Advice needed - How to get a centre back to sit further forward

[wattzy]

Hi guys

After a terrible second half of my last season, I’ve decided to try and set up for the new season with 5 defenders (3 CB’s and 2 WB’s). Ideally what I want to do is use my 6’3 CM as a third centre back (probably on the right of the three) but I want him to sit higher up when we have the ball to effectively be an extra midfielder where possible.

Has anyone ever managed to do this and if so what instructions would you recommend? 
 

Thanks!!

[dazza11]

It’s not the easiest thing to achieve if wanting to use one of the outer cb’s in a 3 to do that. There can be limited success with using the stopper role and then some ppms of bringing ball out of defence. 
If able to use the central cb of the 3 then the obvious solution is the Libero but it’s success is very dependent on the roles around it. 
Or you can go the reverse route of a standard 2 cb and using a HB in front who will drop between them in defensive situations. This is probably more effective but doesn’t involve the central position rather than the wider cb. 
But it all depends on what player roles you use further forward and also your TI’s, a higher Defensive line  for example gets your cb’s engaged higher but obviously that applies to all of the cb not just one as you were looking for. 

 

Some more guidance in what went wrong in your previous by showing how you were set up etc means you could receive some help there. 

[Big Yellow]

A ball playing defender with a stopper duty will come forward more often.

Otherwise you could try a Libero.

[wattzy]

Thanks guys. 

I had been previously playing with a Half back infront of the 2 CB’s but it wasn’t quite keeping enough out so wanted to give this a go.

Having trialled in all my pre-season games I don’t think it’s going to work as I found the 3 CB’s pretty much stay level at all times even with different roles. I think I’ll go back to using a half back for the moment and play around with the instructions of the two centre backs to try and almost create a 3. 

[That There Phil]

A BPD with a stopper duty and the right traits will step into midfield to bring the ball out fairly regularly, but there's no way to have him sit higher - he'll very quickly return to his defensive position once he gets rid of the ball.

I'd love to see some kind of support duty central defender that sits higher in possession like many modern centre backs playing in a 3 do, but I guess we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed for FM22.

[scottybee84]

8 hours ago, That There Phil said:

A BPD with a stopper duty and the right traits will step into midfield to bring the ball out fairly regularly, but there's no way to have him sit higher - he'll very quickly return to his defensive position once he gets rid of the ball.

I'd love to see some kind of support duty central defender that sits higher in possession like many modern centre backs playing in a 3 do, but I guess we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed for FM22.

Got to say I'm a little disappointed with the omission of overlapping centre backs this year after a lot of talk about them last year and trying to replicate systems like Wilder's Sheff Utd.