4-2-3-1 DM AM Wide - German Efficiency Meets Beautiful Football

[bababooey]

The "4-2-3-1 DM AM Wide" (referred to in the rest of this post as a 4-2-3-1) is one of my favorite formations because of its ruthless efficiency and ability to dominate matches in multiple ways.

The goal of this post is to show you how to create a 4-2-3-1 that will, hopefully, produce football that is both efficient and pleasing to the eye. Let's go!

 

Base Shape

This is the starting point. Where we will end up is going to look quite different.

It's important to understand the shapes you use in football. So what is there to know about this shape?

The 4-2-3-1 excels at many things, but perhaps the biggest thing is how it has players positioned in the midfield, set up for both pressing high, and keeping possession.

As you can see, there's a group of 4 players that can all easily begin to press the opposition, but also cut out passing lanes.

Then you have the 6 players behind them, creating a really solid base to launch attacks, recycle possession, etc.

HOWEVER....

A 6-4 split is not what I want.  I want to see 5 players "behind the ball" and 5 players "ahead of the ball."

This is better.  This is what I want to see.  A 5-5 split where you've got one of the DM's, in this case, a segundo volante, joining the other group.

This is positional play at work. The DM role rotates up into the attacking midfield strata, while the libero rotates up into the defensive midfield strata.

We should also note, the #6 will shift over a bit to form a double pivot with the libero, while the #7 does the same to form a partnership with the segundo volante.

Now look at all those passing triangle possibilities!

Clearly, the 4-2-3-1, when moving into the attacking phase like this, creates an insane amount of passing options. It also gives you the much sought-after "square" in central midfield, between the DM's and the AMC's.

Let's look at how this plays out against another team, so we can see the type of plan we want to put together on top of the shape we've chosen.

In this diagram, you're seeing the base shape of a 4-2-3-1 lined up with the base shape of a 4-3-3.  Take note of the 5 channels / spaces that I've highlighted here.

Our plan should be to attack those spaces. This is how you get a defense to break down. I dont want to get too deep into theory or stuff like that. But you can easily find that type of info in books like "Inverting the Pyramid" or just by going on to YouTube and searching for tactical theory.

Anyway. To execute this plan, you don't need to have a player literally attack each zone. Sometimes, it's good enough to have a player simply occupy a space!

This is (partly) why the 4-2-3-1 is so effective, because of how it attempts to control SPACE.

Okay so, I've done some additional highlighting and I want to explain my thinking here.

I've created 3 different bases: red, yellow, and blue.  Think of them as groups of players who have different tasks. They have to work together to accomplish their task.

The blue base is our "forward base" where want to support our attacks from at the highest possible position on the pitch.  They're also our first line of defense.  They need to occupy passing lanes, close down the opposition, and win the ball back up high.

The yellow base is our second line of protection against the counter, and the red base is obviously the last line (not counting the goalkeeper who is always last anyway).

If play breaks down, we can easily recycle the ball in the red + yellow bases. 

But we left two outfield players out of those groups?

I purposely left out the left winger and striker in this example, because I want those players to be our main goalscorers. They will obviously contribute to the other areas, but less so than their teammates.

Will this be too few attackers? Well, maybe.  It's entirely reasonable to think that we could move someone from that blue base into attack to join the others. Maybe one of the AMC's should be looking to get forward more, driving past the striker and stretching the lines.  Maybe.    But for now, I think we can still score a lot of goals without doing that.

How does this look in the game? Here's a first draft:

Again, this is a rough first draft, and it's sort of tailored to the team I'm managing (Bayern).

I've added some red arrows here to show where I want to see players going (and where I think they will go).

As you can see, the volante rotates up, the libero also rotates up, and it SHOULD result in us having a nice, 5-5 split as you see in the 2nd diagram of this post.

This system is brand new, because in the first season at Bayern I used a 4-3-3 similar to what Guardiola does with Man City.

We're now headed into the offseason, and I will update this post when we start playing matches again, to test out this system, and see what we need to change/tweak. So I'll reserve a spot or two beneath this.

Hopefully this thread will help some people create a 4-2-3-1 (or any tactic, really) that brings them some joy and success!

[bababooey]

Okay, so here is the first update.  I'm debating whether I need to do another one after this, so we'll see about that later on.

***Important note***   Clearly this squad is incredibly talented, and the tactic is designed in a way that suits the players. It is not intended to be a "plug and play" thing, nor is it the right or wrong way to do anything. It's just about showing you the process I went through creating a tactic, and seeing how it plays out.  I cannot say if this will work with other teams, because I am not using it that way. But the principles and ideas should obviously translate well into other tactics, carried out in different ways

We've played 6 preseason matches, including the German Super Cup, and we have settled on this tactic below, which is effectively the same as what you see in the original post. The only change here, really, is the libero to defend duty, and the "shorter kicks" for GK distribution.   There was no need to use the libero on support, and it quickly became apparent that we could dominate with that duty changed to defend.

The only PI's being used here are:   "stay wider" for the left winger, and "cut inside" for the right winger.

Let's take a look at the build up phase.

For context, this was a preseason match away at Manchester United. We, Bayern Munich, are in the light blue. We actually lost this game, but played pretty damn well. We were a bit unlucky here, and their squad cohesion was at a much higher level.

The move started with the ball at the keeper's feet, and we exchanged some passes along the back 4, eventually moving the ball from the left inverted full back, to the inverted winger.

The 4-2-3-1 allows us to progress the ball into the midfield in a number of ways.  Against this 4-3-3 of Man United, their central midfield area was well protected. So it made sense that our players tried to bring the ball through midfield via the flanks.  Pretty standard for playing against a 4-3-3.  

Also important to note....  despite all of those funky looking roles in the tactics screen, our initial starting point, or base, is just a very simple looking 4-2-3-1.

Now here is the build up phase, part 2

As you can see here, we are moving into the next phase of possession. The roles and duties are starting to really move into their "final form" if you will.

Notice a few things.  

- Minjae, our Ball Playing Defender (D) is staying farthest back. This is good. 

- De Ligt, our Libero (D) has moved into the midfield line to take his place next to our right DM, Joshua Kimmich.

- Inacio (IFB-D) and Upamecano (IFB-D) have taken up good positions in line with De Ligt and Kimmich.  We now have a base of 5 players behind the ball in a 1-4 shape.

- Goretza (VOL-S) has rotated up into the attacking midfield strata, alongside our AMC, Oihan Sancet. Granted, they're not close together in this exact moment, but you get the idea.

- Musiala (IW-A) and Sane (W-S) are available for outlet passes, stretching the defense and occupying the outer channels.

- Kane (CF-A) has dropped between the lines of the defense, occupying some defenders.

Below, you'll see a diagram from the second half, so we're now attacking the other end.  I've added green arrows denoting the channels we want to exploit.

This is basically the exact shape we want to see when we are attacking / building up play in advanced areas.

3-2 split "behind the ball" and 5 players occupying the channels.

The 3-2 base gives us an excellent platform to stop counter-attacks, and keep possession.  The 5 players occupying those channels gives us the ability to attack in a variety of ways.

We can play through the middle (although, not so much against this particular set up from our opponents) or we can utilize the flanks. The point is, there's going to space SOMEWHERE, but we have the versatility to exploit it wherever it is. So in this game, clearly, that space is on the flanks AND in between their striker and midfielders.

What happens if we lose the ball?

So here's a situation where we lost possession, but look at how we are positioned. This is the benefit of having a strong rest defense.

We have 5 players behind the ball at all times  (basically) and in this case, we technically have 6 if you count the midfielder sitting just outside the box.

But really, the main focus here is the 5 players that are encircling the lone striker. I don't care who that player is, he's not going past 5 defenders.

Now here is an example of our pressing

Man United are building up in their 4-3-3, and note how narrow their forward group is, especially on the left side.

Now, we are certainly defending with a high level of aggression, no doubt about that. Notice how our 2 defensive mids have stepped up into the play to mark the 2 central midfielders?

We've really cut down on the available passing options without needing to chase them all over the place. Our DM's didn't have to move far to do this. They stepped up, but didn't chase endlessly.

This actually resulted in a goal for Man United because of a missed interception by one of our center backs.  Oh well! It happens. 

 

Here is a pass map from our German Super Cup win against Wolfsburg

As you can see here, the majority of our passing is happening between our defenders. This is fine for me. It means we've controlled the game (because look at where the passes are taking place), AND because the statistics also show us the story of what happened.

 

I think this was a very strong performance considering that our squad has not fully gelled, nor has it reached full tactical familiarity.

Note that opponents had just 10 passes in the final third. That is astonishing.

We also only needed 78 high intensity sprints. This means we are not running around like headless chickens chasing after the ball constantly, and wearing down our legs.

Our OPPDA was fine, and we looked strong in the tackle when needed.

I am a little bit worried that the passes in attack were only completed at an 80% rate. We should look to improve that.

We only had 1 clear-cut chance, but it's important to note that Wolfsburg were playing with a lot of caution, defending quite deep. So it wasn't a very open game in that sense.

So this is looking good. I'm pretty excited to see how this goes in the first couple of matches of the upcoming season here. I may or may not update in the next post, I suppose it depends on if people want to read it!

Thanks for reading!

Edited March 12 by bababooey
Adding content to reserved spot!

[bababooey]

Just now, bababooey said:

*Reserved for future update*

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[Hilly1979]

11 minutes ago, bababooey said:

The "4-2-3-1 DM AM Wide" (referred to in the rest of this post as a 4-2-3-1) is one of my favorite formations because of its ruthless efficiency and ability to dominate matches in multiple ways.

The goal of this post is to show you how to create a 4-2-3-1 that will, hopefully, produce football that is both efficient and pleasing to the eye. Let's go!

 

Base Shape

This is the starting point. Where we will end up is going to look quite different.

It's important to understand the shapes you use in football. So what is there to know about this shape?

The 4-2-3-1 excels at many things, but perhaps the biggest thing is how it has players positioned in the midfield, set up for both pressing high, and keeping possession.

As you can see, there's a group of 4 players that can all easily begin to press the opposition, but also cut out passing lanes.

Then you have the 6 players behind them, creating a really solid base to launch attacks, recycle possession, etc.

HOWEVER....

A 6-4 split is not what I want.  I want to see 5 players "behind the ball" and 5 players "ahead of the ball."

This is better.  This is what I want to see.  A 5-5 split where you've got one of the DM's, in this case, a segundo volante, joining the other group.

This is positional play at work. The DM role rotates up into the attacking midfield strata, while the libero rotates up into the defensive midfield strata.

We should also note, the #6 will shift over a bit to form a double pivot with the libero, while the #7 does the same to form a partnership with the segundo volante.

Now look at all those passing triangle possibilities!

Clearly, the 4-2-3-1, when moving into the attacking phase like this, creates an insane amount of passing options. It also gives you the much sought-after "square" in central midfield, between the DM's and the AMC's.

Let's look at how this plays out against another team, so we can see the type of plan we want to put together on top of the shape we've chosen.

In this diagram, you're seeing the base shape of a 4-2-3-1 lined up with the base shape of a 4-3-3.  Take note of the 5 channels / spaces that I've highlighted here.

Our plan should be to attack those spaces. This is how you get a defense to break down. I dont want to get too deep into theory or stuff like that. But you can easily find that type of info in books like "Inverting the Pyramid" or just by going on to YouTube and searching for tactical theory.

Anyway. To execute this plan, you don't need to have a player literally attack each zone. Sometimes, it's good enough to have a player simply occupy a space!

This is (partly) why the 4-2-3-1 is so effective, because of how it attempts to control SPACE.

Okay so, I've done some additional highlighting and I want to explain my thinking here.

I've created 3 different bases: red, yellow, and blue.  Think of them as groups of players who have different tasks. They have to work together to accomplish their task.

The blue base is our "forward base" where want to support our attacks from at the highest possible position on the pitch.  They're also our first line of defense.  They need to occupy passing lanes, close down the opposition, and win the ball back up high.

The yellow base is our second line of protection against the counter, and the red base is obviously the last line (not counting the goalkeeper who is always last anyway).

If play breaks down, we can easily recycle the ball in the red + yellow bases. 

But we left two outfield players out of those groups?

I purposely left out the left winger and striker in this example, because I want those players to be our main goalscorers. They will obviously contribute to the other areas, but less so than their teammates.

Will this be too few attackers? Well, maybe.  It's entirely reasonable to think that we could move someone from that blue base into attack to join the others. Maybe one of the AMC's should be looking to get forward more, driving past the striker and stretching the lines.  Maybe.    But for now, I think we can still score a lot of goals without doing that.

How does this look in the game? Here's a first draft:

Again, this is a rough first draft, and it's sort of tailored to the team I'm managing (Bayern).

I've added some red arrows here to show where I want to see players going (and where I think they will go).

As you can see, the volante rotates up, the libero also rotates up, and it SHOULD result in us having a nice, 5-5 split as you see in the 2nd diagram of this post.

This system is brand new, because in the first season at Bayern I used a 4-3-3 similar to what Guardiola does with Man City.

We're now headed into the offseason, and I will update this post when we start playing matches again, to test out this system, and see what we need to change/tweak. So I'll reserve a spot or two beneath this.

Hopefully this thread will help some people create a 4-2-3-1 (or any tactic, really) that brings them some joy and success!

Really looking forward to updates to this, excellent opening post

[bosque]

I'm looking forward too. I was playing 4231 and wanting to create the 3-2-5 but ended up changing to a 433. Maybe because I'm 4 seasons in and doing well but I found teams started to play low block against me and during the build-out phase we were slow and predictable. I thought it was because I have -1 player during the build-up (the AM). I'm a bit more satisfied with the 4-3-3, but I miss the 4231 because is my favorite shape.

Edited March 11 by bosque

[bosque]

The 2 attacking roles upfront behind 3 supporting is a "theory" I follow too. But instead of an AP(s) I like to use an AP(a). He still supports but sometimes attacks the box too and you end up having a balanced front five with players running in behind and others coming deep, creating passing angles and tough decisions to opposition defenders.

Front 5 line: [A - S - A - H - S]. (H for hybrid, attack/support duty)

Edit:

Sometimes, when I feel opposition is happy just defending I like to overload one flank by going 3-1-6. Swapping one IFB into a WB(a) and the Libero back to a simple Centre Back or Ball Playing Defender.

Edited March 11 by bosque

[crusadertsar]

Great post @bababooey! I am actually using a very similar formation (and coinsidentally instructions too!) to great success in LaLiga currently.

Just a little word of advise, you don't really need to set Libero with Support duty. Because of Positional Play programming in FM24 ME, defend duty Libero will achieve the same kind of movement you are looking for (moving up to combine with DM in 3-2) during possession phase but at same time will be a lot less gung-ho and keep your backend more solid when you lose the ball eventually. It might be less of a risk for you due to playing as Bayern. But with a less overpowered team and/or slower libero can really expose your defence and become a liability. Just a little nitpicky suggestion from the Defence-First guy 

Going back to 4-2-3-1, its true the football that can be achieved with this shape due to the Positional Play changes in FM24 is truly beautiful! I especially love how you can defend in one shape and then in possession morph into a 3-2-4-1 which is great for maintaining possession and attacking. With Shadow Striker in AMC position it can sometimes feel like downright exploiting the game. 

Edited March 11 by crusadertsar

[bababooey]

8 hours ago, crusadertsar said:

Great post @bababooey! I am actually using a very similar formation (and coinsidentally instructions too!) to great success in LaLiga currently.

Just a little word of advise, you don't really need to set Libero with Support duty. Because of Positional Play programming in FM24 ME, defend duty Libero will achieve the same kind of movement you are looking for (moving up to combine with DM in 3-2) during possession phase but at same time will be a lot less gung-ho and keep your backend more solid when you lose the ball eventually. It might be less of a risk for you due to playing as Bayern. But with a less overpowered team and/or slower libero can really expose your defence and become a liability. Just a little nitpicky suggestion from the Defence-First guy 

Going back to 4-2-3-1, its true the football that can be achieved with this shape due to the Positional Play changes in FM24 is truly beautiful! I especially love how you can defend in one shape and then in possession morph into a 3-2-4-1 which is great for maintaining possession and attacking. With Shadow Striker in AMC position it can sometimes feel like downright exploiting the game. 

 

Good call on the Libero - support choice.  I will definitely be keeping an eye on that.  Right now, I've got De Ligt slotted in for that, and he should be more than capable. But I wont hesitate to change it if needed.

I am always tempted to try Shadow Striker, it looks like such a cool role. But with the way my team is now, there's little point in using one. Musiala could do it, but I'd rather have Kane remain the focal point for the time being.

[bababooey]

Thread has been updated!