Is anyone at all playing a 3-5-2 formation ?

[Zpiceball]

Hello there.

I've found some nice tactics on this forum but they all seem to be a 4-4-2 variant or a 4-3-3.

Haven't found a single tactic with 3 at the back and offensive wing backs.

I'm getting ready to start a new game in the Italian Serie A with Napoli and I could really use some help with an initial tactic.

The thing I am mostly unsure about is wether to use a sweeper or simply a flat back 3.

Would really appreciate your comments and if you have already come across a solid 3-5-2 system please let me know.

[petersmithie]

Yes I play this. It is very effective. You do not need wingers as the WB's are devastating.

You have an extra man in defence making you concede less.

I play with one FC though, not two. This allows me to have 3 AMCS

[Rupal]

I've gone one further and adapted to a 3-4-3. I have fast defenders with a flat back 3. I have the 2 'wider' DCs set to barrow, the central DC to a farrow, 2 MCs to barrow and the 2 wide midfielders to farrow. With a couple of quick strikers and a central target man it seems to do fine at lower league level..

[pauly1616]

3 at the back appears to be a distinct disadvantage. You can get it to work with a top class team but on level terms you will leak chances out wide

[Rupal]

3 at the back appears to be a distinct disadvantage. You can get it to work with a top class team but on level terms you will leak chances out wide

I haven't found this to be true at lower league level (Scotland Div 3 with 3-4-3 and now in Div 2 with a 3-1-4-2 - OK so far). It's been OK with me because I have signed defenders who are relatively fast - I can imagine it would be hard with slower defenders. The central man doesn't have to have that much pace but the two 'flank' DCs do need it I've found.

It's interesting how people's experiences differ with tactics like this.

[Ruudfood]

I'm playing 3-1-3-2-1 (or 3-1-3-1-2). The central of the 3 defenders has a barrow, there is a DM in front of them and 3 midfielders spread across the pitch with the wide ones having barrows.

Then it's either 2 AMCs and a FC/ST or 1 AMC and 2 ST/FCs depending on the opposition or the feedback from my ass man.

Having said all that, my results have been inconsistent. Sometimes we look awesome and sometimes distinctly average.

[mark.barbara]

I play 3-5-2 quite often, but I find that it relies very heavily on having one VERY good sweeper. I tend to put 2 lumbering man-marking DCs with a sweeper behind them. This sweeper will have a forward arrow, closing down set to much, and very high creative freedom. If this sweeper is good, he will go forward to add the extra man in midfield, and double up on opposing strikers. Thiago Silva from fluminense has been immense for me for 2.5 million. Unfortunately, my wing backs are quite mediocre (No transfer budget left after getting Silva) so I am not creating as much as I wish to, but once I fix those positions it should be good. The defense is very tight though, even against world class opposition.

I know they are mostrously expensive, but Chiellini and Chivu are 2 playes who can easily be retrained to this position, and perform incredibly well. Especially Chivu.

[hehehemann]

I'm playing a 5-3-2 style formation with 3 CD's.

My middle CD is built in the libero model, Forward Runs much with my two WB's on mixed FR's

Two MC's one defensive duties the other slightly more attacking with my AMC as the playmaker

My front line is one ST and one FC.

Slowish tempo and short passing throughout the team except for my WB's who are more direct.

So far I have won consecutive promotions from English league two into the championship. It took awhile for the team to gel but they are playing well now just struggling to constantly win away.

[pauly1616]

Either I leak chances out wide or I can't get my attacking players off 5's...

must be to do with these weird mentality settings...