Defending against big teams 3-5-2, 3-4-3 etc

[Tom Jobim]

Hi everyone, today i wanted to ask how you guys deal with back three shapes employed by the best teams on their leagues ( Leverkusen, Bayern, Atleti, serie A teams )

I mainly play as a 3-4-3 (or 3-4-2-1 w/e) but when facing a back three i usually play with a 4-2-3-1 using max width and overlapping wing-backs. My biggest concern is against those top teams on away games, especially Inter.

I try to use compact lines but their strikers duo always slip past my cbs. If i try to play wider as possible. If i play a standard defensive line and try to roof the ball over, the players in the final third still get isolated and can't really do much. If i try to trap outside, it still doesn't change much

Of course, player quality is the biggest point. In fact, Inter is the best team in serie A and both Lautaro and Thuram are the best players on serie A in my save rn. But i still wanna have more tool for when playing against then, even if i'm a mid table club. So, which tactical advice can i get besides the "they struggle to defend the flanks"?

[Maddux]

Try playing without counter press or use the "regain shape" TI.

The best way to defend fast players is by slowing them down. Counter press can and will open spaces and incites your opponent to play more vertical in these spaces. Regain shape will give them more time on the ball, which they will use most likely. But this can slow down their progress and gives your team the chance to close spaces and get back in a good defensive formation. And use the "tight marking never" OI on the strikers so your CBs won't go in sprinting duels but try to challenge for the ball after the striker controled it.

The best example on how perfect defending against fast players looks like would be Germanys 4:0 victory over Portugal in the 2014 World Cup. That Pepe got a red card helped to but it was perfect defending against Portugals offense around CR7. Löw didn't played a normal FB on the right side but started Boateng there instead and instructed him to off of CR7. One of Ronaldos biggest strengths is speeding away in the back of the FB but Boateng just never gave him a chance to do that. He kept away from CR7 and stood there like a roadblock when CR7 got the ball and tried to pick up tempo. Mertesacker in the middle usualy did the same.

[bosque]

On 28/12/2023 at 22:24, Maddux said:

Try playing without counter press or use the "regain shape" TI.

The best way to defend fast players is by slowing them down. Counter press can and will open spaces and incites your opponent to play more vertical in these spaces. Regain shape will give them more time on the ball, which they will use most likely. But this can slow down their progress and gives your team the chance to close spaces and get back in a good defensive formation. And use the "tight marking never" OI on the strikers so your CBs won't go in sprinting duels but try to challenge for the ball after the striker controled it.

The best example on how perfect defending against fast players looks like would be Germanys 4:0 victory over Portugal in the 2014 World Cup. That Pepe got a red card helped to but it was perfect defending against Portugals offense around CR7. Löw didn't played a normal FB on the right side but started Boateng there instead and instructed him to off of CR7. One of Ronaldos biggest strengths is speeding away in the back of the FB but Boateng just never gave him a chance to do that. He kept away from CR7 and stood there like a roadblock when CR7 got the ball and tried to pick up tempo. Mertesacker in the middle usualy did the same.

I just came to the forum to ask the same question but against any team not only big ones. I just draw a game against Augsburg, they were playing a 3421 and just bored us to death by maintaining possession. If I use a high block this teams manage to always have a +1 passing option. And it doesn't matter if I recover high up the pitch, in the middle third or in my third, counterattacking them seems impossible because they always have a lot of bodies at the back. So, not sure how to beat them 

[Maddux]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb bosque:

I just came to the forum to ask the same question but against any team not only big ones. I just draw a game against Augsburg, they were playing a 3421 and just bored us to death by maintaining possession. If I use a high block this teams manage to always have a +1 passing option. And it doesn't matter if I recover high up the pitch, in the middle third or in my third, counterattacking them seems impossible because they always have a lot of bodies at the back. So, not sure how to beat them 

You need to create numerical advantages in offense and try to stretch their back-3. A front-4 formation plus 2 offensive fullbacks should create a numerical advantage and you can change yor central midfielder roles so your opponent has to cover them and can't just pull one of his DM/CM back to help in the last line.

[bosque]

2 hours ago, Maddux said:

You need to create numerical advantages in offense and try to stretch their back-3. A front-4 formation plus 2 offensive fullbacks should create a numerical advantage and you can change yor central midfielder roles so your opponent has to cover them and can't just pull one of his DM/CM back to help in the last line.

Thanks, it makes sense. And how about when the team is out-of-possession? Mid block, letting their CBs passs it arround but blocking the midfield passing lines?

[Maddux]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb bosque:

Thanks, it makes sense. And how about when the team is out-of-possession? Mid block, letting their CBs passs it arround but blocking the midfield passing lines?

I prefer a midfield block with "trap outside".

A 3-X-X has just one winger on each side and winning the ball from a winger when the opponent is pushed higher up should result in spaces behind the winger that then can be exploitet.