What direction would you take with Barca with these players... (Messi, Mbappe..)

[DjangoSrna]

Forwards

Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Phil Coutinho, Joao Felix, Dembele (looking to sell as is useless)

Midfielders 

Arthur, de Jong, Coutinho, Busquets, Rakitic, Felix, Vidal

Defenders

Pique, Umtiti, Lenglet, de Ligt, Ruben Dias, Alba, Roberto, Cancelo

 

The last FM save I really enjoyed, and has great success in was FM17 with Bilbao - a very fluid symmetric system. I skipped 18, now I can't get any symetcrical sort of system working at all.

 

[Experienced Defender]

Quote

What direction would you take with Barca with these players... (Messi, Mbappe..)

The short answer:

F9

RMD                                 TQ

DLPsu    CMat

HB

WBsu    CDde    CDde    IWBsu

SKsu

Positive mentality

- shorter passing, play out of defence, higher tempo, (one notch) narrower width, work ball into box, be more expressive, overlap left

- counter, distribute to CBs and FBs, counter-press

- higher DL, standard LOE, use tighter marking, prevent short GKD, use offside trap, defend wider

Starting 11 and player instructions:

- GK/SKsu - ter Stegen

- DL/WBsu - Alba

- DR/IWBsu - Roberto

- DCL/CDde - Umtiti

- DCR/CDde - Pique

- DM/HB - Busquets - mark tighter

- MCL/DLPsu - Arthur - mark tighter

- MCR/CMat - Vidal - mark tighter, tackle harder (unless he gets too many yellow/red cards)

- AML/RMD - Mbappe

- AMR/TQ - Messi

- ST/F9 - Suarez - roam from position, move into channels

If you want the long answer, ask whatever questions you might have 

[DjangoSrna]

Long answer is going to be a very long question to begin with.. 

Many thanks for you're reply. 

I hate the idea of having an elite squad, i.e two top quality/world class players for every position and having to be changing and impacting the overall system because say Athur (DLP) is injured, I replace him with Vidal (BWM). I'd much rather play CM and allow both Arthur and Vidal (2 world class players in their fields) to take on a base role how they see fit. 

That's pretty much been my approach across previous FMs. The better players/group I gathered or managed the less team instructions, certainly individual instruction I'd ask.  I'd form a basic base of 2-4 team shouts, end up playing a very fluid 433/4231. IFs - AMs - IFs - DLFa  has been a prolific front four across countless saves for me with a very fluid symmetrical 4231. Now, hopeless being played by;

Mbappe - Messi - Coutinho  -- Suarez

Support coming wide by overlapping fullbacks; Alba, and Cancelo. 

 

I see no worries in defence, we're dominating games, but just can't score. Something I have't tweaked right the ME doesn't like, Messi is missing penalties, open goals. Numerous clean cut chances created visually, but not reccoreded. Like my bloody front four is working, it's becoming a front 6 with wing backs - a 7 with Athur pushing up - but it's not working. 

Please understand we're I'm trying to go with this. I hate to give WWFan (whatever his name is) the credit for the approach, as I'd been doing it long before - but you must know, simple team but concise approach overall, played out by world class players taking on their own personalities into the field.

[Experienced Defender]

Okay, but why did you at all started a thread asking people "what direction with these Barca players" would they take, if you already have a clear idea how you want to play?

[DjangoSrna]

1 hour ago, Experienced Defender said:

Okay, but why did you at all started a thread asking people "what direction with these Barca players" would they take, if you already have a clear idea how you want to play?

Who are you to tell me what to do? I started a thread because of OP. 

This board is in a dying existence to begin with, maybe you're right - one less thread isn't needed.

Good call Captain of ****.

 

[Experienced Defender]

I am not not telling you what to do. You seem to already know what you want to do. So I asked a logical question on that point.

[Finners]

Well. That escalated.