3-3) we had Vardy mark Rodri - having him mark the DM position should replicate this

I agree with you about the two outer centrebacks being ball playing. This was very evident in the recent game vs Leeds where Fuchs started numerous counter attacks with long accurate balls into the channels and with Fofana stepping into midfield on occasions with the ball at his feet.

 

In the one DM scenario that you mentionned, i think what might work well to replicate that movement is move Barnes up into the AML slot as an inside forward on attack, and have Vardy come deeper marking the DM position as a pressing forward on support. I think there is an option to move the RM and LM into the AML and AMR slots and then raise the mentality but drop the lines back........im thinking about the goal v Arsenal where Tielemans played a through ball to an onrushing Under who squared for Vardy as a counter attacking alternative.

 

I think the man marking of the DM position is an instruction in a game where you are likely to have less possession. I think in games where we are expecting the ball then vardy needs to be in and around the box with players creating for him.

 

Appreciate the feedback!

[lcfc314]

This variant got me a 2-1 win on the opening day home to Liverpool.

PIs:

D (CL) & D (CR): Stay Wider

D (C): Mark position (STC)

MR: Run wide with ball, sit narrower, get further forward

ST: Mark position (DM, this didn't come into play since Liverpool didn't play a DM)

The MR instructions I've selected try to somewhat simulate a mezzala's movement. xG was very similar 1.30 vs their 1.29.