Strugling to get the balance right in a 4-4-2 small diamond

[Option]

However i create this formation, i am having a hard time scoring goals. And not to mention the overload of counter attacks on me through the flanks (which is understandable). Anyone got a good 4-4-2 small diamond who could show me how your doing it.

So how to i avoid this to happen? Ive tried to select the "play wider" instructions when i see my opposing team play down flanks. But my two midfield central player

aint pushing out wide to work with my wingbacks to close down their wingers. So now i am kinda clueless what to do.

Also finding the balance between how fluid i should play and not hard to figure out.

One other thing, those instructions like short passing + high tempo. Would not this two instructions mean your team play a more 1-2 type of passing style?

Or em i totally wrong and this two instructions will be counter effective?

I have however notice the importance of moral and how effective good moral is compared to low moral. Kinda annoying, that you can go from a super form to not

even scoring just becuase 1 or more players in your first eleven is dropping in moral or feeling overconfident, even though your moral is still green.

Anyone els notice this?

[duplicate]

I've had reasonable success with this shape, the key is having very good fullbacks - fast, hardworking and decent at passing/dribbling/crossing. Also try playing with a Half Back with good jumping/heading to help defend crosses.

With regards to the tempo, I found short passing and high tempo worked better in lower leagues where the players were too poor to keep the ball (ie play slow). Otherwise keep tempo at medium (ie not lower or higher). I have always played fluid as I think with a narrow shape it helps to have players moving around as much as possible (although I'm still not sure I really understand what fluidity really means!)

Hope this helps

[Option]

Thank you for your opinion duplicate.

Im still testing and messing around with the different instructions to see if i can understand their behavior. Right now, i cant figure out how to use the false 9 efficient enough, which is annoying me allot.

[Option]

One other thing i see the AI does. When they play 4-2-2-2-1 their wingers are so close in the middle it seems like their a double OMS and not a pair of wingers. How do the AI does this?

Only time i lose hard, i lose to the AI going their hole damn formation playing in the middle so close it looks like a damn horde of sheeps. It should hardly do me much damage, but yet they are

insanly accurate in movement and passing. Can anyone explain this?

[SpartyOn]

Right now, i cant figure out how to use the false 9 efficient enough, which is annoying me allot.

I wouldn't normally use a False 9 in a narrow diamond, because the midfield is already packed. You're just dropping another guy into a crowded area.

If you really want to use a False 9 though, you would need to make sure you have enough players making forward runs from midfield to balance things out. Perhaps a shadow striker or AM/A in the AMC spot, and a CM/A might also help.

[Option]

I wouldn't normally use a False 9 in a narrow diamond, because the midfield is already packed. You're just dropping another guy into a crowded area.

If you really want to use a False 9 though, you would need to make sure you have enough players making forward runs from midfield to balance things out. Perhaps a shadow striker or AM/A in the AMC spot, and a CM/A might also help.

That was what i though to, until i notice the false 9 never falls down to the midfield. He stays up all game long (unless this is because it is crowded in the midfield though).

[ozilthegunner]

I have recently had good luck with a 442 narrow diamond with arsenal (so how much is due to the players may be relevant). But here is what I have found:

My diamond includes a DLP-d in the dm strata, a CM-s and RPM-s in the cm strata and an AP-a in the am strata.

importantly too, in the forward strata I use a DLF-s and an AF-a. So the DLF drops back to receive the ball, giving me 5 players in the midfield, which helps with posession (keep in mind though that arsenal players have great passing and first touch, so I play low tempo retain possession and they can do that in small places).

Finally, I was having issues with width - both in defense and attack until I set my fullbacks to WB-a (note, not CWB as most do). The benefit here is the backs play more advanced than they would as FBs but not as advanced (and therefore out of position defensively) as they would as CWBs.

Finally, two notes on play style. I run a high possession high passing low tempo style. So my mentality is either standard or control, but not attacking. Also, I play with a standard fluidity. The thing about 'fluid' style is that it divides your team based on the individual mentalities (defense, support, attack) and then lets them move fluidly among that group (but not among the whole team like very fluid would). The effect then is to isolate the attackers, in particular the AP who I want to drop back and keep the diamond tight. So 'flexible' better accomplishes this goal.

[Moose-Stuff-For-Money]

It was the hardest formation for me to make work, but having used it for the last to installments I think it might be my favourite. It's tricky to set up mind..

[Cyderman]

I use a narrow diamond:

1. SK, 2 x FB-auto, 2 x DC - cover, HB, BWM & BBM, SS, 2x F9

2. Attacking, very rigid, much higher d-line, aggressive press, play narrow - exploit flanks, look for overlap

3. In possession the formation plays like a 3-4-3, the HB forcing the DCs wider, the space is in front of the fullbacks so they natural press forward all the time

4. The HB and DCs create a spare man at the back. DCs play very passively behind a very aggressive press

5. The F9s and the SS create an overload v oppo's DCs - as long as you have movement you will have someone free (and three people in the box for crosses)

6. The F9s drop deep, the SS is always moving forward and hard to track (v 2x DC)

7. The fullbacks provide the width - so need dribbling and crossing (they need to look like wingbacks rather than play wingback position); PPMs important - gets forward, runs with the ball, hugs line all good - will provide 8-20 crosses each per game from open play

8. Against similar or weaker teams, by making the F9s mark a fullback, it stops opposition flanking you (middle already rammed) and in transition makes the F9s start much wider

9. Basically trying to play the attacking line as deep as possible and the d-line as high as possible, compress the space in defence and maximise the space in attack - with two players moving between lines (HB and SS) in an extremely rigid structure

10. Invest in SS and FBs - these roles make the system work. Other positions can be carried somewhat.

[Deego619]

I don't use a narrow "diamond" but an extremely similar shape, 4-1-3-2 with the only difference being the AM in the CM strata.

Attack is the best form of defence on the flanks in my opinion. You will concede from the flanks and that is a guarantee. Best off getting some return from there as well, I set both RB/LB to CWB/A. Of course, make sure they're fast, hard working with some good stamina and technical skills.

I counter this by playing a DLP/D in the DM strata. My own first choice has the PPM "Stays back at all times" which gives me that extra bit of insurance of 3 back at all times whilst my FBs rampage forward. The DLP role tends to stick in position more than the orthodox DM roles too.

I like to have one pure Pirlo-esque playmaker in one of the CM positions with a DLP/S. "Dictates Tempo" PPM is nice. He'll look to recieve the ball from the back ("Play ball out of defence" TI) and look to transition the play from defence to attack. He's joined alongside a more energetic CM/S that'll shuttle up and down.

Instead of an AM I have a CM/A in the center of my 3. He links up and drives past my F9/S and joins the AF/A in the box.

[Bitner]

I think it's key to have the CAM or one (or both) strikers playing down the flanks. You need to make yourself a threat down the flanks, even without any attacker naturally there.

Another point is to always use your fullbacks as wingbacks, even if they're with a defend mentality, but the role os wingback has the mentality to occupy the wings, unlike the fullback.

Cheers,

Bitner