4-2-3-1 Best Holding Midfield Partnership?

[Hyphron]

I really want to use a 4-2-3-1 tactic in my QPR save however I would like to know what you guys think is a defensively secure holding midfield partnership. I have tried several partnerships and a biggest mistake of mine was thinking a BWM acted holding when really they run out of position and close the opposition down. What do you guys think is a suitable partnership that will stop me leaking goals and allowing the opposition space?

 

[slickrick]

At the monemnt I'm using a CD s and a dlp d with the deep lying player with close down less so he just sits back protect the defenders but make some nice passes to my inside forwards or my advance play maker in the amc role my CD s have close down more so he hassle the oncoming players if he missing the dlp is there to cover

 

[Saltydog1690]

I operate using 4-2-3-1 with a BWM Defend and DLP support and concede less than 20 goals a year for the past 3 seasons, and that's playing with an attacking mentality in every game aswell. Btw the BWM when given the defend mentality has hold position by default so although he will tend to close down more he'll rarely run too far out of position. I actually instruct both my CM's to close down more and mark tighter and it seems to work.

 

[WJ]

I operate using 4-2-3-1 with a BWM Defend and DLP support and concede less than 20 goals a year for the past 3 seasons, and that's playing with an attacking mentality in every game aswell. Btw the BWM when given the defend mentality has hold position by default so although he will tend to close down more he'll rarely run too far out of position. I actually instruct both my CM's to close down more and mark tighter and it seems to work.

The Hold Position instruction applies when your team has the ball. When you don't, with his high closing down, he will close down a lot and is therefor not a good role in a 4-2-3-1. Technically he does not venture far forward, but his intense pressing makes him extremely dangerous to use and he just isn't a holding midfielder because of the closing down. In addition to not venturing forward (much), a holding midfielder is also supposed to 'screen' the defence, something a BWM does not do due to the gaps he leaves.


OP, any other Defend duty with, at most, a Support duty with "Hold Position". Or just 2 Defend duties.

 

[Saltydog1690]

The Hold Position instruction applies when your team has the ball. When you don't, with his high closing down, he will close down a lot and is therefor not a good role in a 4-2-3-1. Technically he does not venture far forward, but his intense pressing makes him extremely dangerous to use and he just isn't a holding midfielder because of the closing down. In addition to not venturing forward (much), a holding midfielder is also supposed to 'screen' the defence, something a BWM does not do due to the gaps he leaves.




OP, any other Defend duty with, at most, a Support duty with "Hold Position". Or just 2 Defend duties.

Cheers man I actually wasn't aware of that, I've always used the BWM as my main defensive midfielder and never had any issues even in a system designed to close down much more but I can see you're right. What would be the main advantages of using a BWM over say a MC defend be? In what instances would it be more beneficial to use a BWM over other defensive roles?

 

[WJ]

Cheers man I actually wasn't aware of that, I've always used the BWM as my main defensive midfielder and never had any issues even in a system designed to close down much more but I can see you're right. What would be the main advantages of using a BWM over say a MC defend be? In what instances would it be more beneficial to use a BWM over other defensive roles?

You will have had those issues. It happens in any 442 or 4231. Goal wise, you may have been lucky enough, but the issues do exist.

Well, you'd use a ball winning midfielder if you want that player to aggressively press players in front of him. You can't really afford to do that in a 4-2-3-1. It may be just about okay if you have another Defend duty next to him though.

 

[WJ]

Though it'd be apt to post this link to a post by Cleon, since we keep going over holding midfield combinations for a 4231 and people using strange roles: Why Not 4231 - Page 3

 

[Saltydog1690]

Though it'd be apt to post this link to a post by Cleon, since we keep going over holding midfield combinations for a 4231 and people using strange roles: Why Not 4231 - Page 3

Cheers man that's very helpful, It's filled in a few holes in my knowledge base. In fact it's given me a few ideas for designing my next tactic.