Tactics Analyzing my tactic (based on EtH ManUtd)

[Azagahst]

Hello everyone, I am a relatively recent FM player. I only started creating custom tactics from FM 21. One of my most successful tactic has been a 4-2-3-1 that I have tweaked for 22 and 23. 

This year though with the nerfing on IF's I'm getting a little irritated with the tactic I've tried a lot of tweaks and while it still seems like a nice tactic that works for me the fact that it's mostly striker and the CAM getting those goals irks me. I want more of a balanced distribution of goals+assists. 

My idea now is to create a team of super players (using the editor) and see if the 'super IF's' still struggle to score+assist. 

I know the editor seems like a controversial topic but I'm just curious as to how things play out.

So to begin with here's the tactic:

Formation

 

Defence

We all know Ten Hag likes a more proactive keeper so we have a Sweeper Keeper in Defense. I was curious about Maignan because while in game he is a 'Goalkeeper' , he seems to have good stats and theoretically should be able to play the SK role.

In the back four we have the two WB's and 2 BPD's. I will sometimes change one of WB's to a IWB role depending on how I want the system tweaked. I get a lot of assists from my wingbacks - about 30 a season. The fullback roles are something I want to touch up on later.

Midfield

For my midfield roles I have selected CM with a RP and an AM. Based on current Man Utd set up, I thought about having Casemiro as an Anchor but his role in games seems more like a CM than an Anchor or a Ball Winning Midfielder. It also gives me a sort of a balance in the midfield. I thought of playing Eriksen as a DLP but that seemed to leave him as the deepest midfielder which in theory sounds good but was leaving a gap in the midfield so I chose the RP role. Bruno gets the AM because when well look at his attributes haha

Forwards

I chose to go with Rashford as the AF. I've always found that the AF role has worked best with this tactic. He spearheads the attack and also creates space. The left winger Garnacho gets the IF role because I want him to tuck in and let shaw overlap for crosses or combinations with the RP/IF/AF. On the right I have Sancho in the IW role. Antony irl hold the width on the right and only cuts in once he receives the ball (that's what the IW role does right?) With the IW I have been getting a few goals and assists.

Here's the game plan info

Want quick short passes and a nice possession so keeping the width narrow playing with control mentality. I want people to be in their places and not roam around much so creative freedom is balanced while the tempo is fast.

Pl

Playing a high defensive line with high emphasis on pressing and winning the ball back early.

For the important part, my attacking tactics. 

So, in the final third my preferences are to get the ball to the box so that my IF, AM and AF who all have decent shooting can score. In my mind this instruction will control which players end up getting scoring chances. My IF, AF and AM should be in the box ready to attack so they should have good scoring chances. 

Between Run at Defence and Through Balls, I chose to go with through balls because I want my CM's who have good decisions, passing and creativity stats to thread in balls for my IF to run into. By focusing the play down the center I am leaving my IF with the room to cut inside in the box, latch on to those through balls and score/assist. Not just the IF, Rashford has good pace and movement so through balls kind of work well with him and Bruno as well (also with Eriksen/JWP).  

For the IW, I know they hold width until they receive the ball so what role would complement the accompanying FB? In my mind WB should work fine because once the IW receives the ball they will move inside creating space for WB to overlap and put in a cross ( I get a lot of goals this way) but I'm wondering if there's a better way when building up. Maybe an IWB? But would that then require me to change roles for one of my midfielders? From what I've seen this year IWB stay very narrow especially in an already narrow formation

So, that's the theory behind my tactical decisions - can anyone let m know if my reasoning for those decisions seem correct - theoretically atleast? Before I go on to super saiyan level up these players just wanted to validate my thought behind the tactic is correct.

 

I will post updates with the results if anyone is curious how an edited team would do with this formation - mainly how the IF performs.

 

 

[DanEnglish]

Nice idea. Two tweaks for you to consider / test, which may help 🙂 

• IFs - I believe the consensus is that IFs are more effective pushed forward in the FR/L line, and less effective this year in the AMR/L line - so you may want to tweak that.  
   
• Instructions - also you may want to consider to turn on ‘run at defence’ instead. It seems to be more effective in this type of formation as encourages the IFs to dribble, instead of looking for a pass.

 

[Azagahst]

20 hours ago, DanEnglish said:

Nice idea. Two tweaks for you to consider / test, which may help 🙂 

• IFs - I believe the consensus is that IFs are more effective pushed forward in the FR/L line, and less effective this year in the AMR/L line - so you may want to tweak that.  
   
• Instructions - also you may want to consider to turn on ‘run at defence’ instead. It seems to be more effective in this type of formation as encourages the IFs to dribble, instead of looking for a pass.

 

Thank you for your response.

I don't think I can have the IW pushed to the forward line right? I haven't tried an asymmetrical forward line before, should be interesting with the LW (IF) pushed all the way to the attack line while the RW (IW) stays in line with the AM.

With the Run at Defense, I was wondering if turning on the Shoot at Sight might be a better complement for the wingers? Of course the only downside is since I am playing from the center, maybe the midfielders will shoot more. But I guess I can toggle that by focusing my buildups from the wings.

I will try out these ideas and let you know how they work.

[O'zed]

On 06/05/2023 at 22:29, Azagahst said:

Thank you for your response.

I don't think I can have the IW pushed to the forward line right? I haven't tried an asymmetrical forward line before, should be interesting with the LW (IF) pushed all the way to the attack line while the RW (IW) stays in line with the AM.

With the Run at Defense, I was wondering if turning on the Shoot at Sight might be a better complement for the wingers? Of course the only downside is since I am playing from the center, maybe the midfielders will shoot more. But I guess I can toggle that by focusing my buildups from the wings.

I will try out these ideas and let you know how they work.

So, how did it turn out