Hi everyone!
This is my first article so feel free to add things when you have suggestions etc..
I'm from Holland so excuse me for any language errors.
Alright let's start at the beginning, I like attractive football, dominating games and winning titles (ofcourse) and was looking for a new challenge. I live in Holland so I decided to manage a Dutch side, in this case AZ.
Pro's and con's of AZ:
+Awesome midfielders (for Dutch League standards)
+Awesome wingers
+Many players capable of being a playmaker
Sounds like a good selection right? Well, not at every front:
-Limited strikers (Altidore is a good talent, but not quite the finisher/provider I want him to be)
-Weak in height department (Defenders lack heading skills, so don't expect many goals from corners etc..)
-Keeper should be replaced (Esteban is a solid goalie, but for an attacking style of play like the one I want to create I need a more reliable GK)
Anyway, transfers are needed, try to get Hildebrand (goalie), Zenden (extra winger) Materazzi (old but very solid and good heading defender) and Vennegoor of Hesselink (capable striker) with a free signing. Why all the free signings? I didn't had a high enough budget to buy the players I wanted.
Next, the formation itself, which is an attacking form of 4-1-2-2-1, thereby exploiting the many good midfielders and make up for the lack of strikers by only having one.
View attachment 215768
As you can see I managed to get all the players I wanted, which is seldom, but for this to work you should try.
Alright, now for the player roles:
GK: Goalkeeper (defend); I tried Sweeper Keeper but it didn't change much, feel free to try yourself.
LB/RB: Full Back (support); playing a supporting role in building up, no need for Wing Back.
LCB/RCB: Central Defender (defend); these two don't attack, apart from set pieces.
DF: Defensive Midfielder (support); the link between defence and attack, perfect in his supporting role.
LCM: Box To Box Midfielder (support); thread to the opponent's midfielders as well as providing support for attackers and being a thread from afar.
RCM: Advanced Playmaker (attack); delivers the ball, capable of defence-splitting passes and shoots from afar, ideal in this set-up.
LAM/RAM: Winger (attack); these two will be the main attack force, crosses as well as scoring themselves with either solo actions or a cross from the other winger.
ST: Targetman (attack); a targetman instead of a complete forward, maybe a little strange, but my targetman is there for scoring as well as passing with the midfielders that cover him, so they can score.
And for team instructions:
View attachment 215772
Philosophy is fluid, so my midfielders will fill up the spaces between my wingers and form a 5/6 player attack, as well as encourage my wingers to roam a lot.
Strategy is attacking, for an attractive attacking style of play.
Passing style is more direct, for an attacking style of play I rather have them pass the ball in a more attacking way, instead of passing to someone close.
Creative freedom is more expressive, for obvious reasons.
Closing down is press more, to follow the opponents all around the field as well as having dominance on the midfield.
Tackling is more aggressive, give them no time to rest.
Marking is man mark, everyone has to guard someone.
Crossing is float crosses, to enable my wingers to score, but mostly because the aerial abilities of my striker aren't that good.
Roaming is more roaming, again for obvious reasons.
Specific instructions, I made sure my defensive line is normal, reason for this is that a high defensive line would probably mean getting countered all the time.
Width is wide, for my wingers. Tempo is quick, simply to destroy the opponent's defence with swift passing.
Time wasting, never, there is always time for another goal.
And last but not least, counter. With swift wingers and striker this is a yes for me.
Now, time to test this tactic, thumbs crossed:
View attachment 215775
This is more then I hoped for, scoring a lot and conceding only a few goals, as well as winning most of the games (loss was a friendly match and start of the season, draw was before I became manager).
Next fixtures:
View attachment 215777
I couldn't be more happy, most fantastic match so far: managed to beat Roma with 3-0 in an away fixture and total dominance during the game.
View attachment 215780View attachment 215779View attachment 215778View attachment 215781
From left to right: vs. Lokomtiv Moscow, vs. Excelsior, vs. Roma, vs. Austria Wien
3 of the fixtures are from my Euro Cup campaign, total dominance in all of them
1 from the Dutch League, you are probably wondering why I included this one, well because I still had more chances and possession even though I played an entire half with 10 players due to a red card.
For me, this tactic has done wonders, if there are viewers out there who want to know how this season ends then just post.
But before I end, there is one mayor flaw in this tactic, which is the targetman (Altidore in my case). He just fails in front of goal. Even though he has like a gazillion chances, he only manages to score a handful of them.
Though he does have a lot of assists, which is good, I think I want a player with more scoring abilities next season.
This is my first article so feel free to add things when you have suggestions etc..
I'm from Holland so excuse me for any language errors.
Alright let's start at the beginning, I like attractive football, dominating games and winning titles (ofcourse) and was looking for a new challenge. I live in Holland so I decided to manage a Dutch side, in this case AZ.
Pro's and con's of AZ:
+Awesome midfielders (for Dutch League standards)
+Awesome wingers
+Many players capable of being a playmaker
Sounds like a good selection right? Well, not at every front:
-Limited strikers (Altidore is a good talent, but not quite the finisher/provider I want him to be)
-Weak in height department (Defenders lack heading skills, so don't expect many goals from corners etc..)
-Keeper should be replaced (Esteban is a solid goalie, but for an attacking style of play like the one I want to create I need a more reliable GK)
Anyway, transfers are needed, try to get Hildebrand (goalie), Zenden (extra winger) Materazzi (old but very solid and good heading defender) and Vennegoor of Hesselink (capable striker) with a free signing. Why all the free signings? I didn't had a high enough budget to buy the players I wanted.
Next, the formation itself, which is an attacking form of 4-1-2-2-1, thereby exploiting the many good midfielders and make up for the lack of strikers by only having one.
View attachment 215768
As you can see I managed to get all the players I wanted, which is seldom, but for this to work you should try.
Alright, now for the player roles:
GK: Goalkeeper (defend); I tried Sweeper Keeper but it didn't change much, feel free to try yourself.
LB/RB: Full Back (support); playing a supporting role in building up, no need for Wing Back.
LCB/RCB: Central Defender (defend); these two don't attack, apart from set pieces.
DF: Defensive Midfielder (support); the link between defence and attack, perfect in his supporting role.
LCM: Box To Box Midfielder (support); thread to the opponent's midfielders as well as providing support for attackers and being a thread from afar.
RCM: Advanced Playmaker (attack); delivers the ball, capable of defence-splitting passes and shoots from afar, ideal in this set-up.
LAM/RAM: Winger (attack); these two will be the main attack force, crosses as well as scoring themselves with either solo actions or a cross from the other winger.
ST: Targetman (attack); a targetman instead of a complete forward, maybe a little strange, but my targetman is there for scoring as well as passing with the midfielders that cover him, so they can score.
And for team instructions:
View attachment 215772
Philosophy is fluid, so my midfielders will fill up the spaces between my wingers and form a 5/6 player attack, as well as encourage my wingers to roam a lot.
Strategy is attacking, for an attractive attacking style of play.
Passing style is more direct, for an attacking style of play I rather have them pass the ball in a more attacking way, instead of passing to someone close.
Creative freedom is more expressive, for obvious reasons.
Closing down is press more, to follow the opponents all around the field as well as having dominance on the midfield.
Tackling is more aggressive, give them no time to rest.
Marking is man mark, everyone has to guard someone.
Crossing is float crosses, to enable my wingers to score, but mostly because the aerial abilities of my striker aren't that good.
Roaming is more roaming, again for obvious reasons.
Specific instructions, I made sure my defensive line is normal, reason for this is that a high defensive line would probably mean getting countered all the time.
Width is wide, for my wingers. Tempo is quick, simply to destroy the opponent's defence with swift passing.
Time wasting, never, there is always time for another goal.
And last but not least, counter. With swift wingers and striker this is a yes for me.
Now, time to test this tactic, thumbs crossed:
View attachment 215775
This is more then I hoped for, scoring a lot and conceding only a few goals, as well as winning most of the games (loss was a friendly match and start of the season, draw was before I became manager).
Next fixtures:
View attachment 215777
I couldn't be more happy, most fantastic match so far: managed to beat Roma with 3-0 in an away fixture and total dominance during the game.
View attachment 215780View attachment 215779View attachment 215778View attachment 215781
From left to right: vs. Lokomtiv Moscow, vs. Excelsior, vs. Roma, vs. Austria Wien
3 of the fixtures are from my Euro Cup campaign, total dominance in all of them
1 from the Dutch League, you are probably wondering why I included this one, well because I still had more chances and possession even though I played an entire half with 10 players due to a red card.
For me, this tactic has done wonders, if there are viewers out there who want to know how this season ends then just post.
But before I end, there is one mayor flaw in this tactic, which is the targetman (Altidore in my case). He just fails in front of goal. Even though he has like a gazillion chances, he only manages to score a handful of them.
Though he does have a lot of assists, which is good, I think I want a player with more scoring abilities next season.