Attacking Defender Settings

[Montanaro]

I've been working on defensive systems lately and have been trying to emulate Barca's fluid Defense, which is something most barca tactics overlook.

When you play 3 CBs and no side/wing backs and set the two outside CBs to run with ball often and run from deep often with an attacking mentality, they will actually get forward sort of like a DM with support duty. This is probably due to having 2 CBs to cover his forward movement. When you play wide, the CBs will spread nearly out to the touchline. This cannot be done with a 2 CB system.

I was wondering if anyone knew if the 3 CB system would work the same as above if you played with two pushed up wingbacks? I know for a fact if you play a 5 man back line with 2 Sidebacks, that the two outside CBs will NOT get forward.

I haven't had a chance to test with wingbacks, but was wondering if anyone had any experience with this?

 

[Montanaro]

I just confirmed that with pushed up wingbacks, the 2 outside CBs won't become active on offense.

 

[simulacrum]

No, although I am very interested to here the results. Would love to make a 3-3-1-3 tactic like 95 Ajax with this kind of backline.

Edit:

You could try defensive ML and MR or very defensive AML and AMR to get a quasi-wingback feel to it, perhaps?

 

[Montanaro]

yeah maybe with ML MR but I'm playing with AMl/r now so it wouldn't make much sense to put sidemidfielders right behind them.

 

[simulacrum]

Maybe try giving the sidemids a role that has them make diagonal runs through the center, like a box to box mid. Bielsa's Chile often played one such player as one of the sidemids (ex. Arturo Vidal).