Ploughman

Having just completed a season with Norwich, in which I managed automatic promotion with my only notable signing being Greg Halford (36 goals in 34 Championship games) I have one major frustration.

Halford was injured for the last 6 games or so and as I had no backup traditional targetman (good in the air) I tried to work out a system that would accomodate the smaller faster striker, Robert Earnshaw to be specific.

Earnshaw had a successful season as FR in an abridged version of the 'arrowhead formation' but when I made him a targetman he was useless.

Of course I changed targetman aim to "run onto ball" and what have you but my main question is why, when in real life the top scorers in any league are generally the ones with pace and good finishing, can't I replicate this in FM07??

ubos

There could be a lot of factors. Perhaps because Earnshaw has terrible strength, could easily be outmuscled by defenders when he wants to run onto the ball. Or perhaps your midfielders have poor passing and can't supply him with any decent through passes for him to run onto.

Millie

Was that the only change you made?

A pacy striker should be running forward more often and running with the ball more often than a tall, static striker. That's a good starting point.

heron

It also helps if you give him space to run into, e.g. having enough room between his position and the opponent's goalie where your other players can pass into.
It'll also be essential to have other players coming up behind him, unto which he can pass the ball when there isn't a goalscoring opportunity. Upcoming midfielders or wingers are best suited for this.

DDEEFF

also you can try ure players to have through ball much more, and cross ball down a notch from certain players. this should be a main thing for ure small fast striker. one thing i like to try here and there, is having ure striker to man mark the central defender(hopefully a slower 1) this is so he keeps on the shoulder of the defender and actually use his pace to use.you can have ure strikers with wide arrows to the fr or fl position. this is so he runs into the wide positions and will get alot more action if the central play is giving u probs. with this style i would have ure mc being a tad more attacking. and ure strikers with a bit more defensive and more creative freedom. add to him cross balls from byline. so he ends up doing a huckerby or bellamy role.

Ploughman

Binned Earnshaw now, he's a fringe player at best in the prem so going to stick with the more traditional big targetman.

I'd still be interested to know if anyone has any success stories using a pacey targetman in the mould of Owen etc.