OK, the season is about to start and even though I one the league last year with my favorite formation (4-3-2-1 X-mas tree), I want to try something new. I think I am going to do a 3-5-2. I have two forwards, an attacking midfielder on attack (I also made him the playmaker), and four flat mids behind him (meaning two side mids and two center mids, no DM's). The two wide midfielders are set on attack, one CM is a central midfielder set on support, the other CM is a ball winning midfielder set on defend. The defenders are three CB's, obviously. Philosophy is fluid, starting strategy is control, creative freedom is on more expressive...I don't know what to do other than that though.
But I have NO IDEA what to do with the defenders. I'm guessing you have to do zonal marking, right? That's what OAFC Jack did. He also put 'press more' on closing down and 'more aggressive' on tackling...would you guys agree with this? Also, the defenders' roles are: the two outside defenders are central defenders on stopper, and the middle one is a limited defender on cover. Do you guys think that would be the best arrangement? It seems like the middle one is sort of a stopper with this set up...does that work? Or would it make it very easy for opposing forwards to run in behind the two outside defenders? Also, OAFC Jack doesn't have the 'offside trap' set to yes...I'm sort of surprised by this. I'm kind of new to the sport but if you have 3 defenders, don't you have to play the offside trap? Or am I wrong?
Keep in mind BTW that I am Sporting in the Portugese league. So save for Porto, Benfica, and to a lesser extent, Braga, I am much more talented than the other teams in the league. But I am less talented than some of the champions league teams I go up against. How should I adjust my tactics for those games? Put philosophy on rigid, creative freedom on default or more disciplined, and set starting strategy on counter? What do you guys think? Or should I just stick to my X-mas tree formation?