SifuChris

Having 4 at the back seems to have been discussed to death over the last couple of months, with multiple brilliant threads (in the "bible" and just in general).

However I would love to play with only 3 at the back, but unfortunately this has proven quite unstable sofar.

At the moment I play a 3-5-2 with Ternana (Italian Seria C1) which is fairly succesfull (but only because I often outscore the opponent. I've had 3 clean sheets in 10 games, conceding in total 13 goals. In these 10 games I have scored 21.

I have 3 DCs with low mentality (around 6-7), the centre one has high closing down (around 13-14), and the others have lower (around 10). All 3 are on zonal marking (with tight ticked expect for the centre one). At the moment that works ok for most of the time. The wide DCs mark their striker and the centre adds support.

For covering the wings I have AM R/L barrowed to WB position with at slightly defensive mentality and man marking. Again it seem ok atm. Sometimes they get stuck when the AI hit me on the break.

For covering the midfield I employ two barrowed MCs who tries to go forward when in position. Im still fiddling with their closing down, mentality etc. since im not always happy with it atm (sometimes they go for the winger, who also get marked by the AM R/L leaving the opposition AM free )

This leaves me with 1 AMC and 2 Strikers. The AMC is on defensive mentality, low closing down, FWR often, RWB often and works nicely as a link between mid and attack.

That was just a quick tactics resume, but what I hope to spark is some discussion regarding the back 3.

How do YOU prevent the centre DC getting 'forgotten' in the middle?

Anyone with sweeper succes postpatch? (i find that rashidis diamond 4 isnt as effective more)

How do you prefer to cover wings effectively in a 3 man defence?

Im hoping some of the experts here will chip in...Cleon, Rashidi, wwfan etc.

/caz

PS: crap while writing this post i just got another clean sheet...however a goalless draw at home, with me missing a penalty and having 2 goals disallowed (though correctly). bah

retired_amy66new

I play 3 at the back with the RCB and the LCB having RAroows and LArrows to each wing to cover them, but no protection from anywhere else. I tend to let in a lot of goals but as you seem to be doing as well, I score plenty of goals having 2 DCMs in Vogel and Assuncao who are decent protectors of the defence but are really playmakers who dictate the attack for me.

I don't really do a lot tactics wise with my defence, with my thought process being score more than the opposition. Often it comes out with stupid scores but as I haven't got any La Liga quality defenders I thought there's no point losing out on an attacking player when I'll probably still conceed anyway.

Being in Spain I have quite an attacking, slow tempo, short passing game and my lpayers have low stamina and natural fitness in general so I have closing down quite low - apart from my 2 DMs who are about three quarters full closing down.

I think although I let alot of goals in, I am still 4th in the league ATM, when I was supposed to be a relegation/mid table team. The only teams who have scored loads past me have been those with really good attacking players - Barca, Athletico Madrid (finished 6-5 to me!!) etc. so I think that formation would work fine against anyone if you could get 3 good defenders - 1 central one as a more Terry type player and two with RArrows and LArrows to the wings with a bit of pace.

retired_amy66new

Sorry for second post but can't edit..............

Meant to say I also play fully "deep" as they're all quite slow.

retired_imkayte

I havent played 3142 since ages (once my fav tactic). You are motivating me to try that in the next season

SifuChris

atm it seems my defence is quite solid now. have made no big changes, but more testing is needed to say so definitively.

retired_Pthibert

I love to play a 3 man defence but somehow shipping in goals is a very much tested phenomena.with barrows on both MR and ML i see that they concede a lot of freekicks which my team counter with quite well.
the problem comes with a pacy striker blessed with turning.despite Closing down to rarely my DC chases this guy down and he turns on him and leaves the GK as my saviour or culprit
My RCB and LCB sometimes forget to head the ball despite decent concentration and heading ability and at these times the DC is almost unlocatable

The midield is the hardest part to this formation
MR and ML:what do u do with them.Tried almost everything from fullback to winger.its really really challenging
two DMC or 1 DMC:Somehow the 2 DMC doesnt help and the one DMC does a pretty decent job[when he wants too]
AMC/MC:if ur strikers hv decent ability to pass this guy gets a bulk of goals[considering he is a good finisher]

SifuChris

For me having AM R/L with barrows to WB position, man mark, somewhat defensive mentality (and tight marking iirc, cant check atm) seems to work nicely. Due to their AM position in possesion they get up the flanks and participate as a dangerous cross station (and/or lurking in to score at the far post when the other wing crosses). Their defensive mentality keeps them more oriented defensively (duh ), allowing them to actually focus on closing down the oppo wingers.

I find that my AM R/L often have better space than normally, since they come up from WB when getting possesion, and the oppo wingers dont follow them always all the way.

I havent had time to play for today, so i cant give more update atm.

/caz

PS: the problem with the pacy striker happens sometimes to me as well...it is def. on my to-fix-list. Though since my centre DC has gotten tight marking it happens less frequent.

retired_Pthibert

thanks for the reply Caz

i will try ur AM to WB ploy

also with tight marking on Centre DC dont u think ur other 2 DC wobble i.e. play ST offside

retired_annnzzz

I think the problem you're having is due to the lack of protection down the flanks. Try playing weingbax and just one defensively minded DMC.