How to take my short passing 433 to the next level

[KillieDIV]

I'm playing on FM23. I'm currently managing Kilmarnock in season 5 and since the start I've improved at a rate of about 1 league place a year and this season I got into Europe (unlucky draw, knocked out in the playoff by Fiorentina). I think I've managed to build a good tactic but I can't shake the feeling there's something missing. I feel like it's very reliant on the AP having a good game, and if the other team sits back I struggle to get in behind and create chances. Most of my goals come from turnovers and transitions as my AF is brilliant with lots of pace and good finishing, and my AP is my best player. Here's the tactic:

GKd

WBs BPDd CDd WBs

DMd

CMs APa

IWa                     IFs

AFa

Instructions:

In:

Balanced (change to positive if we're not creating much)

Shorter passing

Higher tempo

Transition:

Counter Press

GK take short kicks

Out:

Mid block

Lower defensive line

Trigger press much more often

Get stuck in 

PPIs:

Both WBs stay wider

AP, IF, IW, AF more direct passing 

Rationale:

Shorter passing, higher tempo, short kicks, PPIs - we're technically pretty good and our attacking players are short and quick. I want to have more of the ball as my defence isn't reliable enough to let the opposition have the ball for extended periods - we're definitely guilty of lapses in concentration at the back. Stay wider is on to offer more passing avenues going forward. More direct passing on the forward players is to encourage faster play once we get to the strikers so we can take advantage of quick transitions.

Counter press, mid block, lower defensive line, trigger press much more often, get stuck in - We've got the highest work rate in the league so these are really built around that. Our defenders are slow but are great in the air so that's why the line is deeper, and the mid block is because we don't want the rest of the team to drift too far from the defense, but also because we want to win the ball in midfield and break using the more direct passing on the forward players. 

Currently my teams is 6th after 1/3rd of the games, and we were predicted 6th before the season. I'm much closer to the teams ahead than I am to the teams behind but I feel that this tactic has potential to go that extra step and be challenging for 3rd place. Can anyone offer any advice as to how I can improve? My gut is telling me that I can use the CMs better, maybe as a BWMs, but I don't know if this will nuke me when I'm trying to create chances. Thanks. 

[Karlo]

Set-up looks fine. The player roles and instructions are a good match, but don't really match the lower defensive line so I would just use standard if I were you.

 

[Fox-7-]

Against teams that park the bus in front of you I would make some changes to add variety to your attacks (obviously I don't know what players you have and it would be to see if they would be suitable with my ideas):

 

-WBR from support to attack

-IWR from attack to support

-WBL to FB support

-IFL to W support/attack

 

IMO by doing this you would have a wider attacking front, while in your current setup IW and IF cut inside (I also think that IF blocks the path to your AP who carries the ball centrally), and from behind WBs on support aren't so aggressive in attacking the flanks. Furthermore you have also set higher tempo and direct passes to the offensive players which certainly do not help to favor runs from deeper positions

In TIs I would actually lower the tempo to at least standard, they leave the ball to you for a long time, so make your players take their time to think and make the best choice (and in combination with this I would leave the direct passes only to the players who have to create your actions, so ideally APa and IWs in my setup).

Lower DL perhaps lengthens your team too much by not giving it compactness, having players in every strata if you don't feel totally comfortable with a structured high pressing you could still keep DL on Standard

Edited January 24 by Fox-7-

[Davienene]

Looks like a good set up,But the ap could be limiting the IFs,You could consider having him on the stay wider role but that depends on who you think is more deadly on the inside him or the IF.If it's the IF then have him on attack and the Ap on support and to roam wider a bit plus Wb on attack against low blocks to stretch the backline 

[Cloud9]

On 23/01/2024 at 12:15, KillieDIV said:

I'm playing on FM23. I'm currently managing Kilmarnock in season 5 and since the start I've improved at a rate of about 1 league place a year and this season I got into Europe (unlucky draw, knocked out in the playoff by Fiorentina). I think I've managed to build a good tactic but I can't shake the feeling there's something missing. I feel like it's very reliant on the AP having a good game, and if the other team sits back I struggle to get in behind and create chances. Most of my goals come from turnovers and transitions as my AF is brilliant with lots of pace and good finishing, and my AP is my best player. Here's the tactic:

GKd

WBs BPDd CDd WBs

DMd

CMs APa

IWa                     IFs

AFa

Instructions:

In:

Balanced (change to positive if we're not creating much)

Shorter passing

Higher tempo

Transition:

Counter Press

GK take short kicks

Out:

Mid block

Lower defensive line

Trigger press much more often

Get stuck in 

PPIs:

Both WBs stay wider

AP, IF, IW, AF more direct passing 

Rationale:

Shorter passing, higher tempo, short kicks, PPIs - we're technically pretty good and our attacking players are short and quick. I want to have more of the ball as my defence isn't reliable enough to let the opposition have the ball for extended periods - we're definitely guilty of lapses in concentration at the back. Stay wider is on to offer more passing avenues going forward. More direct passing on the forward players is to encourage faster play once we get to the strikers so we can take advantage of quick transitions.

Counter press, mid block, lower defensive line, trigger press much more often, get stuck in - We've got the highest work rate in the league so these are really built around that. Our defenders are slow but are great in the air so that's why the line is deeper, and the mid block is because we don't want the rest of the team to drift too far from the defense, but also because we want to win the ball in midfield and break using the more direct passing on the forward players. 

Currently my teams is 6th after 1/3rd of the games, and we were predicted 6th before the season. I'm much closer to the teams ahead than I am to the teams behind but I feel that this tactic has potential to go that extra step and be challenging for 3rd place. Can anyone offer any advice as to how I can improve? My gut is telling me that I can use the CMs better, maybe as a BWMs, but I don't know if this will nuke me when I'm trying to create chances. Thanks. 

I'd take a look at your midfield three. A MEZ instead of the AP could be a nice like for like swap creatively, while offering a goal threat from the midfield. I'd think about a MEZ(s) since you've got both wingbacks going forward. After that a DM(s) for the higher positioning over the DM(d) might be a nice tweak as well. 

I struggle in a mid block w/a low defensive line. I'd encourage compressing these lines to create a tighter pressing area and to invite less pressure. Standard + mid block is a good go to, but I'd look to run a high defensive line + mid block when you can get away with it.

Counter press I'd use less liberally in a mid block as well, as it'll make you easier to play through/makes easier for your players to get beat. I utilize it in moments of the match where things are going our way via the match momentum/morale. 

Edited January 25 by Cloud9

[coach vahid]

Il y a 4 heures, Cloud9 a dit :

I'd take a look at your midfield three. A MEZ instead of the AP could be a nice like for like swap creatively, while offering a goal threat from the midfield. I'd think about a MEZ(s) since you've got both wingbacks going forward. After that a DM(s) for the higher positioning over the DM(d) might be a nice tweak as well. 

I struggle in a mid block w/a low defensive line. I'd encourage compressing these lines to create a tighter pressing area and to invite less pressure. Standard + mid block is a good go to, but I'd look to run a high defensive line + mid block when you can get away with it.

Counter press I'd use less liberally in a mid block as well, as it'll make you easier to play through/makes easier for your players to get beat. I utilize it in moments of the match where things are going our way via the match momentum/morale. 

Just to say... Always a pleasure to read your advices. Thank you @Cloud9