Replicating my style of football

[craiigman]

I mean to do this every year, but end up just going down the path of following guides and using what works for them. I have dabbled in trying to make it work, but often give up. I play this way on FIFA as well, as a choice. Currently on FIFA high pressure-high intensity football seems to be the go to, and FM seems to be the same in recent years, and same can be said about real life football. But I don't like that approach.

What I am trying to achieve:

High press/low block

Quick-short passing

I don't want possession for the sake of it, want to move that ball forward into the final third.

Play out from the back

I tend to play with 4-4-2/4-4-1-1/4-1-4-1

Here's what I have come up with so far:

The 4-4-2:

TI's:

Control - this naturally increases tempo and width, which I want. But it does push the back line up.

Flexible - I generally like a mix, so this is fine

Play out of defence - how I like to build attacks

Work ball into box - I hate crossing the ball. It's more effective in FM than FIFA recently, but I prefer to work my way in than lump it in.

Drop deeper/Prevent short GK dist - high press/low block

Whipped crosses - when I do cross, I wanted them whipped

PI's:

GK- dist to CB/ short kicks - Only time I hoof it long, is when they close down down my short passing options. If that happens I change it to the CM's.

WB(S) - No PI's. I generally don't want my full backs getting too far forward, I want them to support the play. Only change is when I have a world class full back, which as Bolton I do not.

CB(D) - No PI's.

WM(A) - roam, dribble more, cut inside with ball, close down more - My wingers are expected to do a lot in game, they drive the team forward with the ball at their feet. They stay wide when they don't have the ball, but have the freedom to roam and cut in-side when they have the ball. I want them to close down the opposition full backs to avoid crosses.

BWM(S) - No PI's - Only position I'm not too sure on the role. I do want someone in the middle to go and win me the ball if the opposition are building slowly.

DLP(D) - No PI's - No closing down from him. I want him dropping back, and as soon as we win the ball, be open to receive, and look to start an attack

CF(S) - Close down much more - AF(A) - close down much more - I expect them to close down when we don't have the ball. I like my strikers to work together but also individually. a CF does a bit fo everything, a AF moves into channels and dribbles more. Both are expected to score and create goals.

4-4-1-1

Everything is the same, except I now have a SS behind the CF. SS has close down much more.

When I play FIFA, the CAM usually grabs more goals, so think this setup works well. But I still expect goals from my ST, so think CF(S) does what I want here.

I use this formation if I feel there is space a CAM can exploit. Bit worried he'll not get involved enough in build up play though. So may change the SS role.

4-1-4-1

Still have the DLP(D) and BWM(S). But added a BBM, so PI's for him.

I use this when the opposition has a really good CAM that I need to stop pulling the strings. Bit worried about isolating the striker. hoping the attacking wingers and BBM can get there quick enough.

 

I know from playing FIFA the biggest issues with this setup is generally getting the ball forward quicker than I have players in advanced areas. But I prefer to be solid at the back to start with, and build from there. Are there any glaring issues here I am missing?

[JB23MUSE]

For the Low Block I would set up on Counter Mentality, with a slightly deeper back line. Leave the closing down on sometimes. PI the 2 wide men and forwards to close down much more. If you’re unsure on the BWM I’d suggest a CM(S) with the PI of close down much more, it tends to be more customisable than a ‘specialist’ role. Also I think a contradiction is formed on how you want to attack. You say you want quick and short passing, but also want to get the ball in to the final third quickly. I’d leave the passing on mixed, but set your tempo up to higher, or even much higher. 

 

Hope this helps buddy!

[craiigman]

8 hours ago, JB23MUSE said:

For the Low Block I would set up on Counter Mentality, with a slightly deeper back line. Leave the closing down on sometimes. PI the 2 wide men and forwards to close down much more. If you’re unsure on the BWM I’d suggest a CM(S) with the PI of close down much more, it tends to be more customisable than a ‘specialist’ role. Also I think a contradiction is formed on how you want to attack. You say you want quick and short passing, but also want to get the ball in to the final third quickly. I’d leave the passing on mixed, but set your tempo up to higher, or even much higher. 

 

Hope this helps buddy!

I thought about counter, but thought that I’d add more TI’s to that than I do for control. Control increases tempo and width, so I just need to drop the back line. So far it’s worked well, until the team I play sits back, then the back-line pushes up a bit.

I will probably give CM(S) a go. So far BWM(S) has had mixed results. Depends who plays there (their PPM’s) and opposition formation.

You can play quick short passes and get up the field quickly. I’ve found play out of defence and leaving passing on mixed has worked well. We keep the ball on the floor and move it around quickly. 

Biggest issue so far is, other than the LM, who is supplying the AF. The CF was not working, so changed that to DF(s), which has resulted in him scoring for fun. So CM(s) may help with this.

[JB23MUSE]

1 hour ago, craiigman said:

I thought about counter, but thought that I’d add more TI’s to that than I do for control. Control increases tempo and width, so I just need to drop the back line. So far it’s worked well, until the team I play sits back, then the back-line pushes up a bit.

I will probably give CM(S) a go. So far BWM(S) has had mixed results. Depends who plays there (their PPM’s) and opposition formation.

You can play quick short passes and get up the field quickly. I’ve found play out of defence and leaving passing on mixed has worked well. We keep the ball on the floor and move it around quickly. 

Biggest issue so far is, other than the LM, who is supplying the AF. The CF was not working, so changed that to DF(s), which has resulted in him scoring for fun. So CM(s) may help with this.

I think this is what I love most about the game...in that there’s so many tactical views!! Hope it does work out for you! I’ve never been a fan of the CF and the DF like you say is such a good role if you have the right player

[craiigman]

I'm just over half way into the season, some changes have been made, but the overall setup remains the same. Current setup:

TI's: These haven't changed. In game they do from time to time when seeing out a game or too much pressure on my not so great on the ball centre backs. But generally they don't change too much.

PI's:

GK: Short, to CB's. (Change this to wing backs vs some teams though)

VOL: Close down more

WM's: dribble more, close down more, roam, sit narrower, cut inside

I sometimes add close down more to the WB's and ST's. Also sometimes sit narrower on the WB's when IF's keep finding space. VOL sometimes gets "get further forward" added.

I went with a DM not DLP as found he was being passed to as ball magnet when I would have preferred other options, meaning we would lose momentum a bit, this has fixed things. The DM is still usually the man to get the ball from the CB's.

Ideally the LB would be on defend due to the VOL, but my LB's are better, so have to deal with it currently.

My striker roles never stay the same, depends who plays and opposition. I've played two Treq's up front, it was amazing when we had the ball, but they just stood and watched when we didn't. But I like the flexibility of two strikers and all the roles work for the players I have, so it changes all the time.

[jc577]

What team are you using? I’ve been thinking about translating my playing style on FIFA to FM but i think i’d have to use a top team for it to work effectively.

[craiigman]

6 hours ago, jc577 said:

What team are you using? I’ve been thinking about translating my playing style on FIFA to FM but i think i’d have to use a top team for it to work effectively.

I’m playing as Bolton in the Championship still. No way would this have worked first season, but second season and lots of work done in the summer for the right kind of players and it’s working wonders.

If I had a world class squad, there would be some minor changes. But the core style of play remains the same.

[herne79]

8 minutes ago, craiigman said:

No way would this have worked first season, but second season and lots of work done in the summer for the right kind of players and it’s working wonders.

Spot on .

[jc577]

2 hours ago, craiigman said:

I’m playing as Bolton in the Championship still. No way would this have worked first season, but second season and lots of work done in the summer for the right kind of players and it’s working wonders.

If I had a world class squad, there would be some minor changes. But the core style of play remains the same.

I see, so first season did you use a variation of this tactic/playing style or were you set up very differently?

[craiigman]

5 hours ago, jc577 said:

I see, so first season did you use a variation of this tactic/playing style or were you set up very differently?

First season was just about staying in the league with Bolton, so there was no real style to my play, it was just do my best to counter what the opposition were doing. Once I was safe I then set out what I wanted going forward, and then could work out who could fit into the system I want to play. Summer window opens and I already know who's not good going to be here, and a long list of targets.

Think of it like Pep's first season at City. He came in with an idea, but not the players to really be able to do it, so he had to adapt best he could, he then invested in the right players, and it's now paying off.

Easier option would be to pick a team that has a core set of players who can already fit what you want, and build from there. My Bolton squad still needs lots of improvements, especially in defence.

[craiigman]

With FM19 I intended to try some new styles of play and do some things I've not done before. I  have found the ME difficult to work with in the final 3rd with some of the much reported issues there. So I'm back to this, and made a few tweaks to the system.

First thing I done was to boot up FIFA19 go to head to head seasons and pick Atletico. I don't like to replicate Simeone, but they have the best squad for my style of play on FIFA. Noticed a fair few changes compared to how I setup in FM18 as posts above.

How I have now setup:

Preference on building from the back, and attacking mentality to get the ball forward and quickly. Regroup to get players back in position and make hard to break down, with the deeper defensive line as well, then counter to encourage the quick attacks. Low crosses is a personal choice.

GK(D): Don't really ask much from him, shot stopper is more than fine, reasonable distribution skills for playing out from back.

FB(S): Change this year as WB(S) now has PI's and FB(S) does not. Means PPM's very important, want to avoid things like "get forward when ever possible" and "runs with ball down wing" etc. Want them to support play, but rarely if ever go past the wide players in front of them, the left side allowed a little more freedom, but no specific settings.

CD(D): No need for extravagance here.

WM(A): Stay wider, Dribble more - Went this this over a winger, I don't want to encourage crossing, but don't want to discourage it. Other than direct passing, he's the main outlet for getting the ball forward.

CM(D): Went with a DLP last time round, found I don't really use one. Literally just need someone to be there and do the basics.

BWM(S): Get further forward - Want him all over the place really, doesn't need to be overly creative, more brute force than anything.

WM(S): Sit narrower - Two attacking WM's worked fairly well last year, noticed I generally attack more from one side on FIFA, so a technical player on the opposite side is preferred. More like a CM/WM really.

PF(S): Wanted a role that holds up play that doesn't move into channels or a target man. 

PF(A): Was going with AF but this adds a bit more emphasis on closing down at the front without increasing pressing intensity. The DLF(A) not working as did last year.

I'm still a little unsure on which side for the CM's and the ST's at the moment, so will be watching closely. May switch them around.