Diversifying Attacking Options

[santy001]

Using a 4-4-1-1 I've made a fairly simple, veritcal tiki-taka set up with little changes. Been having a difficult time with tactics on FM21 so I decided to simplify things, pick up PSG with whom you should still do enough to keep the job while refining the process. With this tactic while its effective, its very limited in its scope. 

The Problems:

With 46 goals coming from the AF position and 35 coming from the IW on the left, over 75% of the goals scored last season came from these two positions. It means there's little variation and there are a lot of circumstances where it falls somewhat flat on its face.

There are 4 very passive, functional only roles in the team, the players in these positions tend to recycle possession and little else, not really getting assists or goals. The AM, BWM, WM and FB positions do very little in a building perspective. I can largely live with the BWM and FB not doing much, since the team is quite solid defensively (less than 30 goals conceded in all competitions yet still dumped out of the CL at the first knockout round).

I've tried some experiments with the RM and AM positions, but it seemed to be more of the same rather than any tangible change. It looks like the RM should have a lot of space to operate in without infringing on the AM position. My hopes were that Savic would be the kind of player to be driving shots in from the edge of the box with aplomb considering he has the right mix of attributes to be devastating from that position yet last season he provided just 2 goals and 5 assists, a poor return for such a brilliant player. Correa I hoped to be a creative force, but again just 3 assists. 

It just feels like there's a lot of performance, and in turn better results, being left on the table with these two especially. 

What I've Tried:

When it comes to the AM position, I've tried each of the roles besides an Advanced Playmaker, (since there's already a DLP in the MCL it seemed redundant to me) and not found anything works any better. This is pushing me towards thinking I ought to either be looking at Personal Instructions or moving the player elsewhere, some ideas were to go back to the midfield line and maybe try box to box but I've never gone with a flat 4-5-1 before. Would a DLP/BBM/BWM be something that should work on paper or in possession would it result in perhaps too much crowding in the middle?

With the RM position I've been a little more reserved, I've tried Wide Midfielder and Wide Playmaker, despite the reservations about doubling up on playmakers I thought maybe it could get more assists from Correa but sadly amounted to nothing. I'm thinking again Personal Instructions may be more of a decisive factor here, I've shied away from an inverted winger since that would basically just be replicating what is happening on the other side - it doesn't offer a different option as such in my mind. The RB will offer width, albeit more of a later push as a FB (PI to stay wider) on support, so a Winger seems redundant but I could be wrong.

 

[Johnny Ace]

"so I decided to simplify things" - has an arm lengths list of TIs 

Sound like you're doing well to be fair, it's looks like a very aggressive tika-taka system 

The AMC role, S M-S should be a phenom in the role, he's one I've not used before. What roles have you tried with him? If you haven't already, he looks quite suited for a Trequartista someone that moves around, creates & will get into the box. Maybe remove WBIB to help encourage him & help Correa get balls into the box. Very narrow, inverted runners & focus play through the middle will attract the opposition to the centre of the pitch & make life hard for him 

Is that Joaquin Correa? He looks absolutely rapid & has dribbling & agility in his locker, maybe a winger support? Get him running at defences & putting crosses in 

Does the left side cause you any problems? The underlaps will boost the mentality of Bernat even further & with Neymar going forward & no "rock" role on that side of midfield I would think it might be a weak point

[santy001]

To be fair @Johnny Ace those TI's are all part & parcel of the default Vertical Tiki-Taka, they're just straight out of the box options. So rather its a case of it being simple in how much I've looked to change from what the game gives you.

It's Angel Correa, from Atletico on the right. 

On the left, Neymar will tend to leave it a bit more exposed. With him you're trading off the superior technical ability at that risk, but in close games I will usually sub on Di Maria in that spot since he's a bit more defensively responsible. 

[Johnny Ace]

Ah, I'm with you 

I'd maybe chop a few of the TI's off then, the presets come with too many for my liking & overcomplicate things 

[DarJ]

3 hours ago, santy001 said:

With 46 goals coming from the AF position and 35 coming from the IW on the left, over 75% of the goals scored last season came from these two positions.

Personally I don't think there is any Problem with that because that's how an AF works; one he gets the ball he's going for goal unless he runs into traffic.

It's been working for you so I don't see why you would want to change. Keep in mind that those players recycling possession are vital. If they're not there, you lose the ball and you'll probably concede.

Change the AF to a CF on Attack and he will drop deep sometimes and and bring other to play (something the AF doesn't do)

[04texag]

I've got a lot of similar things going in a new 4411 shape in my Club DNA project. I vary a lot in game in response to opposition, upping and lowering tempo and width. The AFA scores well, but so do both WM and the CM.

[SpartyOn]

The default Vertical Tiki-Taka is just so extreme in its central focus that it's hard to use as a full-time tactic, in my experience. I love the way it can gut a 442, but against teams that pack the midfield, it leads to so much backwards passing - they stop you from going through the middle, and the instructions discourage pushing it wide.

The 4411 usually relies on a static central midfield that allows for more aggressive wide play, which is what you have with your roles and duties. The VTT instructions, with underlap and focus play through the middle, tell the wide players to hold up the ball and send it back inside. So maybe those two aren't a great match.

Something simple might be to try your current roles/duties with the Control Possession style, which is pretty similar to VTT without all the narrowness.

[santy001]

So far I've just finished a run of 10 games putting in the suggestions offered by @Johnny Ace with the tactic like this:

It has added goals from Savic in the AM position, Mbappe is getting a greater amount than before too which has been a pleasant surprise. Correa has ended up more marginalised though, with the ML pushing inside from the left, it means Savic will go more to the right and Correa ends up in a no-mans land, not really doing much of anything besides being a safe passing option usually just a few yards away from the FB and the BWM. The water carrying players, who do the simple stuff are needed, but I think three of them so close by is a bit of a mistake on my behalf. 

@DarJ it works domestically without fault, but that's almost by design. Picking PSG is a safe choice for me to get a feel for tactics again after a couple of saves I was unhappy with considering the quality of the squad is strong enough to domestically keep me in the job while I refine the tactics and get switched back on to thinking how best to building a tactic. There's also the money for me to try either/or scenarios with players. 

@SpartyOn I have given control possession a go in a couple of games, as an alternative tactic. It has shown some promise to be fair, probably something I'm going to put in rotation and alter it depending upon how the games are going. Some of the close-knit, intricate play on the edge of the box on VTT is stunning though. It can carve a team open with 15+ crisp passes between a cluster of players. 

[Delial]

IMHO your tactic is way to narrow. You don't give your team the possibility to exploit the flank, which is one of the strenght of 442/4411 formation.

First, you should light up your TI's. Remove underlap's instructions and Very Narrow. Why removing underlap? Take your left side: you got an IW that will cut inside, and you're asking him to make a pass inside for your LWB and/or your DLP (giving the fact that DLP isn't a role that runs a lot). Your WB should provide width to your team but you don't let him to do it and you overcrowd the middle, which is already very crowded with your AMC and your AF.

 

I play a simple 442 and my wingers don't have the same role. I have one WM(S) who is a more playmaker type that will cut inside, cross from deep, lot a assists and as you're playing a slow tempo, he will have the time to come in the goal area and score a bunch of goals. A perfect role for playmaker as Neymar or Foden. Plus, it will give a huuuuuge space to exploit for a astonishing crossing player such as Angelinho.

On the other side I have a W(a). It will provide width, will be one of your main score threat and will also give a lot of assists. Correa, on the side of his favored foot will be wonderful for this role.

 Try this and let us know if it satisfies you a bit more!

Edited December 15, 2020 by Delial