I found a winning formula.
Although the tactic looks way too attacking, it produces the most solid defense instead. I started with the intention of creating a defensively solid one but this is how it turned out.
- WBs are absolutely necessary with 3 man defense as MR/L often wanders around.
- Still we need some extra cover for wings if the opposition depends on deep crosses-the most annoying way to concede imo-. I found that only in a bank of 3, wide MCs would close down the opposition wing.
- In order for this dynamic defense to work with multiple layers of cover, I pumped up the "closing down".
- This bank of 8:3-2-3 is rock solid. It literally forms a black hole where no opposition can come out of. Once that is established, I started focusing on attack.
- We can afford to push defense up and increase mentality to attacking, thanks to the shape.
- I realized 2 SC's cannot create a safe passing option as they are sitting deeply with the opposition defense. The passing lane between them is usually occupied so they act like 2 independent pivots in a weird way. Then I pulled one back to AMC. With Trequartista role, he is in that perfect position of number 9-and-a-half. I didn't align them back-to-back as I still want them to act like 2 strikers and give space to be side by side, which happens often with this shape. Yet, MCL to TREQ and TREQ to SC passing lanes are solid.
- To accomodate for this asymmetry, I let my right MC to cover the space in front of him. Left MC sits deep and looks for the through ball now.
- I hate when my teams scoring depends mostly one type of goal, i.e. overlapping full-back cross, SC beating the line, or winger cutting inside, etc. I like to create something unpredictable even for me. This shape gets that via a hybrid 3-5-2, 3-6-1, 3-4-3.
- My results are great with Newcastle. But I only have demo, so I don't have the confidence to share this as a proper tactic. Let me know how it goes if you try.