DirtyACE

I read wwfan's excellent thread about setting up your target man and have been trying to implement it successfully for my team.

I have two sets of tactics. One utilized a strong TM (Adriano) supported by a quick striker (either Eto'o or Saviola) and the other one utilizes a quick TM (Eto'o) with a quick striker in support (Saviola).

From what I've read is that the TM needs to have the box "Hold Up Ball" ticked on. This applies to every kind of TM. Now, after watching many matches I was not pleased much about how both of my target men were performing. Sure they'd have a good game every now an then but overall they were putting out pretty average performances.

Later on I read a few threads here regarding the different kinds of preferences that players have, such as "Likes to have ball played to feet" or "Dictates tempo". Well, I sort of realized that none of my strikers have the "Plays with back to goal" move.

For example Adriano likes to receive the ball to his feet, so that's what I tell the team to do when passing to him, but very often I would see the defenders being able to take away the ball from him or knock it away to be more precize by closing down on him quickly while he was trying to hold up ball. I decided to try playing with him the TM position but without holding up the ball. That's the only instruction I strayed from, everything else I followed closely from wwfan's thread. I also did the same for Eto'o, who is my quick TM. I told him not to hold up ball either. After this I noticed a big diffence in play from both players when they played as a TM. Now for example, when Adriano receives the ball, he will turn quickly and run while using his strength to hold off defenders. Eto'o on the other hand uses his speed and dribbling abilities. They both now score more goals and just look much more lively on the field. They still do many assists to their supporting strikers.

I think if anyone is having some problems with TM, like what I just described. Maybe try telling them no to hold up ball. I think you may get better results.

No8

A good tip really as i know that i sometimes forget to check preferred moves. Cheers.

moggydave

I totally agree. In my Blackburn game I'm playing very direct and using Joseba Llorente's jumping and heading ability for flickon's and getting onto crosses. I figured there was no need to have hold up ball on, and thus he seems to get more flickons for McCarthy and also goes for goal more himself.

One problem however though is because I play very direct anyway, with my main man (Llorente) not holding up the ball I have noone slowing down the tempo at all and this means it's an incredibly quick game - I play percentages essentially; get so many chances or chances for chances and something happens. This means I loose possesion a LOT (and have to regain it too) and thus games are very exciting and high scoring. It's bit of a lottery to be honest, and I'm trying to tighten up, but my results have been far superior to the ones on the umpteen games I've tried with Rovers.

DirtyACE

moggy, I think if you want to hold up ball or slow down the tempo then you need a player that likes to dictate tempo. These are usually your playmakers, AMCs, MCs, and sometimes DMCs. Check their preferred moves to see if they can do that.

garyh66

In the same thread m8 theres an option of a moble targetman if you have a look again i do agree m8 not all targetmen can play with HUB