5-3-2 Help

[Matty99]

I've recently started a save with my fave italian team Inter on fm 20, i want to try & play a three at the back system like they do in real life because obvs their squad is built for it but i've never really tried such a system & am looking for ideas or advice really on ways i could set up.

These are what i've made so far but i'm not sure on roles or duties at all & am just after advice on the type of styles i could play when using a three at the back system, any help would be amazing & appreciated!

 

[llama3]

A few ideas for you in here about setting up a back 3:

 

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, Matty99 said:

First off, do not defend narrow when you play in an already narrow formation. Because if you defend narrow in a system like this, your wing-backs - as the only wide players - are likely to struggle dealing with opposition wide players. Therefore, either wider or standard defensive width. If you are not sure, go with standard (default). 

The key question here is - what style of football do you want to play with Inter? Without that, it's difficult to offer any meaningful and more specific advice.

Anyway, I don't like the left side of your setup. The mezzala's attack duty could well make you needlessly vulnerable on that flank. Switch him to support duty, because it will not only help you be more solid defensively, but would also make more sense in attack by giving you better balance overall.

[Matty99]

1 minute ago, Experienced Defender said:

First off, do not defend narrow when you play in an already narrow formation. Because if you defend narrow in a system like this, your wing-backs - as the only wide players - are likely to struggle dealing with opposition wide players. Therefore, either wider or standard defensive width. If you are not sure, go with standard (default). 

The key question here is - what style of football do you want to play with Inter? Without that, it's difficult to offer any meaningful and more specific advice.

Anyway, I don't like the left side of your setup. The mezzala's attack duty could well make you needlessly vulnerable on that flank. Switch him to support duty, because it will not only help you be more solid defensively, but would also make more sense in attack by giving you better balance overall.

Thanks for the response, will switch it to standard & tone down the mezzala, i do like my teams to have possession but i guess i want to play positive attacking football with quick short passing and plenty of movement off the ball.

[Experienced Defender]

12 minutes ago, Matty99 said:

i do like my teams to have possession but i guess i want to play positive attacking football with quick short passing and plenty of movement off the ball

Not sure if 532 is an ideal system for that style, but let's try 

Maybe something like this:

AF    TMsu

MEZsu   CDde   DLPsu

WBsu                                   WBat

CDde  BPDco  CDde

SKsu

Mentality - Positive

In possession - play out of defence, shorter passing, work ball into box and be more expressive

In transition - nothing

Out of possession - higher D-line and standard (default) LOE

Player instructions:

TM - close down more

Mezzala - close down more (and possibly dribble more and/or take more risks if the player has the right attributes)

That's what I would start with. Possible tweaks - depending on what I see happens on the pitch - include slightly higher tempo and overlap left (not necessarily both at the same time)

[Matty99]

13 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

Not sure if 532 is an ideal system for that style, but let's try 

Maybe something like this:

AF    TMsu

MEZsu   CDde   DLPsu

WBsu                                   WBat

CDde  BPDco  CDde

SKsu

Mentality - Positive

In possession - play out of defence, shorter passing, work ball into box and be more expressive

In transition - nothing

Out of possession - higher D-line and standard (default) LOE

Player instructions:

TM - close down more

Mezzala - close down more (and possibly dribble more and/or take more risks if the player has the right attributes)

That's what I would start with. Possible tweaks - depending on what I see happens on the pitch - include slightly higher tempo and overlap left (not necessarily both at the same time)

Ideal thank you, will try that, yeah i guess the 532 is better suited to counter attack football or more direct style, what changes would you make to make it more direct? if you don't mind, also what sytems are suited for a more possession based style? the 4123 perhaps?

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, Matty99 said:

i guess the 532 is better suited to counter attack football or more direct style

Yes. But given that Inter is a strong team, I fear that a counter-attacking style would not be a good idea as a primary tactic, because most opponents probably tend to play defensively against you. So I made sort of a "progressive possession" variant of 532. 

 

1 hour ago, Matty99 said:

what sytems are suited for a more possession based style? the 4123 perhaps?

Yes, it's the most optimal one if you ask me. And the easiest to set up properly. Assuming that by 4123 you are referring to what the game nominally calls "4141dm wide". 

 

1 hour ago, Matty99 said:

what changes would you make to make it more direct?

TMat     AF

CAR  CMde  MEZsu

CWBsu                                   WBsu

CDde  CDco  BPDde

SKsu

Mentality - (also) Positive

In possession - standard (default) passing and hit early crosses (you can also experiment with the Focus through the middle as a possible occasional option)

In transition - distribute to CBs (and occasionally the Counter)

Out of possession - higher DL and standard LOE (or standard DL and lower LOE for a more counter-attacking version)

[Matty99]

53 minutes ago, Experienced Defender said:

Yes. But given that Inter is a strong team, I fear that a counter-attacking style would not be a good idea as a primary tactic, because most opponents probably tend to play defensively against you. So I made sort of a "progressive possession" variant of 532. 

 

Yes, it's the most optimal one if you ask me. And the easiest to set up properly. Assuming that by 4123 you are referring to what the game nominally calls "4141dm wide". 

 

TMat     AF

CAR  CMde  MEZsu

CWBsu                                   WBsu

CDde  CDco  BPDde

SKsu

Mentality - (also) Positive

In possession - standard (default) passing and hit early crosses (you can also experiment with the Focus through the middle as a possible occasional option)

In transition - distribute to CBs (and occasionally the Counter)

Out of possession - higher DL and standard LOE (or standard DL and lower LOE for a more counter-attacking version)

Really appreciatethe advice thanks will defo be giving these a try and yes the 4141dm what would be a good framework for the 4141dm to try And start with? for future reference as i would eventually like to adapt the team to fit that system.

[Experienced Defender]

34 minutes ago, Matty99 said:

the 4141dm what would be a good framework for the 4141dm to try And start with?

With a team like Inter, I would probably start with something along these lines:

PFat

IWsu                                   Wsu

DLPsu    MEZat

HB

WBat     CDde   BPDde   IWBsu

SKsu

Positive

- shorter passing, play out of defence, work ball into box and be more expressive

- start with no instructions (and add counter-press on occasion, but not against strong opposition)

- higher DL, standard LOE and offside trap

Player instructions:

AML/IWsu - sit narrower, roam from position

Mezzala - close down more

Left CB - stay wider (not necessary)