[fm21] Help with cm pair

[allyc31]

Right, I’ve a week of work due to getting decommissioned and really want to achieve something in fm. Namely take Everton to the top of the word, knock united of their ******* perch etc etc. Currently in first season with Everton on fm21. Playing the recommended base 4-2-3-1 gegenpress tactic but want to get away from that in the second season because I really just don’t like the 4-2-3-1. Below is the tactic I’m going to aiming towards next season. I’ve came to the following due to 

1. I like the dm ‘conductor’ role in football. Love defence splitting passes from deep. 
2. dominic Calvin Lewin is an elite goal scorer who like to beat the offside trap so playing him as an advanced forward makes sense to me. He also doesn’t have the passing or vision to be a deep lying forward and I’d rather him stay central to get on the end of balls so complete forward is out.

I’ve set the attacking width to narrow as will as selecting two inverted wingers (as opposed to natural wingers) to keep the two wide players narrow in an effort to aid pressing.
 

But I have some questions around the midfield 3

1. I’m bringing in Camavinga for an eye watering 80 million and hope to build the midfield engine room around him for the next several years. Ideally I’d like to play him as a b2b on the left-hand side. Assuming all other things are equal, would that get the best out of him do you think?

2. Will playing a b2b on the same side as a Inverted Winger Attack (with the attacking width set to narrow) result in those two getting in each other’s way? If so, any suggestions to medicate?

3. Does playing a Deep Lying Playmaker in a pressing tactic such as the above make sense? I know the base tactic recommends playing an advanced playmaker which makes sense I suppose because he’ll start higher up and thus help pressure the back line. But I’d rather the front 3 pressure the back line and force them into clearing directly into my midfield. But what I think will work in fm and what usually works in fm are two different things. Either at cmr or dm 

4, if no to the dlp then not sure what to do with the right cm spot. Everyone loves the mezzala but I never seem to get it working. They always seem to occupy the same space as the player at AMR. 
 

So if someone could help with the above questions that would be great. 

All advice welcome. 
 

EDIT

i guess a better question might be that I don’t really know what role I want my midfield to play int the tactic, other than the normal role of linking the midfielder and the attack. 
 

im just not sure what they should be doing? I think I want the b2b to arrive late. And maybe the right hand side to recycle the position?

 

Edited May 4, 2022 by allyc31

[Johnny Ace]

50 minutes ago, allyc31 said:

1. I’m bringing in Camavinga for an eye watering 80 million and hope to build the midfield engine room around him for the next several years. Ideally I’d like to play him as a b2b on the left-hand side. Assuming all other things are equal, would that get the best out of him do you think?

Whoah!! Nice   I'd play him on the right, plenty of penetration from the IW(A) on the left just helps add a bit more on the right 

 

51 minutes ago, allyc31 said:

2. Will playing a b2b on the same side as a Inverted Winger Attack (with the attacking width set to narrow) result in those two getting in each other’s way? If so, any suggestions to medicate?

See above, I'd rather spread the threat but it can work just fine 

 

52 minutes ago, allyc31 said:

3. Does playing a Deep Lying Playmaker in a pressing tactic such as the above make sense? I know the base tactic recommends playing an advanced playmaker which makes sense I suppose because he’ll start higher up and thus help pressure the back line. But I’d rather the front 3 pressure the back line and force them into clearing directly into my midfield. But what I think will work in fm and what usually works in fm are two different things. Either at cmr or dm 

You don't have a DLP in the screenshot, you mean at DM, right? I don't see any problem with it, if you end up camped in the final third, he can be a great recycling option. Oh, you mean in CM, again, I think that would be fine too on the right hand side. If it was me I'd go CM(S) - DLP(S) or CM(S) - BBM(S) or you could go CM(S) - RPM(S)

I'd just leave that left CM slot as a plain CM, I could be seen as boring and it's generic but it will do a job there just fine

1 hour ago, allyc31 said:

4, if no to the dlp then not sure what to do with the right cm spot. Everyone loves the mezzala but I never seem to get it working. They always seem to occupy the same space as the player at AMR. 

Yeah, or Mezzala here Support or Attack, the Mezz is a half space player so you can leave that channel alone with a Winger, an IW will stay pretty wide too and cut in more on the ball, an IF will sort of have them in the same channel but that can create an overload, drag opposition players over to that area to open up the left flank, so it depends how you want to play, you have options here to try out and see how they play together 

I'm not sure on all the TI's but you're asking about roles 

[allyc31]

2 hours ago, Johnny Ace said:

You don't have a DLP in the screenshot, you mean at DM, right? I don't see any problem with it, if you end up camped in the final third, he can be a great recycling option. Oh, you mean in CM, again, I think that would be fine too on the right hand side. If it was me I'd go CM(S) - DLP(S) or CM(S) - BBM(S) or you could go CM(S) - RPM(S)

Yes, apologies for that. Confused things a little I think

But I meant a DLP at CM-R. 

My thinking for the midfield is the b2b supports the attack and the deep-lying playmaker recycles the possession which seems sensible in my head.

Im not sold on the half back either. Im not sure if it should be the half back or the ball winning midfielder. Im thinking a ball-winning because it suits the aggressive nature of the tactic. 

Only reason I was thinking about Camavinga on the left is because he's left footed and it appeals to me

[Johnny Ace]

21 minutes ago, allyc31 said:

My thinking for the midfield is the b2b supports the attack and the deep-lying playmaker recycles the possession which seems sensible in my head.

I mean there's nothing stopping you from trying it, there's no or wrong 

 

21 minutes ago, allyc31 said:

Im not sold on the half back either. Im not sure if it should be the half back or the ball winning midfielder. Im thinking a ball-winning because it suits the aggressive nature of the tactic. 

The HB is like the defensive king of the DM slot, he will help protect when your wingbacks go flying forward. You're right, a BMW is great in a pressing system, but with the adventurous nature of the Wingbacks (both Support and Attack have Get Further Forward hardcoded) and his own inbuilt heavy pressing, he could leave you vulnerable. You could always use the BWM in the CM slot in place of the CM

 

26 minutes ago, allyc31 said:

Only reason I was thinking about Camavinga on the left is because he's left footed and it appeals to me

I'll admit, I'm fairly new to regularly using the Mezzella, it's a fantastic role and a lot of fun. You can use the role differently depending on his footedness, like having him on the left will have him play as a half-winger having him on the right hand side, a sort of half inside forward. You could switch your attacking flank so having him on in left CM as he's on the ball he could look to provide crosses to the fair post  

[allyc31]

Brilliant! Thanks for the advice. Im really looking forward to season 2. Start to put my own stamp on the club etc

 

[Johnny Ace]

4 minutes ago, allyc31 said:

Brilliant! Thanks for the advice. Im really looking forward to season 2. Start to put my own stamp on the club etc

Hope you have fun and enjoy Camavinga, keep us updated