One full back goes, the other stays... possible?

[enders357]

Is it possible to instruct your two full backs so that only one of them attacks at any given time? I'm 7 or 8 years in and have two fantastic attacking full backs (Aarons and Tierney) and have both set as WB-A in the full back berth, but I'm getting picked apart by balls in behind. I know there are other ways around this, such as playing a back 3, having a DM play as a half back to create a back three, having DMs sit etc etc... but something that is extremely common in the real world is for one full back to sit back when the other goes. A good current example being Pereira and Chilwell at Leicester. As far as I can tell it's not possible to do this in FM19?

[kandersson]

This is something I'd like to see in the game (and have actually requested in the past) because it does happen all the time in real life with teams that play attacking full backs (Brazil being an example of this since I can remember). It could be implemented as a new player instruction (stay back when other FB has gone forward) and would be very helpful for those who play with both FB's or WB's on attack duty. Of course individual attributes like decisions, anticipation and positioning would also determine the success of this instruction.

[lferreira]

Depends on how much you want one of them to sit back. Alternating is difficult indeed. You can alter how often each one of them goes forward, but to tell one to stay back if the other one is bombing forward doesn't look possible even with a very personalized set of instructions. 

You can, however, alternate which side to focus more on throughout the game to exploit certain situations, such as an opposing full back sitting on a yellow card.

Edited October 22, 2019 by lferreira
grammar

[herne79]

Not possible.

However, if you're getting caught out by balls in behind, have a think about the combination of player role, duty, mentality and the player's Traits .

[Experienced Defender]

WB on attack duty is not the only FB/WB role that bombs forward (irrespective of the player traits factor). WB on support does as well. FB on attack does as well. Not to mention CWB. 

However, you always need to take your entire tactical system into account - the formation included - not just a particular role in isolation.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Experienced Defender

[Piperita]

I had a friendly the other day where I actually tried that. Too little data to see what was the tactic, what was the players, and what was dumb luck but anyway:

I had a 433 with two WBau that each had the following: 

• PI 'Hold Position' 
• TI 'Overlap'
• Traits 'runs often' and 'plays one-twos' (one also had 'knocks ball past opponent and the other had 'gets forward'+'arrives late')

Essentially that meant that the players stay back when the team has possession but if they themselves get the ball, they bomb forwards to the byline. So naturally at most one is wide forwards whereas the other parks around the middle. 

[enders357]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm happy tweaking tactics for the good of the team, but just wondered if anyone had figured out this specific thing - as we've all said, it's extremely common. I'd imagine it's an instruction given to most teams with attacking full backs, and is something pundits always mention on TV. I guess we can just hope it's intrduced in FM20.

[Jean0987654321]

Nope. Not in this game. The closest I got to that is using FB (s) with the PPM "Gets Further Forward"

[Rashidi]

What I did on FM19 was use FB(S) with overlap. Basically when we had the ball he would position himself further forward have a more aggressive mentality and be available to cross. My LOE was set to standard so that when we lost the ball the retreat line was my own half. Finally defensive line was usually never higher than Higher so that I do not overcommit the fullback.

[Jean0987654321]

On 25/10/2019 at 16:13, Rashidi said:

What I did on FM19 was use FB(S) with overlap. Basically when we had the ball he would position himself further forward have a more aggressive mentality and be available to cross. My LOE was set to standard so that when we lost the ball the retreat line was my own half. Finally defensive line was usually never higher than Higher so that I do not overcommit the fullback.

I think what OP wants is something more similar to what Giampaolo and Sarri sets their fullbacks to do. Or how FBs use to play in the past.

 

That itself is a bit tough to do in this game...

[waldywaldy]

I'd love for this to be added at some point. The ability to swap roles the same way we are already able to swap positions. This could work for fullbacks, but also for central defenders alternating stopper/cover roles, midfield duos alternating holding roles with bombing forward. Having wingers taking turns stretching play and/or coming inside. All sorts of options for striking partnerships. 

Edited October 27, 2019 by waldywaldy

[zlatanera]

Anyone tried WB-Au? Or FB-Au? 

Their duty (and therefore individual mentality) is set by the team mentality - so if you play on Balanced they'll be Balanced, but if you play on Very Attacking their individual mentality will be Very Attacking, for example. But rather than having a couple of hard-coded instructions such as Get Further Forward WB-Au only has Run Wide With Ball whilst FB-Au have none. This can give a bit more flexibility.

[reg22]

Here's how I do it...

For example, in a 4-2-3-1, i deploy one winger-A and one IF-S.

I instruct them to swap positions and set player specific instructions to follow them to the other side of the pitch. I set both full backs for FB-S and the change in what is happening in front of them varies the space in front of the full backs and encourages the full back playing on the side of the IF to move forward. 

This also suits me because i my preference is for symmetrical formations and conservative central midfielders.

Hope this helps

[Experienced Defender]

12 hours ago, zlatanera said:

Anyone tried WB-Au?

I play Shaw as WB on automatic duty 

[enders357]

On 27/10/2019 at 21:09, waldywaldy said:

I'd love for this to be added at some point. The ability to swap roles the same way we are already able to swap positions. This could work for fullbacks, but also for central defenders alternating stopper/cover roles, midfield duos alternating holding roles with bombing forward. Having wingers taking turns stretching play and/or coming inside. All sorts of options for striking partnerships. 

This would be an amazing feature and, frankly, it must be something they're working towards as this is so common in real life and they always talk about wanting the game to be as realistic as possible.

Edited October 29, 2019 by enders357

[nully29]

SI basically needs to introduce separate instructions for "strong side" and "weak side" wide players. This is kinda basic thing for any real tactic.