mastershake5825

Ok. We all hate seeing the dreaded formation below:

----FC----
AML----AMR
--MC--MC--
----DM----
DL-DC-DC-DR
----GK----

Usually this formation means defeat, a long-gruelling, hard-fought-for draw or a how-did-that-happen fluke win.

I have had mixed success with a set of 442 Diamond tactics (based on El Padre's RoT blended with some of WWFan's views & some of my own ideas)

Whenever this formation came up though, my tactics couldn't handle it no matter what I tried, as I'm sure many others on this forum can testify.

So here's what I've come up with, it's a tailored tactic specifically for this formation. It's a different formation altogether than a standard 442 or 442 Diamond. However as long as your players are just a little versatile (DC's that are competent DM's, MR\ML's that are competent AM's etc) then the same starting 11 of a 442 can fill the positions of this tactic.

Formation:


Team Tactics:


Player Instructions:


In Defence:
FB's have barrows keeping them in position to prevent the AI's AMR\AML from gettin behind them.
MC's should take care of the AI's MC's.
DC is a straight marker for the AI's FC.
DMC's are the key, they are cover for the other 5 players (DC, FB's, MC's) like so:
- In position goalside of MC's should the AI's MC's beat their man.
- The barrows pull the DMC's back to DRC\DLC position should the FB's be beaten by the AI's AMR\AML.

In Attack:
MC's push out wide to find lots of space between AI's FB's & AMR\AML.
AM's push out wide to occupying AI's FB's & hopefully drawing out the AI's DC's in either direction creating space for the FC.

Overall:
Defensively the tactic is very narrow which has consistently been argued as the best method of defense on the forums.
Offensively, the players split wide drawing AI players out of position & creating space.

Now this has worked for me (albeit only in 1 game which was won comprehensively 3-1 with some great play) & before anyone 's me for not testing it for a whole season etc let me just state it is by no means a finished article, but I thought I'd contribute & hopefully with others views\comments tweak the tactic into what I think it can become!

Please feel free to tweak\try out this tactic & let me know how you get on!

retired_thehpsleb

I dont have any specific problems with that formation.
what I do is man mark there wings - thats it.

This is the formation - which has been great for 6 seasons now .
You can read all about it in my Ajax System thread.

mastershake5825

@Joor The formation I made was to utilise the players people already use in the (possibly) most common formation used...which is of course 4-4-2. As the AI mainly tends to switch to the 4-1-2-2-1 formation part-way through a game rather than starting with it I thought the formation needed to be effective yet use the same players people already had on the pitch without the need for subs.