Flat 3-5-2..how to make it work

[luka_zg]

So I was trying to make 3-5-2 flat tactic to work, but I just can't get the team to perform to an acceptable level.

My system was Standard/Structured(or rigid)..work ball into box,play from defence,shorter passing

Roles were:

CD/D

BPD/C

CD/D

DW/S

AP/A

CM/D

CM/S

W/A

DLF/S

AF/A

First game vs some minows I won comfortably, Second game against Kuban,I was played off the park really. Third game, I was second best team on the pitc against segunda division outfit Las Palmas. Fourth game I was battered in the first 30min against Olympiakos at which point I switched to 4-4-1-1 and played much better.

But I really want to play 3-5-2 so I'm looking for some useful advice on hoe to make it work. I'm playing with Fiorentina btw.

And I am not keen to use WB instead of players in ML/MR spots..

[THOG]

With a flat 3-5-2, you are going to be extremely vulnerable to balls played behind your midfield line since you are asking your three defenders to cover a huge amount of space. It's not really a sound defensive system. In fact, in many youth academies in northern Europe, systems like this are used at the youth level to train defenders because it naturally puts them in more dangerous situations. With that in mind, your best bet is probably to just roll with it, press high and close down aggressively without paying too much mind to your basic defending shape. You want your midfield to win the ball back quickly and minimise the likelihood that you'll be defending in your own half with exploitable space to either side of your central defenders.

Against bigger opponents that attack aggressively, this is still going to leave you vulnerable, but that's going to be unavoidable to some extent given the inherent riskiness of the system.

[luka_zg]

With a flat 3-5-2, you are going to be extremely vulnerable to balls played behind your midfield line since you are asking your three defenders to cover a huge amount of space. It's not really a sound defensive system. In fact, in many youth academies in northern Europe, systems like this are used at the youth level to train defenders because it naturally puts them in more dangerous situations. With that in mind, your best bet is probably to just roll with it, press high and close down aggressively without paying too much mind to your basic defending shape. You want your midfield to win the ball back quickly and minimise the likelihood that you'll be defending in your own half with exploitable space to either side of your central defenders.

Against bigger opponents that attack aggressively, this is still going to leave you vulnerable, but that's going to be unavoidable to some extent given the inherent riskiness of the system.

Maybe it would help to switch CM/D to DM/D? Then he would help to cover this space.

So you think close down more,much higher def.line?

[RTHerringbone]

I've been using variants of a 5-3-2 WB throughout Beta, so whilst not the same as yours, I can imagine the issues you face.

It's a lot to ask of a DC trio to cover the space across the width of the pitch AND up to midfield.

My suggestions would be to experiment with a higher line to bridge the MC gap (the CM D will help a lot) and also look at reconsidering your W (A) Role / Duty. Watch a few matches in detail to see how well that specific player gets back into position. He should do it but unless he is a responsible player, he might not get back quickly enough when attacks break down.

[Shakes]

I know you don't want to use wing backs, but use wing backs, even if it means playing your wide mids "out of position" there.

This formation worked wonderfully in FM13, but in that version the wide midfielders were very willing to fall back into the full back positions. In FM14/15 the wide midfielders stay wide midfielders for the most part - they'll track runs back to the full back position, but wont back off there until the player arrives. This makes sense really - they've also improved the willingness of wing backs to really get forward, so the old work around of using wide mids to make them go forward is no longer needed.

If you really don't want to use wingbacks, I'd suggest going back to FM13. In modern versions of the game it's like Hand of God said, a huge risk/reward type setup, not something you really can make defensively stable. Getting caught on the break isn't really the issue with it - at least it's no more of an issue than any system that has lone wide players. It's that even when defensively set there's too much space behind the wide mids to exploit.

[jimbobBRFC]

Would maybe also try dropping one of the midfield trio into the DM strata and switching to DM(D). Should help plug the big exploitable gap. Unless of couse you insist on keeping the flatness, never been a huge fan of flat system before though. Prefer the starting shape to already be between multiple lines

[luka_zg]

I tried different variants of the tactic, with wingbacks,with DM/D but I can't make it work. I switched tactics but I'm playing so bad, can't buy a win nowhere..have a feeling my next game vs Roma(A) is the one I get the sack if I lose.

How is best to make midfield trio to play,what roles..if I have two wingbacks and 3 defenders? I would like to play possession football so I often have 55-60% of the ball but I don't create enough. And my strikers are Gomez and Babacar..both basically target men. It's difficult to use them properly. Also should I go wingbacks on support or attack duty?