The Pressing Forward

[LDP]

Hi SI forums,

I have just finished first season with Liverpool, winning the league with a Jurgen Klopp like tactic.

Like Jurgen, I play Firmino as my lone striker with the F9 role and it's been working great.

I just bought Timo Werner in as a different option to Bobby and as you may know he is a Pressing forward. I want to get some tips on how to get this role to work. Here is my formation and roles.

GK - SKa

LB - WBa

LCB - BPDd

RCB - BPDd

RB - WBa

CDM - DLPd

LCM - Mezzala A

RCM - BBMs

LW - IFa

RW - IFa

ST - PFa

 

I play a slightly more direct style of play with urgent pressing with highest line of engagement, just like Mr. Klopp. 

Any help would be appreciated guys, thank you 

[summatsupeer]

You've gone from one extreme to another, F9 is probably the deepest ST role+duty and now you've gone to one of the most advanced in the PF-At.  He's like a AF when you have the ball so is an early runner high up the field trying to make early runs into space from opponents pushing up and/or committing FBs forward.  If you pin opponents in then the ST will often be unavailable due to no space to run into.

Looks like your "brute forcing" it a bit with 2x WB-At, 2xIF-At and MEZ-At.  At least with the F9 there was a bit of variety, adding another runner I don't think will add anything, now he might just get in the way of the runners unless the numbers just overwhelm them.  You can get away with it when teams park the bus and don't really offer any threat of a counter but if they do its risky.   I always advocate for some variety and having players use different spaces in your base tactic so it works against a range of opponents and less likely to come up against a hard counter. 

[LDP]

48 minutes ago, summatsupeer said:

You've gone from one extreme to another, F9 is probably the deepest ST role+duty and now you've gone to one of the most advanced in the PF-At.  He's like a AF when you have the ball so is an early runner high up the field trying to make early runs into space from opponents pushing up and/or committing FBs forward.  If you pin opponents in then the ST will often be unavailable due to no space to run into.

Looks like your "brute forcing" it a bit with 2x WB-At, 2xIF-At and MEZ-At.  At least with the F9 there was a bit of variety, adding another runner I don't think will add anything, now he might just get in the way of the runners unless the numbers just overwhelm them.  You can get away with it when teams park the bus and don't really offer any threat of a counter but if they do its risky.   I always advocate for some variety and having players use different spaces in your base tactic so it works against a range of opponents and less likely to come up against a hard counter. 

Thanks for your reply mate. The tactic at the moment with F9 works superbly but brought in Timo for another option. Would you suggest changing 1x IF to support and 1x WB to support? And maybe drop deeper as a team? 

[summatsupeer]

42 minutes ago, LDP said:

Thanks for your reply mate. The tactic at the moment with F9 works superbly but brought in Timo for another option. Would you suggest changing 1x IF to support and 1x WB to support? And maybe drop deeper as a team? 

If its working then change nothing unless its a problem your seeing in that game.  Only keep the change for future matches if its something your needing to do in most of your matches.

Can you not play Timo in the current system?  He will play the role+duty differently from Firmino depending how there attributes and traits differ.  He could also be an option as a wide forward to rotate in with Mane/Salah if I remember correctly?

If want him as the ST on an attack duty, i'd probably setup a 2nd tactic rather than changing your current one.  Maybe a version of Liverpools 4231 with a creative player sat in the hole creating for Timo, Mane and Salah.