Struggle with direct approach

[Aksi92]

I am trying to implement fast attacking direct approach with my Brentford squad. As one of favourites in league teams are defending deep and narrow against me. So because of that I cant create a lot of chances meaning I need to tweak my tactic to create more space for my players.

Here is the tactic I am currently using

Should I add TI playing wider? Be more expressive?  Maybe AP instead of Mezzala? Carrilero instead of BBM? I need some help.

[permanentquandary]

18 minutes ago, Aksi92 said:

I am trying to implement fast attacking direct approach with my Brentford squad. As one of favourites in league teams are defending deep and narrow against me. So because of that I cant create a lot of chances meaning I need to tweak my tactic to create more space for my players.

Here is the tactic I am currently using

Should I add TI playing wider? Be more expressive?  Maybe AP instead of Mezzala? Carrilero instead of BBM? I need some help.

If you want a fast attacking direct approach it would make a lot of sense to use an Attacking mentality, then remove the Higher Tempo. If you're concerned that this creates too much risk taking, you can tweak individual players to take fewer risks and/or tell the team to Be More Disciplined and/or reduce their passing length.

If you want to create chances against busparkers you're going to have to either use players that stay wider on AML/R or aren't hardcoded to cut inside. You need to stretch the width of the opposition defence and inside forwards left untouched won't do that. While wingbacks will get up the park and be wide options, their arrival will be relatively late and typically will happen by the time the opposition has regrouped.

You're using an F9, so you do need players to run into that space he vacates and will therefore need midfield, full back or AML/R runners and appropriate roles. But consider if that role is really suited to the style you want. If you're playing direct, it makes more sense to have your striker be a target ready to receive the ball in forward areas. When he drops off so extremely as the F9, there isn't a simple direct ball to play unless it's to the AML/R. But considering that you'll want these two players tracking back, you're really going to struggle to counter attack effectively unless the striker picks up the ball from a deep position and is the one releasing it into space. Perhaps really you want a complete forward, deep lying forward, pressing forward on support, or target man. If you're really heavily set on using a wide player as your main penetrator, consider using a Raumdeuter or Trequartista because he won't track back as much as the others.

I won't comment yet on other roles and duties or potential T/PIs but this is food for thought.

Edited August 5, 2020 by permanentquandary

[Experienced Defender]

On 05/08/2020 at 21:36, Aksi92 said:

Should I add TI playing wider? Be more expressive?  Maybe AP instead of Mezzala? Carrilero instead of BBM? I need some help.

If you want a fast and more direct attacking style, i would consider something to this effect:

DLFat

IFat                                         Wsu

BWMsu     APat

HB

WBsu     CDde  CD/BPDde  (I)WBsu

SKsu

If you want fast attacking football, I would look to avoid a DLP on defend duty as a playmaker role 

The mentality should be higher than Balanced. I would recommend Positive for a start.

Higher tempo is of course a logical choice. Early crosses is an instruction that would also make a lot of sense. Run at defence is another TI that goes hand in hand with fast attacking styles, but make sure your players can pull it off. Instructions such as be more expressive and/or pass into space can be used as occasional/optional tweaks.

Defense-wise, i would suggest a split block.

Counter in transition makes sense. Distribute quickly is an instruction you may also want to add.

The only question is if such style suits your team and whether it's the right approach in order to break down those defensive opponents.