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I know it may seem like a simple concept, but I still can't decide what to use, how to use, or when to use Inverted Wingers or Wingers, and Wingbacks or Inverted Wingbacks. How do I decide what to use, what should I be looking for in a player to perform these roles, and when should I used them? I do know for Inverted Wingers and Wingers to look what side the strong foot is on, but this goes for signing players as well, what role I should be looking at.

Summary: Players, especially wingers and wing backs, are often brought into crossing positions but won't give them for no apparent reason Description of Issue: (Wide) players won't give any, or very few, crosses into the box. Even when there are 3-4 of our own players in the box, the ball is not coming. Instead, the player passes back or dribbles across the touchline. Only when crossing TI's & PI's are all activated, will we see crosses and chances from them. This mainly goes for wide players such as wingers, IF's, and wing-backs. But also players who roam from their position and find themselves in a crossing opportunity will not or rarely cross. I am aware that roles such as IF are not encouraged to cross, but I didn't change anything in my approach in roles compared to previous editions of the game where crossing wasn't a problem. On top of that, crossing has always been a huge part of my tactics and this is the first year that I encounter this issue. Steps to Reproduce: Watch the saved matches uploaded to OwnCloud. One with extra crossing PI's and TI's on, one without, hence the title of the matches. Files Uploaded to the OwnCloud: Two PKM's (KAS Eupen v KRC Genk no crosses TI & PI.pkm and KAS Eupen v KRC Genk.pkm) and one save game (KRC Genk.fm). EDIT: uploaded the PKM's here as well. In the PKM's: I left out the situations where crosses weren't given when it corresponds even remotely with my tactics. In the match without crosses TI & PI: 00:20: Maehle is played out on the right side. Goes for an unrealistic shot instead of a cross. Blocked. 02:00: Bongonda finds Uronen on the left side in a crossing position. No cross. 02:20: Heynen finds Uronen on the left side in a crossing position. No cross. 02:40: A throw-in eventually makes its way to Nygren who is in a crossing position. No cross. 10:57: Heynen plays to Uronen on the left side in a crossing position. No cross. 26:20: Nygren makes his way down the right flank. Three players joined on the break and made their way to the box, as told by the tactic and their roles. No cross. 28:15: Mæhle is played out on the right side in crossing positions several times. No crosses. 37:20: Mæhle is played out on the right side in a crossing position. Instead, plays a back pass of 40 meters towards the defence. 40:45: Mæhle is liberated on the right side in a crossing position. No cross. 41:14: Mæhle dribbles himself to a crossing position. No cross. 44:30: Nygren plays out Mæhle on the right side in a crossing position. No cross, keeps dwelling on the ball and is fouled. 55:45: Uronen is played out on the left in a crossing position. No cross. 60:00: Hagi gets the ball on the edge of the box after a deflected free kick. The majority of players are in the box. He keeps dribbling and shoots from an impossible angle when he's on the touchline. 73:10: Mæhle in a crossing position on the right. No cross. 90:45: Mæhle in a crossing position on the right. No cross. And these are only the obvious ones. I've played this team in every version for the past five years and my tactical approach has never been different. I know when they should cross and when not so please don't come and blame it on 'Play for set pieces' or 'Work ball into the box'. The other match has all crossing TI's and PI's maxed out, and only then am I seeing more normal crossing behaviour. I will not list up anything from that match since I didn't pay 45 euros to waste my free time in the evening on listing when and if a blue dot crosses or not. KAS Eupen v KRC Genk.pkmKAS Eupen v KRC Genk no crosses TI & PI.pkm

Introducing the 5-2-3 Trident My first posted tactic. It's an attacking tactic using three central defenders and three strikers, with wing backs providing width. The two remaining players are in central midfield, acting as the engines and hub of the formation. It relies on quick and technically proficient attackers, good crossers and a solid pair of midfielders. Goals will come from both crosses and through balls. Origins: I started a game with Valencia, and needed a way to utilize their strengths. They have two awesome central midfielders, one creator and one typical all-rounder, and I wanted to build the tactic around them. They also have quite a few good central defenders, two promising home-grown left wing backs, and some pacey attackers. I also like to keep the squad quite light, and the formation reduces the need for backup players somewhat. The aim of the tactic: The aim is to create a solid defensive base, as well as a varied and potent attack. It presses hard and marks tightly, but is not a full-out gegenpress. The aim here is to leave some space to run into once the ball is won, enabling some deadly counter attacks when the opportunity arises. When the team needs to build from the back, there are plenty of passing options going forward. The playmaker acts as the passing hub, while the BBM does the dirtywork. What kind of chances can you expect: The tactic forces a lot of play through the middle, but since the opposition have to deal with three strikers and a BBM, this often drags their defenders inward, leaving my wing backs open for a pass wide and a free cross. The tactic is set to cross low, but you will still see both tap-ins and headers as an end product. You will also see some long balls over the opposition defense from the wing backs or the two wide central defenders, usually into space for the corresponding side's attacker to run onto (as you can see, there are 10 assists from within our own half in the last 50 games). Some goals will also come from combination play between the playmaker and the strikers, and between the F9 and the other two strikers + the BBM. In counter attack situations, the wide strikers will often receive the ball on the run, bringing it forward before switching play with a pass to the opposite striker making a run into newly opened space. Your top scorers will most likely be the two wide strikers. Results: Won the league and cup first season, and reached the final of the Champions League (beaten by the invincible Liverpool). Leading the table and still unbeaten in January second season. What kind of players do you need? GK: Any standard keeper will do. If he's decent with the ball at his feet, that's great, but it's not crucial to this tactic. Central Def: The two wide central defenders should have decent pace and aerial presence. It they are also decent passers of the ball, that's a big plus. The central one should be aggressive and a good tackler, as he is meant to cut into the opposition attacks and win the ball before they reach the box. Wing Backs: Pacey and good crossers. They need to cover quite a lot of ground. Playmaker: Good passing and vision, preferrably also some tackling skills. Pace and movement is less important here. BBM: An allrounder. Tackling and mobility. Passing and long shot is a big plus. If you have a great tackler who's not that useful going forward, you can change this role to a BWM(def). You will lose some aspects of the attacking play, of course. F9: Needs good technique and passing. If he has enough strength to hold the ball up, that's a plus. Wide strikers: Your main goal scorers. Need pace, dribbling, off the ball, finishing. They will get on the end of quite a few crosses, so good heading is a plus. If you can't find the right strikers, I've found that re-training wingers or attacking midfielders with the right skill set can prove quite effective. (I did this with Miguel Almiron and Matias Vargas) Download: TAF 5-2-3 Trident.fmf If you have any feedback, please comment below. I'd especially like to hear if the tactic works well in other leagues.

Hello, Can any of you smart people tell me the basic differences / positives & negatives of using a Wing Back with Support duty vs Full Backs with Attack duty? I'm playing as Hull using a 451/433 with my 2 wide forward players with instructions to move inside and support the central striker. Therefore I need my left and right backs (Robertson and El-Mohamady) to provide my team with width and get crosses in but I'm not sure which roles to use. Initially I thought FB-A but after reading the tactical guides it seems that the general consensus is that you shouldn't have too many players on attack duty unless you're playing an attacking style. Being Hull, it's rare that I'll be taking the game to teams so this has made me reconsider... Basically I want their approach to be defence-first but willing to get forward on counters and when the opportunity arises to do so safely and to exploit openings. Any advice welcome. Thanks