IF and IW

[nitido]

I am still in preseason (I have played 4 games), however, I have noticed that my IF and IW have little impact on the game, even Ortega y García have greater participation.

¿Tips?

Edited November 23, 2019 by nitido

[Experienced Defender]

The first and most obvious problem with your tactic in terms of roles and duties is (IMHO) - it has plenty of "exotic" roles (i.e. roles that do a lot of creation and/or roaming movement) but no hard-workers/water-carriers and no real outright "finisher" role (whether it would come from the midfield or attacking trio). Therefore, more balance would be welcome, which could in turn also help your wide forwards perform better.

[nitido]

3 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

El primer y más obvio problema con su táctica en términos de roles y deberes es (en mi humilde opinión): tiene muchos roles "exóticos" (es decir, roles que hacen mucha creación y / o movimiento itinerante) pero no trabajadores / agua -portadoras y ningún rol real de "finalizador" absoluto (ya sea que provenga del centro del campo o del trío atacante). Por lo tanto, se agradecería más equilibrio, lo que a su vez también podría ayudar a que sus aleros anchos funcionen mejor.

I mean I need a player (or players) to attack more and not worry about creation? Like a mezzala in attack?

And what do you mean by hard-workers/water-carriers? 

[Experienced Defender]

49 minutes ago, nitido said:

I mean I need a player (or players) to attack more and not worry about creation? Like a mezzala in attack?

Well, a mezzala on attack duty does "worry" about creation, but that's not the point of what I wanted to say. The point is that there is not a single role in both your midfield and attack that is simple and straightforward, either in the attacking or defensive sense. In the DM position you have a playmaker (DLP). Then in the central midfield you have another playmaker (RPM) and a role that is nominally not a playmaker, but is nevertheless highly involved in the creative/organizational phase (mezzala). And on top of this, both RPM and MEZ are primarily attack-minded roles - mezzala in particular - and neither of them is a simple midfielder who is at least equally (if not primarily) concerned with defending as with attacking (e.g. BBM, CAR, BWM or a simple standard CM on support duty). Plus, both RPM and MEZ are roaming roles. Now, if you had a simple defense-minded DM role behind them, who would be focused on protecting the defense in the first place (such as anchor, HB or DM on defend), then it would be less of an issue. Or if at least one of your fullbacks was played in a simple conservative and primarily defensive role (like FB on support, WB on defend or IWB on defend for example). 

Finally, take a look at your front three. All of them are (again) more of a creator than simple runner/scorer role. Your DLF may be on attack duty, but DLF as a role is still rather a creator than a pure finisher or at least simple striker whose primary purpose is to try to run behind the opposition back-line and get himself into promising goal-scoring positions. 

1 hour ago, nitido said:

And what do you mean by hard-workers/water-carriers? 

Midfield roles that may not be too attractive/exotic/fancy, but who will put a lot of hard work both in attack and defense, helping and covering for those who are mainly focused on the attacking phase of the game. These include the roles I already mentioned above - anchorman, half back or DM in defensive midfield, and BBM, carrilero or BMW in central midfield. Of course, the better/stronger your team is overall, the more risk you should be able to take without overly compromising your defensive stability and balance. And vice versa.

And all this was only about roles and duties. There are also instructions, where my favorite suggestion is - try to keep it as simple as possible. And always keep in mind that the mentality automatically affects all other instructions (both attacking/in-possession and defensive/out of possession ones).

[nitido]

Thank you! I thought he had enough stability considering the RPM as someone who works covering, but I suppose his work as a playmaker does not allow him to be a sacrificed player.

also thought that the IF (even in support function) was not so creative. Thanks for all the tips.

[Experienced Defender]

You are welcome, mate 

[Snorks]

Neither the RPM or the Mez will offer much in the way of defensive duties -see how the Mez performs as a BBM perhaps? This will also alter the riuns he makes a little, at the moment he would be advancing into the same area as the IF would be looking to cut into which may account for the lack of production you see from him. 

Similar on the left side I think - the RPM is a rover, he may well be taking up the space your IW might be looking to use as well. 

A BBM is a bit more direct with the runs than a Mez and would give the AMR a bit more of the half- space to operate in and would also give the DLP a bit more help defensively.

The RPM I would look at losing altogether if it were me -  Iwould rather have a solid 'spine' in the midfield, a BWM or someone to win the ball - feed it to the DLP who can then release the wingers or the BBM.

Alternatively, put a defensive-minded player in the DM spot - BWM, DM or AM even, with the DLP where the RPM is currently. 

With a defensive triangle like this, I like one tackler - winning the ball, one Playmaker, for the tackler to give the ball to and to pivot us into attack, and one runner who can link midfield to the forwards. Not necessarily a D/S/A combination of duties, but a balance.