Tips on playing defensive yet incisive football?

[alexhcfc]

As a relative newbie to FM, I am trying to create an effective away/defensive tactic that still fits in with my philosophy of playing passing football.

I am currently mid way through my first season with Birmingham in the Sky Bet Chanpionship, and am sat in 10th place.

With effectively starting from scratch, I can't provide you with much info on my current set up because I don't really have one. It has fluctuated throughout the season with injuries and player Incomings/outgoings.

I don't want it to come across as you playing my game for me, but I just want to know if you've done it or something similar, what tempo, shape & formation you used, or just any tips or pointers in the right direction.

Thanks in advance

[tmpnd]

I like defensive football in it's very classic way: Sitting deep, keeping shape and attacking on the break. No need to mess with tempo because that TI is very player-based. (Unless your entire team has, say, 14 average decisions/composure, i don't really see higher tempo with good eyes, and you don't want to kill momentum with lower tempo, which by the way, i hate in FM16, even for possession-based systems). I'm not familiar with Birmingham's squad, but i'm pretty sure that playing some good, old ugly looking football will take you far with average players, just look at Leicester and Chelsea back then.

You should think of team shape as compactness and that's it. Someone smarter than me will tell you how it affects creative freedom but I never really use it as criterion for changing shape. Fluid will give compactness and spread responsabilities more, with Structured being the other way around. Both can work with defensive football, i particularly like fluid more when i'm not retaining possession, but in doubt, always go with flexible.

Formation is never important enough on FM16 but roles, and particularly duties, are. Basically, support duty means the player will have more time on the ball and make himself available more often, while attack duty will focus more on making dangerous runs and be the aim of penetrative passes.

I'd go with standard mentality over defensive and counter, unless i'm really giving emphasis on not conceding.

As random advice, i'd avoid overlap/any creative freedom and positional tis, and use early crosses, play narrower (so that your break through balls get your players closer to goal) and a deeper line.

[alexhcfc]

Thank you, I'll give it a go

[mmitch19]

I'm playing a similar style in L2 - I don't have shape tips, but I just discovered the joys of the defensive forward today. Applies pressure, breaks the lines and comes short without any of that "hold up ball" nonsense that kills attacking movement in systems that don't rely on possession. It also seems to work well as a lone striker or as a pair.

I'm so impressed with mine that I'd really reccomend you include one in your system.

[summatsupeer]

My main tip would be get the right players for the tactic. If your team does spring a counter but your most advanced players lack the physical and technical ability the chance could be wasted. You need your players to get forward quicker than the defense gets back and to be able to move the ball at pace (at feet or passing). I think this is common for all "counter" styles, what secondary attributes and what the deeper players can provide I think creates a specific style for when you don't counter attack.

My interpretation of "Passing" and "Incisive" are two different styles:

- I interpret "Passing" as possession, if we have the ball they can't score, they will have to press us and leave lots of space. For this I would recommend having deeper players who are okay on the ball (not limited defenders), composed with good concentration. You can pass around the press and then your attackers can exploit the space. I'd look at more ball retention instructions (gk distribute short), play out from defence, maybe even retain possession. Mostly support duties, maybe a DLP-D who will dictate things from deep. 4141 should work well, players deep to give lots of passing options.

- I interpret "Incisive" as as being higher tempo and working the ball forward quickly even if a proper counter attack is not on. This is probably better when you have poor ball playing defenders and you just want the ball away from your goal. A more physical hard working team who will chase clearances, force mistakes or just try to beat there man and stretch things quickly before the opponent reorganizes. More attack duties, more forward runs / dribbling / direct passing, maybe no instructions is enough depending on roles and with the defenders being more direct by default on "counter" team mentality. The forward will probably need closer support if he does win the ball so i'm thinking some variation of 532 or 4411 type of formation.