mashedPotatoes
Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2010
- Messages
- 870
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
Hello all,
It has been quite a tumultuous time these past couple of days,seeing as how I have been behind closed doors (not literally) experimenting and testing my new tactic,with more or less emphasis on bringing the 'Brazilian magic' to the field in Football Manager 2010,whilst it's in it's final months before becoming obsolete.
After just starting a new game with the Brazilian national football team,solely to try and test out a new tactic,with tweaks here and there,I am proud to present to the FM-Base community the new Brazilian "Box-To-Box Midfield" tactic,created by Craig McMenemey (me).
In this short walkthrough,I will be breaking down the whole tactic from the basic structure to the little niggly things to get the 'magic' out of your players,having a good enough tactic to bring the best out of some of the faltering players you might have dwindling in your reserve team.
Before I do continue with this,please be aware that this is not a tactic that will win you games right from the off.It is a tactic still in testing and will require a few people to test it and tell me areas of which can be improved,however,that can be discussed another time.
Let's break this down:
The Main Structure:
As we all know,the Brazil national team is known to be a highly creative,attacking and flair-like team,with players from the fullbacks to the strikers having somesort of ability to dart down the wings,weave themselves past numerous players and have that skill that is bestowed on players that have either got it or worked extremely hard for it.
This tactic doesn't emulate their current 4-1-2-1-2,but rather works around it to have three different types of attacking players that can create chances,as well as score from some.This tactic is a narrow 4-2-2-2,with a normal defensive line,consisting of two centre backs and two fullbacks,the midfield consisting of two defensive midfielders and two attacking midfielders and the attack composing of just two strikers.
In this 4-2-2-2,you will find three main bands of which consist of two defenders,one will be attacking and other supporting - sometimes two attacking players,however they may have been set opposite roles.
View attachment 78741
"Bands of two" shown in screenshot
With this,you can expect them to partner with one-another and help create attacking moves.The ball moves from each band of players to the next,either down the wings via the fullbacks that are bombing forward with intent,or through the middle between the two attacking midfielders,hence why the tactic is named "Box-To-Box" as well.
"Band-to-Band" and Roles Breakdown
Having broken down the main characteristics of the tactic,we can now delve deeper into the roles set for each position and how they contribute to the strategy on a whole.Let's look:
The Defence:
Centre-Backs:
Able to compose himself when confronted with opposing attackers,the Central Defender must be commanding both technically and physically,as well as being mentally proficient in being able to clear the danger when required,as well as having good decision making in those tight situations.
Attributes Required:
Players recommended:
Also known to have a composed manner when tackling dangerous situations (no pun intended) the Limited Defender drops deeper from the normal defensive line to become the last man of defence and help clear danger.When taking on a player of the opposing team,the Limited Defender looks to retain possession by looking to tackle the opponents the best way possible without concending unnecessary free-kicks.
Attributes Required:
Players Recommended:
Assured to be the fifth or sixth man in the box when on the attacking move,the attacking wing back is handed the licence to attack wholeheartedly down the right or left flank with intent and impose a threat on the opposing winger as well.His main job is it,not only bomb forward and bring the ball down the flanks more to cross at the byline,but also keep half an eye open on the opposing wingers who may be imposing a threat on the defence,as well as costing the team a goal.
Taking on his shoulders a huge role of accomplishing both attacking and defensive duties,the attacking wing back is the team's second option in exploiting the flanks when on the attack.This includes the attacking midfielders crossing over channels to exploit the flanks too and open up possible weaknesses.
Attributes Required:
Recommended Players:
The all-round fullback.Able to accomplish attacking and defensive duties,the fullback should be well-rounded in marking and tackling skills,as well as having the ability to cross the ball when overlapping a winger or darting down the flanks.The physical side of this fullback job is a necessity,with him being up and down the flank,fatigue will start to become a factor at one of the most unnecessary of times.
Attributes Required:
Players Recommended:
Defensive Midfielders:
Despite contributing to few attacking moves,the support defensive midfielder looks to retain the midfields original and offload the ball to much more technically proficient and creative player,such as the attacking midfielders in front of him.Arriving in the box later than the other players,the support defensive midfielder should be able to have good passing skills and sometimes become the playmaker when the orignial playmaker is unable to playmake.
Attributes Required:
Players Recommended:
Sitting in the hole between the defence and the midfield,the "Water Carrier" as it's apparently referred to at times,recylces the possesion and,similarly to the supporting defensive midfielder,looks on for the more creative players to continue the attacking moves.Contributes very rarely,if not ever to any attacking moves with the exceptions of corners,the defensive midfielder breaks up attacks and is the barrier between the defence and the the opposing attackers.
Attributes Required:
Players Recommended:
Drifting around the box when the team's in possession,the Trequartista looks to become a "third striker" in cultured role by being able to pass into the path of team-mates and shoot when the opportunity arises for them.A hard position to accomplish in with the lack of it's use in modern football,it becomes a useful weapon in the arsenal of attacking options,as the player who holds this role will benefit from the flourish of goals that should come for him.
Attributes Required:
Players Recommended:
As you can see,the two forwards can differ from role to role,and it is essential that you find the right one for each striker so you can utilise the best of their abilities.The striker should be complete with finishing and the hunger to score,with his techincal and mental abilities of high standard.
He spearheads the attacking moves.
Abilities Required:
This is my best result with this tactic and good exposure of different roles for players that may become first-teamers in no time.
Brazil v Venezuela:
View attachment 78724
As you can see,the players are already pushing forward to create options for the to-be ball carrier.The strikers,attacking midfielders and fullbacks are all pushing up,creating space and dropping into zones that make it very difficult for the opposition to mark.
View attachment 78723
Again,you can see the creation of space and options just by looking for the space.The players are creating options and attacking chances.The defensive lines pushes further up the field to allow the fullbacks to attack and the defensive midfielders to assist in the options to create an attacking move and,quite possibly,a goal.
View attachment 78725
At the end of the match,here were the ratings of the Brazilian national team.I specifically highlighted Elano's performance.Not only because he was sensational in getting a hat-trick unexpectedly in a role that I didn't expect him to flourish in,but for the fact that he worked well and was a real threat to the opposition's defence with his constant attacking and dropping into space.
Other results are as followed...
View attachment 78735
View attachment 78736
With the class of 2009...
View attachment 78738
And a good showing in the World Cup group stages...
View attachment 78737
And some records being broken on the way...
View attachment 78740
View attachment 78739
NOTE:
I am yet to try this tactic on club level and would like some beta testers to give it a go and tell me where I should be improving.Acceptance of beta testers will be soon.
-----------------------
Thank you for taking your time to read through all of this and my break down of the tactics for you,as I hope you enjoy winning games as much as I did.
Thanks
View attachment 78742
P.S.
The match between Brazil and Venezeula below
View attachment 78743
It has been quite a tumultuous time these past couple of days,seeing as how I have been behind closed doors (not literally) experimenting and testing my new tactic,with more or less emphasis on bringing the 'Brazilian magic' to the field in Football Manager 2010,whilst it's in it's final months before becoming obsolete.
After just starting a new game with the Brazilian national football team,solely to try and test out a new tactic,with tweaks here and there,I am proud to present to the FM-Base community the new Brazilian "Box-To-Box Midfield" tactic,created by Craig McMenemey (me).
In this short walkthrough,I will be breaking down the whole tactic from the basic structure to the little niggly things to get the 'magic' out of your players,having a good enough tactic to bring the best out of some of the faltering players you might have dwindling in your reserve team.
Before I do continue with this,please be aware that this is not a tactic that will win you games right from the off.It is a tactic still in testing and will require a few people to test it and tell me areas of which can be improved,however,that can be discussed another time.
Let's break this down:
The Main Structure:
As we all know,the Brazil national team is known to be a highly creative,attacking and flair-like team,with players from the fullbacks to the strikers having somesort of ability to dart down the wings,weave themselves past numerous players and have that skill that is bestowed on players that have either got it or worked extremely hard for it.
This tactic doesn't emulate their current 4-1-2-1-2,but rather works around it to have three different types of attacking players that can create chances,as well as score from some.This tactic is a narrow 4-2-2-2,with a normal defensive line,consisting of two centre backs and two fullbacks,the midfield consisting of two defensive midfielders and two attacking midfielders and the attack composing of just two strikers.
In this 4-2-2-2,you will find three main bands of which consist of two defenders,one will be attacking and other supporting - sometimes two attacking players,however they may have been set opposite roles.
View attachment 78741
"Bands of two" shown in screenshot
With this,you can expect them to partner with one-another and help create attacking moves.The ball moves from each band of players to the next,either down the wings via the fullbacks that are bombing forward with intent,or through the middle between the two attacking midfielders,hence why the tactic is named "Box-To-Box" as well.
"Band-to-Band" and Roles Breakdown
Having broken down the main characteristics of the tactic,we can now delve deeper into the roles set for each position and how they contribute to the strategy on a whole.Let's look:
The Defence:
Centre-Backs:
- Central Defender,Stopper
- Limited Defender,Cover
Able to compose himself when confronted with opposing attackers,the Central Defender must be commanding both technically and physically,as well as being mentally proficient in being able to clear the danger when required,as well as having good decision making in those tight situations.
Attributes Required:
- Heading
- Marking
- Tackling
- Composure
- Bravery
- Jumping
- Strength
- Stamina (not a necessity,but is desirable)
- Decisions
- Determination
- Aggression
- Positioning
- Concentration
Players recommended:
- Brede Hangeland,Fulham
- Kolo Toure,Manchester City
- Philippe Mexes,A.S. Roma
- Giorgio Chiellini,Juventus
- Thomas Vermaelen,Arsenal
Also known to have a composed manner when tackling dangerous situations (no pun intended) the Limited Defender drops deeper from the normal defensive line to become the last man of defence and help clear danger.When taking on a player of the opposing team,the Limited Defender looks to retain possession by looking to tackle the opponents the best way possible without concending unnecessary free-kicks.
Attributes Required:
- Determination
- Anticipation
- Positioning
- Strength
- Jumping
- Acceleration
- Marking
- Tackling
Players Recommended:
- Rio Ferdinand,Manchester United
- Martin Demichelis,F.C. Bayern Munich
- Luisao,S.L. Benfica
- Bruno Alves,F.C. Porto
- Simon Kjaer,Palermo
- Wing Back,Attack
- Full Back,Automatic/Wing Back,Attack
Assured to be the fifth or sixth man in the box when on the attacking move,the attacking wing back is handed the licence to attack wholeheartedly down the right or left flank with intent and impose a threat on the opposing winger as well.His main job is it,not only bomb forward and bring the ball down the flanks more to cross at the byline,but also keep half an eye open on the opposing wingers who may be imposing a threat on the defence,as well as costing the team a goal.
Taking on his shoulders a huge role of accomplishing both attacking and defensive duties,the attacking wing back is the team's second option in exploiting the flanks when on the attack.This includes the attacking midfielders crossing over channels to exploit the flanks too and open up possible weaknesses.
Attributes Required:
- Crossing
- Dribbling
- Marking
- Tackling
- Acceleration
- Pace (Not shown in the description,but should be a desired attribute)
- Decisions
- Positioning
- Team Work
- Work Rate
- Stamnia
Recommended Players:
- Marcelo,Real Madrid C.F.
- Adriano,Sevilla
- Daniel Alves,F.C. Barcelona
- Nelson (For teams who cannot afford the following),Real Betis
- Patrice Evra,Manchester United
The all-round fullback.Able to accomplish attacking and defensive duties,the fullback should be well-rounded in marking and tackling skills,as well as having the ability to cross the ball when overlapping a winger or darting down the flanks.The physical side of this fullback job is a necessity,with him being up and down the flank,fatigue will start to become a factor at one of the most unnecessary of times.
Attributes Required:
- Crossing
- Marking
- Tackling
- Positioning
- Team Work
- Work Rate
- Stamina
- Acceleration
- Pace (again,a desired attribute)
- Anticipation
- Concentration
Players Recommended:
- Glen Johnson,Liverpool F.C.
- Patrice Evra,Manchester United
- Ashley Cole,Chelsea F.C.
- Aly Cissokho,Olympique Lyonnais
- Anthony Reveillere,Olympique Lyonnais
Defensive Midfielders:
- Defensive Midfielder,Support
- Anchor Man,Defend
Despite contributing to few attacking moves,the support defensive midfielder looks to retain the midfields original and offload the ball to much more technically proficient and creative player,such as the attacking midfielders in front of him.Arriving in the box later than the other players,the support defensive midfielder should be able to have good passing skills and sometimes become the playmaker when the orignial playmaker is unable to playmake.
Attributes Required:
- Marking
- Passing
- Tackling
- Positioning
- Team Work
- Work Rate
- Stamina
- Decisions
- Acceleration
- Strength
Players Recommended:
- Felipe Melo,Juventus (Needs his decision making improved)
- Claudio Marchisio,Juventus
- Arturo Vidal,Bayer Leverkusen
- Gokhan Inler,Udinese
- Kwadwo Asamoah,Udinese
Sitting in the hole between the defence and the midfield,the "Water Carrier" as it's apparently referred to at times,recylces the possesion and,similarly to the supporting defensive midfielder,looks on for the more creative players to continue the attacking moves.Contributes very rarely,if not ever to any attacking moves with the exceptions of corners,the defensive midfielder breaks up attacks and is the barrier between the defence and the the opposing attackers.
Attributes Required:
- Heading
- Marking
- Tackling
- Positioning
- Work Rate
- Strength
- Decisions
- Determination
- Anticipation
- Concentration
Players Recommended:
- Alou Diarra,Girondis Bordeaux
- Gilberto Silva,Panathinaikos
- Jeremy Toulalan,Olympique Lyonnais
- Michael Essien,Chelseas F.C.
- Angelo Palombo,Sampdoria
- Trequartista,Attack
- Advanced Playmaker,Attack
Drifting around the box when the team's in possession,the Trequartista looks to become a "third striker" in cultured role by being able to pass into the path of team-mates and shoot when the opportunity arises for them.A hard position to accomplish in with the lack of it's use in modern football,it becomes a useful weapon in the arsenal of attacking options,as the player who holds this role will benefit from the flourish of goals that should come for him.
Attributes Required:
- Finishing
- First Touch
- Composure
- Passing
- Technique
- Creativity
- Flair
- Off The Ball
- Agility
Players Recommended:
- Kaka,Real Madrid C.F.
- Dimitar Berbatov,Manchester United
- Francesco Totti,A.S. Roma
- Antonio di Natale,Udinese
- Guiseppe Rossi,Villarreal C.F.
- Advanced Forward,Attack/Complete Forward,Attack/Target Man,Attack
- Poacher,Attack/Defensive Forward,Attack
As you can see,the two forwards can differ from role to role,and it is essential that you find the right one for each striker so you can utilise the best of their abilities.The striker should be complete with finishing and the hunger to score,with his techincal and mental abilities of high standard.
He spearheads the attacking moves.
Abilities Required:
- Dribbling
- Finishing
- Composure
- Heading
- Long Shots (not a necessity,but desirable)
- Passing
- Technique
- Anticipation
- Composure
- Jumping
- Team Work
- Off the Ball
- Acceleration
- Agility
- Balance
- Pace
- Strength
- Edin Dzeko,VfL Wolfsburg
- Wayne Rooney,Manchester United
- Fernando Torres,Liverpool
- Didier Drogba,Chelsea
- Adriano,Flamengo
This is my best result with this tactic and good exposure of different roles for players that may become first-teamers in no time.
Brazil v Venezuela:
View attachment 78724
As you can see,the players are already pushing forward to create options for the to-be ball carrier.The strikers,attacking midfielders and fullbacks are all pushing up,creating space and dropping into zones that make it very difficult for the opposition to mark.
View attachment 78723
Again,you can see the creation of space and options just by looking for the space.The players are creating options and attacking chances.The defensive lines pushes further up the field to allow the fullbacks to attack and the defensive midfielders to assist in the options to create an attacking move and,quite possibly,a goal.
View attachment 78725
At the end of the match,here were the ratings of the Brazilian national team.I specifically highlighted Elano's performance.Not only because he was sensational in getting a hat-trick unexpectedly in a role that I didn't expect him to flourish in,but for the fact that he worked well and was a real threat to the opposition's defence with his constant attacking and dropping into space.
Other results are as followed...
View attachment 78735
View attachment 78736
With the class of 2009...
View attachment 78738
And a good showing in the World Cup group stages...
View attachment 78737
And some records being broken on the way...
View attachment 78740
View attachment 78739
NOTE:
I am yet to try this tactic on club level and would like some beta testers to give it a go and tell me where I should be improving.Acceptance of beta testers will be soon.
-----------------------
Thank you for taking your time to read through all of this and my break down of the tactics for you,as I hope you enjoy winning games as much as I did.
Thanks
View attachment 78742
P.S.
The match between Brazil and Venezeula below
View attachment 78743