442 narrow diamond>help needed

[dvh]

I'm doing a youth academy challenge, and I noticed I had a severe lack of wingers and great attacking fullbacks. As I lacked centreback depth, a 5atb was not possible so I settled on a 442 narrow diamond. The results aren't horrible, but I generally feel we are getting outplayed. I have never used a narrow tactic like this and I am struggling with two things. First is how to defend in this shape: do I press high or not, do I use pressing traps? My second issue is in attack. The idea is to use the strong centre and use the wingbacks as an outlet. But in reality our possesion is quite low and we aren't creating many chances. If you can help me identifying some issues with the tactic that would be great!

[dzek]

1 hour ago, dvh said:

I'm doing a youth academy challenge, and I noticed I had a severe lack of wingers and great attacking fullbacks. As I lacked centreback depth, a 5atb was not possible so I settled on a 442 narrow diamond. The results aren't horrible, but I generally feel we are getting outplayed. I have never used a narrow tactic like this and I am struggling with two things. First is how to defend in this shape: do I press high or not, do I use pressing traps? My second issue is in attack. The idea is to use the strong centre and use the wingbacks as an outlet. But in reality our possesion is quite low and we aren't creating many chances. If you can help me identifying some issues with the tactic that would be great!

Hi dvh,

I would recommend the following:

1. Remove focus play through the middle because your shape naturally focus on this area so it’s not required.
2. Remove regroup because it will give much space for your opponent to build their play style without any issue.
3. Remove prevent short gk distribution because you dont have any player on the sides to stop their DRL/WBRL positions.
4. For the same reason as recommendation 3, remove trap inside as this instruction guide your wider players to mark their according player (AMR marks DL, AML marks DR, etc) and your central players to tackle/press harder in the middle of the pitch.
5. Keep mid block because you have more players in the middle of the pitch than in front.
6. Some recommendations on players roles:
   1. Change your PF to support duty and your AMC to attack duty to give to your attack a more dynamic play.
   2. Change your DL to support duty and your DR to attack duty. The reason behind this is because Carrilero will stay wider on the left and this will create some issues with your DL player. In the opposite side your DLP is a “defensive” playmaker which tends to recycle more the ball so he needs supporting players near to him.
   3. Change your HB to DM on support (to give passing options to your DLP) and one of your DC to BPD on defend to have a more dynamic build up from the back because BPD brings up the ball from the back.
   4. *Another approach is to change your HB to DLP on support and your DLP to CM on support or defend.

I hope these will help.

Edited May 4 by dzek

[Poison]

Also you can try telling your strikers to "stay wider" to play a bit like wingers and help with width, depending of whether they are capable or not ofc. I use it often in 4-4-2 diamond.