Help creating a 5-3-2

[DarJ]

I've just started a save with Atalanta and after looking at the players they have I've decided to go for 5-3-2 formation because the players fit perfectly in that system.

I want to play more of a fluid counter attacking style of football (not too much direct and not too much of short passing either) so I'd like to know you guys opinion on the roles and duty that I have selected as well as the team instructions.

Thanks in advance

I'm having also a dilemma regarding my CMs; all of them seem to have a PPM that encourages them to go forward (runs often with ball, arrives late...) and I don't know if it will be much of a problem for the player playing as a DLP on defend

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, DarJ said:

 

1 hour ago, DarJ said:

I want to play more of a fluid counter attacking style of football (not too much direct and not too much of short passing either) so I'd like to know you guys opinion on the roles and duty that I have selected as well as the team instructions

Okay... if you want to play a more fluid type of counter-attacking football (as opposed to simple and direct), then I would set it up a bit differently. For example:

TQ      AF

CAR  CMde  MEZsu

CWBsu                                  WBsu

CDde  CDco  BPDde

SKsu

Assuming you want to play under the Balanced mentality (as the screenshot suggests), these team instructions would make sense IMHO:

- shorter passing, higher tempo, run at defence (possible occasional tweaks - pass into space, low crosses)

- counter, distribute quickly

- lower LOE, get stuck in

Player instruction:

mezzala - take more risks

Remember, we are talking about a fluid counter style, hence this type of roles and instructions. 

Any questions?

NOTE: A potential problem is that a counter-attacking tactic may not work in every single match (i.e. against all types of opposition), so you may need a plan-B tactic (basically a slightly modified non-counter version of this one).

 

[XuluBak]

I'd think more attack minded for Atalanta as your starting point, then fluid counter as your secondary. 

Unless you acquire one via transfer, you don't really have a DLP. De Room is your most defensive mid, but he's more of a BWM/B2B. Frueler is B2B. Pasalic is Mez/B2B. Malinovskyi is AP/MEZ; although, he might be your best option (would go DLP (s) though).

Alternatively, could try Gomez as an RPM until you acquire a DLP, since you're not using an attacking mid.

Edited February 27, 2020 by XuluBak

[DarJ]

12 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

 

NOTE: A potential problem is that a counter-attacking tactic may not work in every single match (i.e. against all types of opposition), so you may need a plan-B tactic (basically a slightly modified non-counter version of this one).

 

 

I agree with that. I went forward a few days to to play a couple of friendlies against some week teams and I couldn't create anything. I had like 30 shots without creating even a half chance so I'll need a more attacking version of that since Atalanta are a decent side

 

 

10 hours ago, XuluBak said:

I'd think more attack minded for Atalanta as your starting point, then fluid counter as your secondary. 

Unless you acquire one via transfer, you don't really have a DLP. De Room is your most defensive mid, but he's more of a BWM/B2B. Frueler is B2B. Pasalic is Mez/B2B. Malinovskyi is AP/MEZ; although, he might be your best option (would go DLP (s) though).

Alternatively, could try Gomez as an RPM until you acquire a DLP, since you're not using an attacking mid.

 

I was going to play De Room there but his vision and passing is not as high as I want. I'll try out @Experienced Defender suggestion and see how it goes.

I don't think I need to buy any players for this first season unless I sell someone because I terrible at squad management. I want to keep a maximum of 24-25 players in the first team, including players from the U20 I'm mentoring

[DarJ]

@Experienced Defender how would you set it up to be more attacking?

I'd also like to ask how you go about signing  16, 17, 18 years old with potential, like what do you look at because I tend to sign every 4 to 5 star potential player my money allows me to buy and then I end up with 5 strikers with 5 star potential in my U20 when I'm playing a system with a single striker and I already have 3 in the first team that still have 3 to 4 years in them 

[XuluBak]

58 minutes ago, DarJ said:

I agree with that. I went forward a few days to to play a couple of friendlies against some week teams and I couldn't create anything. I had like 30 shots without creating even a half chance so I'll need a more attacking version of that since Atalanta are a decent side

I was going to play De Room there but his vision and passing is not as high as I want. I'll try out @Experienced Defender suggestion and see how it goes.

I don't think I need to buy any players for this first season unless I sell someone because I terrible at squad management. I want to keep a maximum of 24-25 players in the first team, including players from the U20 I'm mentoring

I forgot to include Tameze, previously. He's a loanee from OGC Nice, and more a true DM, but don't think he has the passing attributes to be a DLP either. Atalanta comes with a ton of players in the pipeline, either in their youth system or out on loan, so you might look there, but I can't think of anyone that be ready/available for the first team. 

If you're not making any transfers, then I'd recommend 5212 as your primary, more attacking formation. Partly because most teams in Serie A are naturally going to look to sit back against you, but also because your squad depth is better suited for it. Ilicic, Gomez, Malinovsky, and Pasalic are all fully capable in the AM strata. Whereas your options are more limited in stay-at-home defensive/support roles in the midfield strata. As you noted initially, all their midfielders want to get forward, because that's how they actually play. It can make for some fantastically entertaining football, but a challenge for setting up with a defense-first system in FM. 

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, DarJ said:

@Experienced Defender how would you set it up to be more attacking?

I don't know your players, so cannot tell you exactly how I would set the tactic up. But if this is the fluid counter tactic I proposed earlier: 

 

13 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

TQ      AF

CAR  CMde  MEZsu

CWBsu                                  WBsu

CDde  CDco  BPDde

SKsu

Assuming you want to play under the Balanced mentality (as the screenshot suggests), these team instructions would make sense IMHO:

- shorter passing, higher tempo, run at defence (possible occasional tweaks - pass into space, low crosses)

- counter, distribute quickly

- lower LOE, get stuck in

Player instruction:

mezzala - take more risks

Then the non-counter one could look like something to this effect:

F9      AF

DLPsu   CMde   MEZsu

(C)WBat                                     WBsu

CDde  CDco  BPDde

SKsu

Mentality - Balanced (occasionally positive)

- shorter passing, play out of defence, standard (default) tempo (there are a couple of other possible TIs, but as I said - don't know your players, so impossible to tell which ones specifically)

- nothing

- higher DL and standard LOE

Player instructions:

F9 - roam from position, close down more

AF - close down more

MEZsu - close down more, take more risks

RWBsu - sit narrower

The point is that your 2 tactics should not be overly different.

[DarJ]

4 hours ago, Experienced Defender said:

I don't know your players, so cannot tell you exactly how I would set the tactic up. But if this is the fluid counter tactic I proposed earlier: 

 

Then the non-counter one could look like something to this effect:

F9      AF

DLPsu   CMde   MEZsu

(C)WBat                                     WBsu

CDde  CDco  BPDde

SKsu

Mentality - Balanced (occasionally positive)

- shorter passing, play out of defence, standard (default) tempo (there are a couple of other possible TIs, but as I said - don't know your players, so impossible to tell which ones specifically)

- nothing

- higher DL and standard LOE

Player instructions:

F9 - roam from position, close down more

AF - close down more

MEZsu - close down more, take more risks

RWBsu - sit narrower

The point is that your 2 tactics should not be overly different.

thanks for your advice

[Experienced Defender]

1 hour ago, DarJ said:

thanks for your advice

Depending on the structure of your squad, you may also consider the 5212 formation for this non-counter tactic, because it's better suited to a more possession-friendly style of play while at the same time analogous to the 532.