Join me on a hapless attempt to understand this ME and to create a tactic!

[whatsupdoc]

FIORENTINA!!

Our main strengths are our work rate, our super-star AMR Nico Gonzalez, decent pace at the back and a tall CB in Milenkovic. Technically they're a good squad, the only challenge may playing out with the two centre-backs passing ability (12 and 13).

We're going for short passing, a slow / patient build up, and using 3 strong attacking players to overload on the right side. We have the option of crossing to our target man or of Gonzalez cutting in with the ball. 

  

 

 

 

 

On the left side we've asked our new signing Moreira to stay wide and play as an inverted winger who crosses less. We need width on the left with Parisi coming inside as a supporting IWB, and Moreira has 7 for finishing at this stage so I want him further back than an inside forward (s).

 

Parisi (or Valentin Barco) play as IWBs on support duty to help give us some stability and to try to give us options to build our way up the field with short passing and playing out from the back.

 

I'm not 100% sure what the best role for Mandragora is. He can play as both a supporting playmaker or as a more simple and reliable pivot. To start off I'm going to try him as a DM (d) but I'm considering asking him to play more direct or to play as a support player. I think I need him on defensive duty as with two FBs getting forward it would probably leak goals if he went up too.

 

Our GK is simple to set up. Good throwing, poor passing so we have him as a SW-GK on defend with take fewer risks. 

 

Set pieces are mostly aimed at Milenkovic, with a couple of short ones thrown in too.

 

Any thoughts / advice / feedback appreciated. I'll post some stats for how it goes in the early stages.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by whatsupdoc

[herne79]

14 minutes ago, whatsupdoc said:

Any thoughts

I'd keep a close on eye the right flank, especially when transitioning back into defence as you may find yourself exposed due to all the attack duties you have that side.  I'd also think carefully about using the Overlap Right instruction because you're essentially asking your IF to be pretty aggressive in attack but also to hold the ball up and wait for the fullback to overlap him, which seems a little contradictory.  imo that instruction tends to get over used but is often not necessary.  Watch matches, see how you get on.

[whatsupdoc]

2 minutes ago, herne79 said:

I'd keep a close on eye the right flank, especially when transitioning back into defence as you may find yourself exposed due to all the attack duties you have that side.  I'd also think carefully about using the Overlap Right instruction because you're essentially asking your IF to be pretty aggressive in attack but also to hold the ball up and wait for the fullback to overlap him, which seems a little contradictory.  imo that instruction tends to get over used but is often not necessary.  Watch matches, see how you get on.

Good shout!

I'm never sure about it because... with low tempo a young athletic FB should have plenty of time to overlap Gonzalez without him holding up the ball. Gonzalez has decent strength for a winger though so I thought I'd give it a try.

Will see how the counters down the right go. Kayode is quick so hopefully we don't get shredded. 

[Halbraum]

Do you really want to use a TF in this tactic? He attracts early long balls. I'd be cautious to use the role In a patient posession tactic that wants to utilize overloads.

Also, your distribution TIs contradict with that style either. So, to me, your tactic looks like you're telling your players "Try everything broskis!"  

[whatsupdoc]

48 minutes ago, Halbraum said:

Do you really want to use a TF in this tactic? He attracts early long balls. I'd be cautious to use the role In a patient posession tactic that wants to utilize overloads.

Also, your distribution TIs contradict with that style either. So, to me, your tactic looks like you're telling your players "Try everything broskis!"  

haha step aside Guardiola, "try everything" is here!

The GK distribution is mainly about his stats:

16 for throwing and poor passing/vision. When I replace him though it will be with someone who can play shorter.

 

On the target-man:

I'm training him to improve his passing/vision, but I don't think he has the required stats to play as a DLF.

Similar situation with Beltran, I'm not sure what his best role is given these stats:

Good strength but bad jumping and vision makes a "back to goal" striker difficult, so I'm retraining him as an inside forward on the left. Eventual idea is a false 9 up front.

[whatsupdoc]

We've started well! Lots of data follow, any thoughts/suggestions more than welcome!

 

This has ended up our strongest starting line-up:

 

I've looked at the following stats and decided on a few tweaks.

Scoring stats:

  

Surprisingly, Gonzalez has a fairly poor scoring output, with 36% a relatively low 36% of his 1.62 shots per game hitting the target. Considering removing "holds up ball" and seeing what impact it has.

Kouame from the right side is on fire. He doesn't hold up the ball as an AML.

Nzola I'm happy with, he's not scoring a ton but his link up play has been important.

Beltran is struggling when I play him up front (can't decide on a role that both fits him and the team). I've had him on Target Fwd (attack) and Advanced Forward mainly due to his poor passing/vision, however the team overall needs a striker who will present for the ball rather than get in behind). I think the plan has to be to keep training him as an AML.

I've added "shoot less often" to the IWB (s) role as Parisi and Barco haven't been hitting the target however they've been excellent creatively. Infantino and Barak have a bunch of shoot PPMs so I'm training him to improve rather than trying to stop him shooting.

 

Creative stats: 

 

I'm happy with the creative output from central midfielders, and the IWB (s) role is creating more than I'd expected.

The two attacking right FBs (Kayode & Pierozzi) have a relatively high number of CCCs created, an extremely high number of crosses attempted, unsuccessful crosses and subsequently possession lost. This is likely due to the attacking mentality leading them to take more risks. 

 

 

Not sure what to change here.

I'm going to try removing "hold up ball" from Gonzalez and also removing "cross aim at Target forward".

For now I'll persist with the focus right and overlap right team instructions.

 

Passing overall:

Looking how I want it!

Possession:

  

Overall attacking:

Cross aim from the AML to the far post (Gonzalez) works well.

 

 

Defensively we're quite solid:

 

 

Set Pieces:

Fine defensively.

Far post corner is not working so I've changed it to a near post corner.

 

 

Is there a way to get an overall assist map?

 

Edited November 21, 2023 by whatsupdoc

[whatsupdoc]

Half-way point, life is good at Fiorentina:

The changes made to Gonzalez holding up the ball and a the other tweaks to player instructions have made a big difference to his performance and goalscoring overall. 

Some cool stats we are doing well with:

 

 

Focussing on the defensive side:

- Fouls, we're doing great despite the tight marking for all roles except the front 3. Only the IWB (s) has some numbers that warrant keeping an eye on.

- Tackles won ratio is off the charts! No surprise we are top of the charts for possession won.

- The big man Milenkovic is very useful in the air at stopper.

- Interceptions look good. We have "stop crosses" as a team instruction and all of the full-backs have relatively high scores, with Kayode the standout.

- Very happy to see only 2 mistakes leading to goals. I am often PLAGUED by these and it's often a sign that your way of playing out from the back isn't working. 

- The only negatives I can see are some players losing too many aerial battles (Parisi at left back especially). I could try harder tackling for him but his foul-rate is already high. He has 8 for jumping. I've added some "resistance" training to the calendar.

There's not anything I can imagine changing to improve the defending. I've made one change - asked Beltran to tackle harder. His work rate, aggression and decent tackling should have far better results.

 

 

Overall we'd be top of the charts defensively if it weren't for a 6 week injury to our first choice GK. The young back-up isn't really ready yet.

Edited November 21, 2023 by whatsupdoc

[whatsupdoc]

Treble!

 

[LuboM25]

Lovely work, nice to see how you use the data hub to improve the tactic.

[whatsupdoc]

13 hours ago, LuboM25 said:

Lovely work, nice to see how you use the data hub to improve the tactic.

Thanks Lubo! It's a great tool! Often better than trying to use my brain

[whatsupdoc]

SEASON 2!

Busy transfer window - thank you Al Nassr! 

 

Tactical changes:

- Moreira IW[s] replaces top goalscorer Kuoame IF[a]. We'll lose a lot of goals from that change.

- Baldanzi comes in as a "box-to-box", however his player tasks make him more of a 10. I'm hoping this will replace some of the lost goals from the left.

- Treble winning GK Terraciano leaves in favour of 3 prospects including a new-gen! GK rolls it out now as the youngsters can't kick very far. 

 

Big change at AML: Top goal-scorer inside forward out, prospect with 8 for finishing in. 

 

Record signing Tommaso Baldanzi comes in as a "box-to-box" with the following player tasks: