Best way formation and tactics to employ against 4-1-2-2-1?

[HELP ME WITH FM PLS]

It's a 4-1-2-2-1 setup like this

---------ST---------

AML-------------AMR

-------MC-MC------

---------DMC-------

DR----DC----DC---DL

Seemingly this formation has no weaknesses that I can see, especially if the opposing team has better players than me.

I don't see any space to exploit, the DM could mark out any AMC or trequartista and his wingers will keep my fullbacks pressed back.

Usually I play a 4-4-2. I have been running up against this tactic alot and tried different ways to attack it. What is the best way to neutralize it and attack against it?

[LlamaZA]

As I recall 4-2-3-1 is a specific counter to 4-5-1.

It works by putting an AMC on their DMC thus eliminating the extra man in midfield and making one of the DC's the extra player instead (your AMR/L keeps their DR/L busy).

[paganizer]

That is my prefered tactic against 4-4-2

However when I face it myself I use 3-1-2-3-1:

DLd----DCd----DRd

-------DMd--------

----CMs----CMs----

AMLa--AMCs---AMRa

--------FWa--------

Yes, very offensive, but I have had great succes with it. Try to control possession. DM is key since he will be unmarked. Able to pass it around and able to break any counters through the middle.

[debsicus]

i would counter that formation with the exact same formation. also i would attack them down the wings. the wingers would not come back as much as if they were in the mr/ml positions. the only thing is they could do the exact same thing to you.

[Marsupian]

A formation tells very very little about the actual tactic used. The fullbacks can be set up as attacking wingbacks with the wingers cutting inside and the midfield more defensive or the fullbacks can be more defesnive, the wingers traditional wingers and the two MC's more attacking. The striker can move into channels overpowering the flanks or he can stay central. They can play deep on the counter with fast wingers and striker or play attacking with a lot of pressure.

I don't think there is such a thing as a "counter formation". I personally play the 4-5-1 you mentioned and against a 4-4-2 one of the CM's usually closes down one of the DC's when the opponent is building up. This frees up one of the opponents MC's as the DM is slow to go and mark him. Because of this even a 4-4-2 can play through my midfield despite the one man advantage. Also if the DM has to close down one of the CM's a striker can drop deep off the defensive line unmarked.

I'd advice taking a good look at their defensive line. If they push up exploit the space behind the defensive line, if they sit deep things are more difficult as it can be a really strong formation defensively but playing against defensive opponents is always difficult.

btw. The formation is weak on the flanks of the wingers don't track back so it's relatively easy to get your wide players unmarked. If your fullbacks are technically strong making them put crosses in from deep can be effective as they will probably not get closed down quickly.