Simple crafting of a 4-3-3 DM

[NineCloudNine]

3 hours ago, Tazzer said:

Hi all,

 

Any idea how I can this tactic to work better... I seem to be relatively strong defensively but struggle to create clear goal scoring opportunities. I do have the majority of possession in most matches.

 

I'm performing about as expected but I am struggling to push on

My usual thought with similar questions is to remove some of the team instructions. You are being very prescriptive in how you want your team to play. That reduces the options available to your players when Plan A doesn’t work.

Try removing the overlap/underlap, move the passing up a notch, allow your team to counter, allow your GK to have more distribution options. You might also step the pressing line back a notch since a very high press just pins the opposition back into a small part of the pitch so there’s no space for you to attack.

There’s nothing obviously problematic about the shape or roles, though it isn’t obvious to me why you have made your right FB an IWB. I’d personally rather have them playing wide to support the winger rather than in an already solid midfield.

A personal preference of mine is not to give wingers an attack duty because I find it makes them one-dimensional - they get to the byline and cross. That might be what you want, but a support duty might see them choose other options sometimes.

[KlaaZ]

10 hours ago, KlaaZ said:

Fun fact, I'm trying something similar in my third season at OHL. Became champions twice in a row, first season with a 3421 formation, second season a 433 DM gegenpress. Preseason of the third was horrible so I'm in the process of building a new 433, will try to make a post later today or tomorrow with more detail. Biggest gripe is that I tend to dominate and usually go ahead but once my opponents come out of their shell, I look too vulnerable at the back.

So to expand on this, here's how I currently set up. 

Spoiler

Considering I've been champions twice in a row, teams tend to sit back more against me and in turn, I find it harder to break them down. On top of that, I had a lot of problems with losing possession and then being countered, which is somewhat better in this setup. But it's still not very potent going forward, and I still feel that I give away too many good chances. It's worth mentioning that my squad is one of the better teams in the mental and technical attributes (especially the latter), but average on the physical end.

The good: Lots of possession, very in control against teams sitting back. Because of this, usually enough to edge games.
The meh: Hard to get the maximum out of my strikers and the RPM, average performances most of the time.
The bad: Chance creation most of the time, in some cases very vulnerable at the back. 

Tips are always welcome. Can always post my starting eleven.

[Karlo]

11 minutes ago, KlaaZ said:

So to expand on this, here's how I currently set up. 

  Hide contents

Considering I've been champions twice in a row, teams tend to sit back more against me and in turn, I find it harder to break them down. On top of that, I had a lot of problems with losing possession and then being countered, which is somewhat better in this setup. But it's still not very potent going forward, and I still feel that I give away too many good chances. It's worth mentioning that my squad is one of the better teams in the mental and technical attributes (especially the latter), but average on the physical end.

The good: Lots of possession, very in control against teams sitting back. Because of this, usually enough to edge games.
The meh: Hard to get the maximum out of my strikers and the RPM, average performances most of the time.
The bad: Chance creation most of the time, in some cases very vulnerable at the back. 

Tips are always welcome. Can always post my starting eleven.

 

Looks pretty balanced. Only changes I would make is IWBat > WBat and maybe up the mentality to positive.

[KlaaZ]

31 minutes ago, Karlo said:

 

Looks pretty balanced. Only changes I would make is IWBat > WBat and maybe up the mentality to positive.

I actually played him as a CWB(A) before, but it made me even more vulnerable to counterattacks for some reason. Him sitting narrower really seems to improve my build up play. I'm considering playing Maziz as a counterfooted W(S) to provide more width though. 

I do tend to play with mentality depending on how the match unfolds, but starting on balanced is never a bad idea.  

Just to add to this, it also doesn't help that my backs seemingly never want to cross.

Edited February 16 by KlaaZ

[KlaaZ]

2 hours ago, KlaaZ said:

I actually played him as a CWB(A) before, but it made me even more vulnerable to counterattacks for some reason. Him sitting narrower really seems to improve my build up play. I'm considering playing Maziz as a counterfooted W(S) to provide more width though. 

I do tend to play with mentality depending on how the match unfolds, but starting on balanced is never a bad idea.  

Just to add to this, it also doesn't help that my backs seemingly never want to cross.

Update: Think I may have found the solution, will post details tomorrow when I played a few more games! Can already say it's looking promising though. 🙂

[KlaaZ]

10 hours ago, KlaaZ said:

Update: Think I may have found the solution, will post details tomorrow when I played a few more games! Can already say it's looking promising though. 🙂

As promised! Changed the IWB(A) to a WB(A) with cross more often, gave the WB(S) cross more often too. The CM(S) has move into channels. Removed counterpress, and the distribution directions from my GK, and added get stuck in because we were being too passive without the ball.

Results below, very solid xG for and very little xG against. Still worried about the amount of goals conceded but considering we don't give away a lot of chances, I think that's more down to bad luck. 

[nick1408]

I'm running the following tactic and have been successful but i do have a slight worry:

 

 

The passing is pretty poor and I'd like to tidy it up a little. What would be an adjustment to stop turning the ball over as much? I am winning so maybe it's something I just need to put up with.

 

Another issue I have is a lack of goals from the striker. He was a DLF(A) but I changed tactic (see previous tactic here) and I simply don't think the new tactic suits either Joao Felix or Tommaso Baldanzi who are more creative. I am in the market for a striker but I also think the role may not suit the build-up players as much as it did previously.

Edited March 19 by nick1408