Sam Smith2

Hi Guys,

Am playing in Spain where they play 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-2-1 often.Have great dificulties defending against the one striker and all the movement and creativity of the AMC/R/L`s.
What do you guys think is the best way to defend?I try to man mark the FC with my best CD then have the rest on zonal.This doesn`t seem to work that well,all advice appreciated ...thanks
BTW I`m playing Gimnastic and am mid table

aston_martin

Don't use man marking in the backline I think becuase if they swap players around your DC will get pulled out of position - if you do you need to keep an eye on the opposition formation.

However have your most central MC or best DMC ( depending on formation etc) Tight mark the AMC. This will limit the AMC's efectiveness.

What formation do you play? I find it useful to play 5 in midfield against this formation so you dont get out numbered in the middle.

HTH

Sam Smith2

Aston Martin ,thanks for your reply I do play zonal in my back line ,but as i say man mark the lone FC,but ill try them all on zonal.
Ill also try man mark AMC with my more defensive MC.I play 442 formation,maybe ill try 451 in future ,thanks mate

brops

I'm no expert, but I've found this formation hard to play against myself. Try man-mark the striker with one of your stoppers, and use your other center back as a semi-sweeper (not a sweeper, but deeper mentality and closing down, and of couse loose zone marking). Let your wingers help with the AMR and AML.

ubos

Tight marking with your DMC/MCd on the lone striker, close down often on the creative forces and hard tackle them.

richp2k

ubos is spot on. you need to cripple the creative players and stick a strong central defender man marking i would say the lone striker.

if you push the defensive line up as well playing the offisde rule, it will make it hard for balls to be pushed through to the creative players then onto the lone striker.

milendinkov

I always play in Spain and I very much know what are talking about. First set up you back 4 and your defensive minded midfilder to rarely closing down(1 for DC,1~4 for DR/DL, 4~6 do dMC)anf maka all of them mar tight and zonal. If the lonely striker is fast,mobile,techical(Villa, Torres, Arizmendi,Nihat and etc.) do not tick use offside and set team defensive line to 1. If the striker is big and heady(Morientes, Fernando Llorente, Ismael Ursaiz) then tick use offside and set d-line to 13-15 also you czn set one of your DC if he has good tackling and agression to close down heavy(20) and hard tackling-this realy help a lot.
This is what works best for me