Nathan mufc fan

Ok, i have Liverpool at home now. My scout says this:



As they are going to pass the ball around should i close down higher up the pitch as i'm away? I'm a little bit scared of their regen striker though.



He's on form at the moment, 6 goals in 9 apps, and an average rating of 7.60. He's also quick, so i'm not sure on playing a normal-high D-Line. I do have my quickest CB fit for this game though:



I was thought i should set my team instructions up like this:



I thought i would man mark there wingers, with my full-backs and man mark their strikers, with my centre-backs.

Does this look ok to you?

Bazz Rose

I do like your approach to checking out the opposition, I'm gonna give it a bit more thought in my Walsall game.

As for the man u fan, no point helping him if he gonna just play each game over and over until he wins (ie played bolton 3 times). No fun in the game if going to do it that way.

Nathan mufc fan

I did that to find the best way to play. I tried with my tall target man and it didn't work. Then i tried with 2 small strikers and it worked. I'm not going to do that every match.

Badboy500

Leroy1883: What do you do if your scout tels you to defend deep or use fast defenders even at home.

Also I have trouble against teams who play like myself when away from home, that is fast, wide and quick. What do you do when the scout says:

They will look to use arial power off striker X , we should cut of supply to him.

Also if it says they have a harworking team, we should keep the ball as much as possible, do I then play short passing?

Badboy500

sorry should be "Also it says they have a harworking team, we should look to keep the ball as much as possible"

do I then play short passing?

Leroy1883

Hi Badboy,

If your scout is telling you that you need to defend deep or use fast defenders at home then it is because the opposition team have pace strikers. Now that might seem obvious, but what you need to do now it work out the best thing to do.

Do you have fast defenders?

If yes then play them, if not then you will have to play with a deeper line or risk getting caught out.

If the player is good in the air and pace then he will really cause you problems unless you have a player who can shackle him.

There isn't anything you can do if you havent got the players to do the job, but you have identifed who you next signing should be

A ggod way to cut the supply to the striker is to close down the wingers.

Yes to play possension football involves skillful players but it sounds like you have those playing a top team. slow tempo means that your player dont rush your passes.

Anticipation for defenders is very important in my view.

Badboy500

Thanks Leroy. I do close down wingers already. Also would you tight mark the arial target?

Fast defenders for Serie A would be 15 for pace would you say. My defenders are not slow but pace 14 and 12, accel 12 and 11 for CD's, full backs have pace and accel at 16 and 18 in my team. will that mean playing deep then?

Im currently Vicenza but i've played for years in Game and have good players btw.

Leroy1883

My take on tight marking is that I would only use it against a player who was inferior to mine, effectly removing him from the game. But you need to outclass the player to use it.

Well I would try a defensive line of 6-8.

How do you find Italian football? I've been interested in trying a sweeper system in serie C-1.

Badboy500

Italian football is good. A lot of teams play possession football(short passing) because the standard of players is a lot higher.Only annaoying thing is the 1 non-eu player a season and....no reserve league.

Leroy1883

Well guys I'd thought I would give you an update. I have now played the first 16 games in my first season as Welling. I have won every single game, this approach is really working for me.

I have brough in only one loan signing to play at right back.

I have just lost for the firsttime in the FA cup to Exeter at home. I lost 2-1 and it was an even game so I cant complain too much.

What i have found is that especially in this league opposition strikers are either strong in the air or have pace, rarely do they have both.

If I play against a faster attack then I play deeper, Man-mark with CB and play them onto their weaker foot. I also encourage the wingers onto their crossing foot e.g. Right winger onto his right foot. This way they eith shoot from a poor angle of cross where my CB are in control.

If they are strong in the air, I play a normal defensive line and zonal mark the strikers again showing them onto their weaker side.

Anyone else having success?