[Agruso]

This thread is for people to post their back four set ups and hopefully we will learn something especially from the smart arses or 'gurus' as they liked to be known

Please post like this

DC Mentality:
Closing down:
Creative freedom:
Marking:

FB Mentality:
Closing down:
Creative freedom:
Marking:

Defensive line:

I havent settled on a base yet so i cant contribute just yet but as soon as i have a decent back four il let ya know.

[retired_lmccray]

Here is what I use

DC's:
mentality: 5-6
CD: 5-6
CF: 4-5
marking: always zonal

FB's:
mentality: 6-10
CD: linked to team
CF: 5
marking: zonal

D-Line: 5, 10, 15 or 20 depending on my team mentality!!!

Should we also include FWR, RWB, etc? I think that is important for FB's....I always have RWB and TTB on mixed and LS on rarely for them. Cross ball always on often and they cross from deep. FWR is linked with their mentality, e.i. rarely if defensive, mixed if low normal, and often if on the attacking side of normal.

Hope that makes sense and is easy to understand. TBH, I'm having difficult time with the DC's closing down opposite FC's sometimes...

[retired_angeleyez90]

Just want to rise a question.

Does Tight Marking for denfender works well? I see the default setting for CB and FB has tight marked. (Of coz I don't mean default setting is good. LOL) Does Tight marking means that even the player marked is without ball, our defender will also mark him? Will tight marking hinder fast striker? I just can imagine, only if the striker is fast and our defender is lacking of speed, then tight marking doesn't work.

What I am thinking is that, if my defender is world-class. Say all necessary attribute: positioning, marking, tackling, concentration, is 18+. What type of Forward can slice out of this defense? So does it means if your Defender is good enough, tight marking is wiser. On the other hand, if you defender is not solid enought, leave the option untick?

[retired_kellyk]

There's no one ideal set up, it all depends on how you want to play...defensively you'd be closing down a bit differently from playin offensively.

[Agruso]

Originally posted by rashidi1:
There's no one ideal set up, it all depends on how you want to play...defensively you'd be closing down a bit differently from playin offensively.

I know rash but this thread was good good last year and helped people so i opened one for this version

[retired_ashleytaylor]

There's lots of different schools of thought on this.

There's some that say man marking pulls your defence all around the place and zonal is the way to go.

Some say keep closing down to own area only to keep them in position.

Some say keep all your back 4 with the same instructions.

I've had real trouble with my defence in 08, far more than I've ever had in any of the other FM's.

I gave up in the end and downloaded www2's superb A great 4-3-2-1.......(4-3-3)....or how toplay a possesion football tactic which seems to be kepeing it tight at the back so far.

[retired_abjanicki]

Personally it varies from team to team, for example, with my Man Utd game, I had my centre-backs mentality at about 6 because I wanted them to concentrate mainly on defence but also to contribute to the attack is there was the opportunity. The full-backs were on 10 so that they would both attack and defend and due to quality of my centre-backs we should be able to cover any counter attack.

However, in my Wycombe game my centre backs are on 3 for mentality as I only want them to defend, partially because I want to keep a tight ship but also their limited attributes mean that they won't really contribute much to the attack. My full-backs are on 6 for the same reason as the centre-backs in the paragraph before.

So really, my tactics are generally dependant upon what team I am, how good my players are and also how I want them to play.

[retired_anitarobinson]

CD Mentality: 6
Closing down: 3
Creative freedom: lttle
Marking: zonal

FB Mentality: 8
Closing down: 6
Creative freedom: little
Marking: zonal

Defensive line: attacking normal, defensive slightly less, around 8 but this does get tweaked.

These are the best settings i have found so far.

[retired_ladymoon]