A Defensive Approach - Playing with 3 DCs in a hybrid 442

retired_kellyk · 05-22-2007, 03:15 AM

ntfc you should know better than to put up emails.

Playing against Attacking formations

This is what I've been doing...I won't be talking about mentality cos its fairly straightforward. Will focus on those sliders that actually change your style of play.

When playing against stronger opposition I've tended to do this:

Width

I've tended to go to Normal..I've rarely if ever gone to really narrow.

Closing Down

Closing down high for strikers, the rest of the team minus the defenders are on normal..and the SW and the DC are the lowest notch of normal. Those attacking formations which employ 3 strikers or long farrows are notorious for exploiting flanks. Keeping low closing down is fine, provided I play a high line. What this means is that my players effective zones are actually higher up the pitch, if my DL is at normal, then the effective zone is more central, the deeper the DL the more dangerous it is. The reason being that I don't have fullbacks....higher DL's make me more effective.

When playing against weaker opposition
Width
This is important...go as wide as you want, the wider you get the more you stretch their defense.

Closing down Weaker opposition play a lower tempo game, so raise your tempo...mine is really fast, and I close down at 20 for everyone except the backline who are set on 12 and 8 for the SW, the DMC is if I'm not mistaken around 10-12.

What I want ppl to gather from this are not the actual settings, but to understand the concept of playing with 3 DCs and a SW. Why?

Attacking Options These can be brilliant, I'm not saying you'll walk away hammering the opposition, at times you'll probably be at the edge of your seats, but I've had some great chances that should have been put away and with a high DL you have DCs at the back who are pinging balls into the box.

Defensive Balance There is more than one way to play this game, but I've always been a great fan of 3 DCs and a SW, that has been evident for a long time. There will be many who disagree with me, but its my personal fav.

Will I be uploading tactics? I doubt it, most of you know I hardly upload tactic without testing them thoroughly. I just don't have the time. I may time permitting upload the pkm, but meanwhile in the halls of justice I need to go interview candidates for a position with my team.

Cheers

R

retired_kellyk · 05-22-2007, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kolobok:
I had played like this for about 10 matches (until the only player good for the SW in my squad got injured for 2 or 3 months):

------FC---FC-----

AML-------------AMR

--------MC--------

WBL-------------WBR

------DC---DC-----

--------SW--------

--------GK--------

SW had low closing down, zonal marking, def mentality 7 (I wanted him to think about starting attack once he gets ball). Both DCs were on low CD, Man Marking insructions with def. mentality (about 5),
WBs on High closing down (~15), man marking, mentality about 9. MC (I actually used my best DM there) on CD about 13, mentality 10, zonal marking, and when I played counter attack against strong teams I gave him barrow to DMC position. Wingers had CD ~12, zonal marking, mentality 12. FCs with mentality 14 for TM and 16 for the fast stricker.

I focused passing down both flanks, asked WB to cross from deep, but not often (mixed), and wingers mixed , but often. And I tweaked tempo and passsing style from time to time.

The system looked promising at least on the defense side, though it seemed a little vulnerable against teams playing with 3 AMCs and 2 FCs (not surprise as i did not have many players in the middle). I believe to employ something like this one should have very good DMC, who has high stats in work rate, team work, positioning, anticipation, marking, tackling, passing, decision, and creativity (i.e. can play both as a DMC and MC or even AMC). SW should be also very good (high anticipation, positioning, pace, acceleration and decision are must, jumping and heading are above average).

Unfortunately, I had to switch from this system and I decided to test it later once I start a new game (now testing different approach).

Looking at your formation...i've tried that...it does not really work very well imho..i'd rearrange that formation..more on that later...really need to rush

retired_kellyk · 05-22-2007, 04:55 AM

Things I've noticed in your formation....attacking wise its too offensive. With the AMs you may not get the defensive cover you need in midfield. You may want to try using ML and then farrowin them..that's what I'd do especially against attacking teams. There is a balance that can be struck...

retired_explosivechic · 05-22-2007, 08:49 AM

Reminds me of the good old Scramjet

Is it possible that the Scramjet might be back in Fm07? And one thing, you use a closing down of 20 among your midfielders, do they get caught out of position much?

retired_kellyk · 05-23-2007, 02:35 AM

I've been playing around with closing down a fair bit. Its a bit hard to tell with my Merthyr Tydfil side. They are considered rank outsiders in the ECL and in the EPL.

What I've been doing lately is to play a high pressing game against weak sides and a standoff game against good sides. When I say "standoff" I don't apply it to the whole team. Just to midfield.

I think the key in playing well lies with your midfield. If you midfield closes down to fast against a good team you have a tendency to lose out on the flanks, especially with this backline.

The backline does look like the Scramjet of old, and because of work constraints I really don't have the 8-10 hrs a day needed to invest in FM. It is coming along ever so slowly. Who knows eh?

retired_iaispuro · 05-23-2007, 01:58 PM

Interesting, do you play with the 3 mids across the middle of midfield and the two side fwds with arrows to the sides?

retired_tracypoescott · 05-23-2007, 05:17 PM

Ive been playing what i call 3-5-2 flying v attack which looks like this.

TM---FC

Aml Amr

AM MC

DM

<---Dc Dc--->
SW

GK

1st team is
GK Iker Casillas
SW Gonzalo rodriguez
DC Micah Richards
DC Nemanja Vidic
DM Javier Mascherano
AM Juan Roman Riquelme
MC Fernando Gago
AML Andres Guartado
AMR Anthony Vanden Borre
TM Peter Crouch
FC Carlos Vela

retired_Myoplex · 05-23-2007, 09:43 PM

right i'm gonna look for a decent sweeper and try this with a half decent team...cba to try this for years so i'll report back in 3 hours time...

retired_Myoplex · 05-23-2007, 11:57 PM

set up a tactic, i'm bored i won 2 and drew 1 of my 3 pre-season friendlies, all against weaker teams.

Premier League Games
2-1 West Ham (H)
0-0 Fulham (A)
4-2 Tottenham (H)
0-1 Man City (A)

Can't be bothered anymore

and i found a few tips to help with my newcastle game so

....

retired_kellyk · 05-24-2007, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RedBlueEagle:
Interesting, do you play with the 3 mids across the middle of midfield and the two side fwds with arrows to the sides?

Depends..

I have 2 versions of the same tactic and I'm trying both...in one I have four in MC and 2 strikers which would be a hybrid 442. And then I have 3 midfielders and 3 strikers which is very much like a 433.

A Defensive Approach - Playing with 3 DCs in a hybrid 442

It's no use having a squad full of star players without a decent way for them to play their football.

A Defensive Approach - Playing with 3 DCs in a hybrid 442