Preparing for Endrick

[allyc31]

So thought i'd start a new save with Everton with the main purpose to buy Endrick as he'll go to Read Madrid after the update and this will most likely be the last chance we get to sign him. 

I've literally just started the save so I'm in the courtship stage of our relationship, which i suspect will take around 2-3 years which should allow me plenty of time to come up with a tactic to make use of his skillset. Plus it'll be fun. Side note, I will be signing him. Even if i have to take over SEP to ensure it. Second side note, I'm not sure how often i'll get to update this what with being a father of two young kids, work and the imminent potential that I'm about to get some pretty devastating news about my dog. Am i only doing this as a distraction? Who can say. Me. Me can say and its a yes. 

Anyway, with all that out of the way, i've been thinking about it and came up a couple of shapes and team instructions for your perusal. The central theme of both however is to slow the game down on the left hand side of the pitch before, eventually releasing the ball to Endrick on the right who, hopefully, will have plenty of space to run into and get a shot on target. 

 

Option One

Spoiler

 

Option two

Spoiler

 

In Possession Instructions

Spoiler

 

In Transition instructions

Spoiler

 

Thought Process behind all of the above

As mentioned, the entire thought process of the above is to try to intentionally isolate the right-handside Inside Forward against his fullback in an effort to have him get a 1-v-1 and hopefully get a shot on target. I'll try to break down my thoughts on why ive picked what I have below

• Cautious Mentality
  • Drops both defensive line and engagement line to try and create space. Also lowers risk (I think) across the board so should hopefully help us keep the ball better
• Focus Play down the let
  • This was done to attempt to naturally force the opposition to drift to their right which will hopefully make space for the Inside Forward
• Slower Tempo & Shorter Passing
  • Again to service the above, i want to keep the ball on my left hand side to give the opposition more time to come over and engage. 
• Whipped Crossing 
  • Honestly not sure if it will even do anything but the thinking is that, when the time is right to switch the play, the ball is played with pace. Might not work with threw balls from deep though
• Slow Pace down & Distribute to centre backs
  • Same as above. I want to draw their players in

 

How I imagine this will all play out? 

• Who is the main goal scorers 
  • The Inside Forward
  • The Deep Lying Forward arriving late
  • The right sided Centre Mid from distance.
• Who are the main creators
  • All the play makers

 

Things I don't know yet

• PPMs
  • Im thinking that i'd like probably the Deep Lying Midfielder to have plays shorter passes
    • In which case, does he need to be a DLP then? Would a more sensible approach be something like an Anchor Man? 
  • In the section option, I think I would want to train the Enganche to play with back to goal. 
    • The thinking is it will allow him to hold off pressure more and force him to play back towards the left hand side of the pitch
  • Obviously at least one of the players need to have 
    • Tries Killer Balls
    • Likes to Switch Play
      • Might be nice to have that on a playmaker and the left fullback for a secondary option 
• Player Roles/Player Instructions
  • Obviously this is the most difficult one but I think everything i've picked makes sense? 
    • Perhaps as mentioned, the Deep Lying Playmaker might be redundant 
      • But as i understand it, more playmakers helps to slow the game down a bit as they're less like to spray the ball and more likely to play it to their other playmaker
    • The left sided fullback
      • Im not sure with this one
        • Wingback on support helps keep width on the left hand side which will help the Wide Play Maker/Advanced Player maker when they cut inside
        • Wingback on Attack might help to push back the opposition right fullback to help create space for the left hand side player maker?
        • Inverted Wingback on support to push further inside to give another short passing option and draw in the opposition even more?
    • Stay Wider on the Inside forward
      • This might allow the Inside Forward to better isolate himself against the opposition left back

 

Conclusion

Thats about all my thoughts on the above. I don't have the players for this right now as only started so will be playing the first season training these two shapes in the background. As I said, not sure how often i'll get to update but i might try to sign some players in the jan transfer window and see how it looks. 

Please feel free t point out any glaring errors I've made in the above or just general advice. 

I purposely haven't put any Out of Possession instructions as I'm not sure about them. I'm not sure who i want to win the ball or what to do when we dont have it in general so any tips there would be appreciated. 

Thanks for reading. 

Have a great dat

[gunnerfan]

My first thought is that you might be getting a little ahead of yourself. I also think you may be overloading your dependence on Endrick (not to mention who will take his role until he arrives). And you also need to consider how the rest of your squad will develop.

I arranged for a summer transfer of Endrick (I’m playing as Vigo in La Liga) shortly after the close of the January ‘25 transfer window. At the time, I was alternating two young strikers in a pretty solid 4-1-2-3. After the Endrick deal was agreed, both strikers got better and better, but when I looked at their end of season analytics, I came to the conclusion that platooning them was hurting both player’s’ performance. I decided I needed to play them both at least part of the time, while working Endrick into the lineup.

I had a surfeit of wing attacking midfielders, only one of which was suited to WM, so the 4-4-2 was out. I thought of the 4-2-4, but FM23 only includes the 4-2-4DM in its stock formations, which made me wonder if having 2 MCs might be a flawed approach. I found my answer in Rashidi’s Book of Tactics, in which he includes a 4-2-4 Flank tactic that melds wing play with possession features and has 2 MCs (one DLPs and one BWMd). 

I’m now 3-0 in the ‘25-26 La Liga season, and Endrick is currently a squad player. The defensive issues I’d feared have not arisen, although my next match, at Real Madrid, will tell the tale. 

My two strikers are AFa and PFs: the two outside attacking mids (Endrick is the AMR) are IFs; my back four are WBs, BPDd, BPDd, and WBs. My goalie is GKd.

Edited February 17, 2023 by gunnerfan

[allyc31]

Completely agree about getting ahead of myself. I wont be playing this tactic until he arrives. And i get what your saying about, if i may, not putting all my eggs in one basket and instead letting the save develop naturally. But ive done that. The purpose of this save is to try and get Endrick and create a tactic that overloads one side and exploits the other. 

[gunnerfan]

That’s fine, but remember that the AI adjusts to your tactic. But here’s another thought. During World Cup, folks posted tactics to mirror what some of the nations were doing. There were several entries for Argentina, based on the final, and the one that fascinated me was a 4-4-2 with Messi as one of the strikers in a trequartista role. When one of my strikers can’t play, and I use Endrick as a striker, I’m toying with the idea of a trequartista role for him.

[Tyburn]

Signed him for Leicester as soon as he turned 18. Played him RW as an IF(a) in a 433. He kicked **** immediately and never looked back. Won the league his 2nd season (I had a team of elite (ELITE) wonderkids that had finally matured). He was arguably my most important player that season. I quit that save after winning the league.