Choosing Your Forward Role

[Keyzer Soze]

Hi,

In almost every tactic that i try to create, one of my major doubts is the role i give to my forward.

I usually play in a 4123 DM Wide formation, so i always keep wondering about the role i should give to my most advanced player.

For starters there are always some roles that i never choose:

Targetman: simply because i dont want my team to be focus on playing to a specific player

Poacher, Defensive Forward: because i think this roles work better with formation with 2 or more forwards. Am i wrong?

Complete Forward: Because i dont usually have a players that are that complete

So i usually end trying to decide between the Deep Lying Forward, F9 and Advanced Forward.

Lately i've been using a rule that i would like to know if it makes any sence to you. I does to me... but hey... i could be completly wrong!

So, i start deciding about my forward role depending on my opponent defensive formation:

- Against teams using a one, or more, player in the defensive midfield position i use a Advanced Forward

The reason is, i was thinking that those type of formation usually are more compact, so using a Advanced forward i could strecht more the opponent, getting more space for my midfield players, because the advanced forward would make the opponent D-Line staty further back.

- Against teams that don't use any players in the defensive midfield position, i use a F9, to try to get advanged the space between the opponent D-Line and midfield line.

The truth is, since i start using the "rule", i've played 8 game, with 7 wins and only one lost, away, against tottenham in the Champions League. I play with Benfica, and between those 7 wins are a away win against Porto, and home wins against Braga, Celtic and Shakthar (both in Champions League).

These results, of course, could be luck, or could be that they don't have anything to do with the role i choose for my forward, but i would like to know from you if this line of thinking is in any away logic... or not!

[Amarante]

Interesting.... Hows your midfield setup?

[drigaco]

Thanks for the thread. I have those worries too with my forwards, since i play with a possession based team i usually change between the Complete and the F9. I will try your ideas and will see how it works. I can see I have problems because most of the times my strikers are below 6.5 at half-time and i always change them with the other striker on the bench and even the other striker ends with 6.6 or below most of the times.

[Keyzer Soze]

Interesting.... Hows your midfield setup?

IF(S)______________IF(a)

CM(a)_____AP(S)

DM(d)

WB(s)___CD(d)___CD(d)___WB(s)

[Bradz FM]

I feel that is you play with 2 IF's it has to be F9 or DLF(s). An AF(A) may be in similar positions to these 2.

[Keyzer Soze]

Yeah,

I always played with F9 or DLF(s) when using the 41121 tactic with two IF, but lately i've been getting good results with the AF(a).

It was a surprise to me, because in the tactic layout he stay very up in the field, but the truth is, he gets in play alot.

[PhroX]

I wouldn't completely write of the Defensive Forward as a lone striker - particularly in a supporting role, he will still try to link up play when you're in possession, albeit not dropping as deep as the DLF/F9 in my experience, while when the opposition has the ball, his harrying can disrupt their play pretty well, and he will often have a similar impact on the opponents D-line as the AF that you identified. Not saying this role would necessarily improve your tactic, but one I would definitely consider even when playing one up top.