Tactic help

[frederikmrck]

Hi all,

 

I will start på apoligizing for my bad enlgish

 

I have tried to make a tactic where I would like to stand compact defensively or focus on counter-attacks a bit like Diego Simeone in Alectico Madrid. However, I find it very difficult to succeed.
 

 

Someone who can make adjustments or general tips to make such a tactic succeed?

[Experienced Defender]

Can you translate the tactic into English, please? I would like to help, but unfortunately can't understand the language in the screenshot 

[frederikmrck]

oh sorry

here you go

[Experienced Defender]

59 minutes ago, frederikmrck said:

oh sorry

here you go

The tactic looks okay-ish to me. The key problem IMHO is that you are trying to play defensive counter-attacking football with a top team (Man Utd), which is not likely to succeed for a simple reason - most opponents will play defensively themselves thus virtually rendering your desired style ineffective. 

But apart from that, there are a couple of tweaks that would make sense if you want to play in a fashion similar to that of Simeone's Atletico. First, using 2 playmakers in a system meant to be based on fast attacking transitions runs counter to what you want to achieve. In that regard, I would leave Fred as a DLP and change the RM either into a winger on support or WM on attack.

The left flank looks okay  - a combo of IWsu and WBsu (as well as FBat btw) is a good one. 

As for the strikers, for the style you want to implement, I would have both on attack duty, but in different roles. Simeone's prefered combo IMHO was - TQ (Griezmann) and PF on attack (Costa). In your team, Mata can be a TQ, whereas Lukaku or Rashford could be the PFat. 

So the setup would look like this:

PFat       TQ

 

IWsu        DLPsu      CMde       Wsu

 

WBsu      CDde     BPDde      WBsu

SKde

Btw, in my setup Lindelof would be the BPD, Martial IWsu and Lingard Wsu.

In terms of out-of-possession instructions, I think that much lower LOE is not necessary. Just lower (without much) should suffice. 

Simeone (usually) employs the counter-press in defensive transitions, but it does not mean that you necessarily have to use it. Or use it situationally. Other transitional TIs - counter and quick distribution - are okay 

In possession, I would start with these (under the Balanced mentality):

- higher tempo

- standard passing (instead of more direct)

- pass into space

- fairly narrow width

Would definitely remove the Play for set pieces. It may be useful when you already have a satisfactory result and want to waste time via set-pieces, but I don't see much point in PFSP as part of your starting tactic.

Not sure about the Be more disciplined. Like the counter-press, I would use it situationally.

But once again - I fear that this type of tactic will not work for a team such as Man Utd for the reason I already mentioned. 

[summatsupeer]

I agree with pretty much everything above.

3 hours ago, frederikmrck said:

I have tried to make a tactic where I would like to stand compact defensively or focus on counter-attacks a bit like Diego Simeone in Alectico Madrid

Thats how they play against some of the big clubs, but against others they are more active, take more risks and press higher.  Teams they expect to beat won't throw players at them and leave themselves open to a counter attack.

I think you might need a different "plan a" tactic for most of the teams in the premiership when your playing as man utd and then switch to this as a "plan b" for the big clubs in premiership/europe.  If you go too defensive/deep i'd be worried since your defenders + midfield isn't really strong at defending, especially like that plus leaving 2 up front.

[lferreira]

19 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

The tactic looks okay-ish to me. The key problem IMHO is that you are trying to play defensive counter-attacking football with a top team (Man Utd), which is not likely to succeed for a simple reason - most opponents will play defensively themselves thus virtually rendering your desired style ineffective. 

But apart from that, there are a couple of tweaks that would make sense if you want to play in a fashion similar to that of Simeone's Atletico. First, using 2 playmakers in a system meant to be based on fast attacking transitions runs counter to what you want to achieve. In that regard, I would leave Fred as a DLP and change the RM either into a winger on support or WM on attack.

The left flank looks okay  - a combo of IWsu and WBsu (as well as FBat btw) is a good one. 

As for the strikers, for the style you want to implement, I would have both on attack duty, but in different roles. Simeone's prefered combo IMHO was - TQ (Griezmann) and PF on attack (Costa). In your team, Mata can be a TQ, whereas Lukaku or Rashford could be the PFat. 

So the setup would look like this:

PFat       TQ

 

IWsu        DLPsu      CMde       Wsu

 

WBsu      CDde     BPDde      WBsu

SKde

Btw, in my setup Lindelof would be the BPD, Martial IWsu and Lingard Wsu.

In terms of out-of-possession instructions, I think that much lower LOE is not necessary. Just lower (without much) should suffice. 

Simeone (usually) employs the counter-press in defensive transitions, but it does not mean that you necessarily have to use it. Or use it situationally. Other transitional TIs - counter and quick distribution - are okay 

In possession, I would start with these (under the Balanced mentality):

- higher tempo

- standard passing (instead of more direct)

- pass into space

- fairly narrow width

Would definitely remove the Play for set pieces. It may be useful when you already have a satisfactory result and want to waste time via set-pieces, but I don't see much point in PFSP as part of your starting tactic.

Not sure about the Be more disciplined. Like the counter-press, I would use it situationally.

But once again - I fear that this type of tactic will not work for a team such as Man Utd for the reason I already mentioned. 

How would give that tactic a bit more punch? I started a Milan save and I know we've got the players for this, but it still feels a little blunt. We hardly ever concede, but scoring has been a problem.

[Experienced Defender]

39 minutes ago, lferreira said:

but scoring has been a problem

I guess for the same reason as the OP - Milan is also a good team and is likely to face defensive opposition in most matches, so using a basically defensive tactic (like this) is not the best idea IMHO. Perhaps you could add some more attacking bite (without changing your basic "Simeone-ish" approach) by changing a couple of midfield duties up. For example:

PFat      TQ

 

IWsu      DLPsu     BBM       WMat

 

FBat        CD        CD        IWBde

SKsu