Target Forward Tactic

[BadAss88]

TI's:

Shorter passing, Play out of defence, work ball into box
Distribute to centre-backs, Counterpress, Counter
Higher Defensive Line, Mid Block, Much more often (pressing), Get stuck in

 

Is this overkill? Or could it work?

[ceefax the cat]

You'll win because you're counterpressing and closing down all the time. It will have nothing to do with your target man, who will mostly be ignored. There is pretty much zero chance that any of your defenders will ever try to launch a long pass to his head / chest as part of your buildup, no matter what instructions you use. He exists only as a target for crosses, which will only ever be delivered from the final third, and goal kicks. He will tend to attract passes through midfield, much in the same way a playmaker does, for what that's worth.

Edited April 5 by ceefax the cat

[Hilly1979]

Not sure what you’re trying to achieve? You say you want to make a target man tactic but your instructions suggest otherwise

[Fox-7-]

This setup is more possession-oriented than suitable for getting the best out of a TF intended as the classic big human tower

However, in order to make the IFa and CMa runs more effective you could use a TF on support duty (even better with the PPM "Plays with his back on goal") which can keep the opposing CBs busy and take them out of position and free up space behind of them. In this setup you'll need a TF with good technical skills, for example someone like Giroud

Edited April 6 by Fox-7-

[BadAss88]

4 hours ago, Hilly1979 said:

Not sure what you’re trying to achieve? You say you want to make a target man tactic but your instructions suggest otherwise

I don't want direct hoofball to my target forward, that's why I choose for those team-instructions.

I want him to be the focal point of my attack though! And I want a big strong forward heading crosses in the back of the net, but also having him laying off balls to the IF-A and CM-A.

[NineCloudNine]

20 hours ago, BadAss88 said:

I don't want direct hoofball to my target forward, that's why I choose for those team-instructions.

I want him to be the focal point of my attack though! And I want a big strong forward heading crosses in the back of the net, but also having him laying off balls to the IF-A and CM-A.

Direct balls to the target forward is the entire point of the target forward!

What you describe can be better achieved with a big strong DLF-Su (players with TF as their best role are often good at DLF-Su as well).

As it stands your setup is almost the exact opposite of how to get the best out of a TF. You need more crosses, early crosses, more width, more direct passing, play for set pieces, ideally higher tempo. If you're worried that the team will become old-school 1970s route-one, don't be - the match engine doesn't support it. But crossing and heading are very strong in the match engine so your big strong TF will thrive if you feed him crosses.

[BadAss88]

1 hour ago, NineCloudNine said:

Direct balls to the target forward is the entire point of the target forward!

What you describe can be better achieved with a big strong DLF-Su (players with TF as their best role are often good at DLF-Su as well).

As it stands your setup is almost the exact opposite of how to get the best out of a TF. You need more crosses, early crosses, more width, more direct passing, play for set pieces, ideally higher tempo. If you're worried that the team will become old-school 1970s route-one, don't be - the match engine doesn't support it. But crossing and heading are very strong in the match engine so your big strong TF will thrive if you feed him crosses.

But I don't want my lone striker moving in the channels as I have other players to do this..That's why I choose for the TF-A because all other striker roles have 'move into channels' as PI, I don't want the typical Target man-football though..

Or should I go for a Poacher then? But I'm afraid he won't contribute anything in build-up play.

[NineCloudNine]

57 minutes ago, BadAss88 said:

But I don't want my lone striker moving in the channels as I have other players to do this..That's why I choose for the TF-A because all other striker roles have 'move into channels' as PI, I don't want the typical Target man-football though..

I agree with that, I wish fewer striker roles had 'move into channels' hard coded.

You will not get 'typical target man football' even if you set up in what looks like a typical target man tactic. As mentioned in other replies, your GK will rarely try big clearances, your BPDs will not launch missile over-the-top balls and your midfielders/fullbacks will not lump it into the box, even if it looks like you're telling them to. The match engine just doesn't support it. There are multiple threads here from people expressing their frustration at just how hard it is to achieve route one football even if you really want to.

So in practice the way you have set up is not a way to rein in long-ball tactics, even if it should be. In fact your setup will ensure that your buildup is slow, you won't cross very often and your big target man will largely just stand there while the game goes on around him. You need to force direct passing, high tempo and more crosses, not as a way to get old school route one but because in the current ME that's the way to get:

22 hours ago, BadAss88 said:

a big strong forward heading crosses in the back of the net, but also having him laying off balls to the IF-A and CM-A

 

Edited April 7 by NineCloudNine

[Bellyfish]

1 hour ago, BadAss88 said:

But I don't want my lone striker moving in the channels as I have other players to do this..That's why I choose for the TF-A because all other striker roles have 'move into channels' as PI, I don't want the typical Target man-football though..

Or should I go for a Poacher then? But I'm afraid he won't contribute anything in build-up play.

Are you pressing high? If so how about a pressing forward on defend/support? They'll hold up the ball and feed your IF or CM(A).

Agree though its annoying how many of the forward roles have move into channels hardcoded.

[BadAss88]

3 hours ago, NineCloudNine said:

Direct balls to the target forward is the entire point of the target forward!

What you describe can be better achieved with a big strong DLF-Su (players with TF as their best role are often good at DLF-Su as well).

As it stands your setup is almost the exact opposite of how to get the best out of a TF. You need more crosses, early crosses, more width, more direct passing, play for set pieces, ideally higher tempo. If you're worried that the team will become old-school 1970s route-one, don't be - the match engine doesn't support it. But crossing and heading are very strong in the match engine so your big strong TF will thrive if you feed him crosses.

Should I opt for an AF-A or Poacher than? To get the most out of my striker?

[NineCloudNine]

49 minutes ago, BadAss88 said:

Should I opt for an AF-A or Poacher than? To get the most out of my striker?

No-one can answer that question for you in isolation from everything else. It's also a different question to the one you started the thread with, ie:

On 06/04/2024 at 14:32, BadAss88 said:

I want a big strong forward heading crosses in the back of the net, but also having him laying off balls to the IF-A and CM-A.

If you want that to happen then I'd suggest the changes I described earlier. If you want to keep your current system then I would say an AF or a DLF-A is more suited to the system, though again that does depend on the players you have available.

Edited April 7 by NineCloudNine

[BadAss88]

On 07/04/2024 at 16:55, NineCloudNine said:

No-one can answer that question for you in isolation from everything else. It's also a different question to the one you started the thread with, ie:

If you want that to happen then I'd suggest the changes I described earlier. If you want to keep your current system then I would say an AF or a DLF-A is more suited to the system, though again that does depend on the players you have available.

I've dropped the shorter passing and work ball into box and will go from there.

I also changed the MEZ-S to a DLP-S as I needed someone who can spray the passes behind my front 5 (WB-A / IF-A / TF-A / CM-A / W-S) and also put the IWB on support rather than attack, for some more balance.