CJ_Randell

I'd maybe be tempted to push the wing backs into the wingback position further up the pitch and change the DM to a Half Back.. Create a 3421 in possession.

You'd have to make sure the tactic is built for them to be the main goalscoring outlet. Playing a 433 for example, have the striker vacate the space by dropping into midfield, have the fullback overlap to force the IF more central and the CM behind them needs to hold position as not to get in his way.

I found this to be useful to help build a platform, he also provides 2 example tactics. Personally, I've found possession football to be too passive in recent FM's and have much more success with transitional tactics.

Maybe add some team instructions to encourage a different stlye of play, for example, he's quick so try pass into space, whipped crosses and dribble more. Get the team to play to his strengths.

His goal return is pretty solid for a wide player in a supporting role. Perhaps changing him to an Attacking duty would see him more involved in the box and dropping deep less often. Or you could play him in the ST position? His pace, movement and finishing are elite, having him out wide or in deeper positions doesn't make sense, especially when his long shots aren't great, which as an IF-Su he probably finds himself outside the box more often than not.

I'm beginning to think it's a back 3 issue in general. This time I have a 3 CB system, CD-De BPD-De and WCB-su My CD-De (Number 30) is so far up the field for no reason with 2 players ready to counter behind him. Again, he has no instructions or player traits to account for this.

But that's the 2 IFB's situation where you're probably playing with a Libero stepping into midfield. The poster's tactic, and from my experience, is where you only use 1 IFB and the opposite full back joins the midfield or attack. This is where I've had issues, players like Pascal Struijk who have no player traits and is selected as a CB-De often ends up in the left half space outside the oppositions box. Edit: I've very quickly thrown together a tactic and 7 minutes into the highlights found 2 notable examples. Again, Struijk is a CB-De with no traits to encourage him to get forward. He's number 21. I both instances of the ball is tured over there's a very real possibility of a 2v2 situation on the counter. The whole point of playing with a rest defence of a back 3 is to prevent this.

Personally I don't think the match engine deals well with the IFB forming a back 3. Always find my IFB and the CB on the other side wandering up field, so rather than having a back 3 you're left with a back 1.

Yeah, attributes like Aggression and Acceleration are useful in a Gegenpressing system, but depending on some of the roles or positions they may not be necessary. I'd say the 4 I mentioned are vital across all outfield positions.

Teamwork, Work Rate, Stamina and Natural Fitness I would say are absolutely key.

If you went with a 3CB's and 2 Wing Backs, have one of the Wing Backs on Defend and the other on Attack, then have the CB who's on the same side as the attacking Wing Back be a Wide CB on Support, he should push into a LB slot to form a back 4 in possession.

I've been tinkering with a Sarri system myself over the last couple of days, simulated a season with Man Utd who I felt were in a similar place ability wise to what Sarri inhereted at Chelsea. Found that I was extremely close to his Chelsea team in terms of Points, Goals Scored, Goals Conceded, Shots Per Game, Passes Per Game. Even my leading scorers had similar amounts of goals. It's not too different to yours.

If you have Google Books this is a pretty good book to refer to. The System he explains in there is more a 4231 with one of the CB's stepping up to form the base of the diamond.

I think it's FM Console's Skin.

Unfortunately with a player like Abeid he's probably not going to get a good rating unless he scores. He has poor work rate and team work, he can't pass. So hes limited to only really being able to positively impact the game if he's scored. I personally have a lot of joy playing a SS behind an Advanced Forward in a 4231 with a Gegenpressing style. Di Nicola should be pretty well suited to this role given his work rate and stamina, his finishing might be a little low for a top side in that role, but at 13 it's not bad.