Christmas tree formation (4-3-2-1)

[curtis290]

Hi, I'm about to start my 3rd seaon with Sporting Lisbon (I'm in the summer of 2011), and I'm under a good deal of pressure so I'd like to get my tactics perfect. I've been using a 4-4-2 but just sold my star forward Yanick Djalo and bought an AMF Patricio Rodriguez. So I want to use an X-mas tree formation. Here is the starting XI with subs in parentheses:

FW: Jozy Altidore (Milan Purovic, some Brazilian I just bought name Nikao, maybe a reserve guy named Saleiro)

AMFs: Patricio Rodriguez, Mati Fernandez (Nikao, or possibly move up Vukcevik or Badelj)

LM: Simon Vukcevik (Marat Izmailov, maybe move up Aldrete) CM: Joao Moutinho (Adrien, Rochemback) RM: Milan Badelj (Perereinha, Izmailov)

LB: Adrian Aldrete (Andre Marques) CBs: Anderson Polga, Chico (Gale Agbomossade or whoever you spell it, Caneira). RB: Abel (Pedro Silva)

So I have the FW as a Target Man on support. I was thinking about making the AMFs as Advanced Playmakers on attack, and the LM, CM, and RM (wide midfielders and central midfielder) all on support. What do you guys think? Should I set my wide midfielders on attack and my AMF's on support? Should I make my AMF's attacking midfielders instead of playmakers? (BTW philosophy or strategy or whatever it is is set on fluid, I usually used controlled or attack for the other thing, and creative freedom is on more expressive).

Any tactical advice would be appreciated. I'm new to the sport and haven't really seen the X-mas tree used well in real life (AC Milan with Rui Costa was before I started watching) so I'm not sure exactly how it's done. But if possible I'd like my team to play like that AC Milan team.

 

[ravenie]

No offence, but I only came to this thread because Christmas Tree excites me, looks decent though,

 

[StuW]

No offence, but I only came to this thread because Christmas Tree excites me, looks decent though,

Totally irrelevant.

Personally I havent tried Christmas Tree formation, Set one of your AMC as a Trequartista(preferably a pacy AMC) who will go forward into attack, almost as a poacher.

 

[mrjack41]

Personally id use your 3 in midfield, all as cm's, because with the one cm one rm and one lm, you will get overrun through the middle so what id say is:
Gk - Defend
Rb - Wing Back Support
Lb- Wing Back Support
Cb - defend
Cb - defend
Cm - attack
Cm - Ball winner Defend
Cm - attack
Am - Trequartista
Am - Advanced Playmaker
Am - Trequartista
St - Complete Forward attack


I think this would be effective, you would have lots of flair going forward, and enough in defence to keep any portuguese team at bay, I would choose focus passing through the middle, but your width will be given by your wing backs who will bomb on and provide width either side, this tactic would walk the portuguese league

 

[StuW]

Also make sure the wing-backs can attack well, as they will give you the width in place of wingers.

 

[ravenie]

Sorry will not happen again, I personally have tried that once with Wigan, will give it a go when I start new game.

 

[Nick.]

i like christmas tree formations, and will give this a download if it released

 

[curtis290]

Hi, I think I'll take your advice! The only team I've watched use the X-mas tree formation was Independiente (my favorite team) in the Apertura 2009. They usually would have Walter Acevedo as the center mid and Federico Mancuello and Walter Busse on the flanks. But I guess that's the difference between the Argentine league and European leagues: I'm guessing you couldn't get away with having two side mids in an X-mas tree in Europe.

Also, do I put my AMFs on attack or support? Maybe the advanced mid and attack and the trequartista on support? Also, I was thinking it would be best to make my forward the target man on support. His main job will be to chase down balls, hold up the ball, and pass it back to the midfielders, and that's what Altidore does best. What do you think? And should I put my 'passing style' on shorter, and 'focus passing' (under advanced) on through the middle? What about tempo and width under advanced settings? Another question, I'm not sure what it's called but do I make the two outside CM's have that yellow arrow that points to the sides of the field?

Not sure how to upload it but I'm sure there's a thread around here that has directions. Once I've perfected the tactic I'll upload it on here.

Also, I'm thinking about buying a a right WB, someone that can go forward and provide width who's better than Pedro Silva (he's like 1 and a half stars). Any recommendations? I'm in the summer of 2011, and I feel comfortable with the whole squad other than RB.

 

[winfield]

don't know your budget so I'm just going to throw names out there.
Might give Opare a try, great going forward but suspect defensively at this early stage of the game
Felipe mattioni is a guy I've used and highly recommend as he's good in attack and defence and quite cheap
Sebastien Corchia is pricey but is excellent.

 

[curtis290]

don't know your budget so I'm just going to throw names out there.
Might give Opare a try, great going forward but suspect defensively at this early stage of the game
Felipe mattioni is a guy I've used and highly recommend as he's good in attack and defence and quite cheap
Sebastien Corchia is pricey but is excellent.

Hi, I have like 16 million US dollars and I'm well below my wage limit. So that could probably be like 20 million US dollars or maybe more. I try not to spend all my funds though, the board is very pleased with tight control of the budget and it's probably the only reason I haven't been fired (I finished in 4th place last season and didn't reach any cup finals). I looked at Mattioni and he looks good. He started on loan at Mallorca and did very poorly, but last season for Internacional he had 26 appearances and a 7.13 rating. His stats look very good as well. My scout though only gave him two stars for current ability and two and a half for potential, saying he'd reached his potential. I'm never sure how much to trust the scouts though. I think I'll probably get him, the scout said he'd probably only cost 7.25ish million dollars, which is much cheaper than a lot of other options.

Corchia only plays RB (not WB) and Opare is really fast but not so gifted technically, which doesn't suite my style so much. So I'll probably go with Mattioni. Does anyone have any experience with Andrezinho? He is really cheap (2 million dollars according to my scouts), two stars, had two good seasons for Vitao Guimaraes (around 6.9 average), who last season beat me out for third place, beat me both times in the regular season, and knocked me out of one of the cups in the semi-finals.



Also, the default 4-3-2-1 from the tactic menu (when you click set to formation) has two side midfielders on support, but I have a hunch mrjack41 is right and that 3 CM's is the best idea. What does everyone else think?

 

[winfield]

What patch are you using? That's a bit steep for Mattioni. He's usually available for 2-3 mil max on 10.3. And Corchia is usully listed as Natural-RB, Accomplished as a RWB, competent for RM. that's a bit odd, that he's not even able to play WB

I'f you're going to use WB i'd go with 3 CM's.

 

[curtis290]

I don't have a patch. Internacional bought him for like 260k, but after his good season there his estimated value is 2 million (and scouts say it'll take 7.25 million because they just bought him). I haven't scouted Corchia yet so maybe that's why he's only listed as an RB. His estimated value is 3.1 and I haven't scouted him yet. He hasn't really played at all. Mattioni's stats are pretty good though so maybe I should shell out the 7 million for him.

And how about WB's and 3 CM's versus SB's and two wide mids and a center mid (all on support)? Which is better?

 

[winfield]

And how about WB's and 3 CM's versus SB's and two wide mids and a center mid (all on support)? Which is better?

IMO if I was playing against this tactic I'd be looking at going right through the middle if you use wide midfielders. There's just too big a gap between players IMO. With wingbacks and 3cm's the players are nice and compact which I think makes short passing and controlling possesion easier and more difficult to break down. And if they want to go through the flanks they run into wingbacks imediately

 

[fuelledbypassion]

Personally id use your 3 in midfield, all as cm's, because with the one cm one rm and one lm, you will get overrun through the middle so what id say is:
Gk - Defend
Rb - Wing Back Support
Lb- Wing Back Support
Cb - defend
Cb - defend
Cm - attack
Cm - Ball winner Defend
Cm - attack
Am - Trequartista
Am - Advanced Playmaker
Am - Trequartista
St - Complete Forward attack


I think this would be effective, you would have lots of flair going forward, and enough in defence to keep any portuguese team at bay, I would choose focus passing through the middle, but your width will be given by your wing backs who will bomb on and provide width either side, this tactic would walk the portuguese league

shame you cant actually play with 12 players oO)

 

[fonesters]

I used this formation and won the league and europa cup with everton

Gk (Howard)
Rb Fb Auto (Neville)
Lb Fb Auto (Baines)
2 Cbs whatever they started on (swapped between Jagielka, Distin, Senderos, Yobo)
Rm Winger Attack (Blanco, bought him bought 2mil)
Lm Winger Attack (Biletidinov)
Cm Deep lying playmaker support (Rodwell)
Am Terquitista (Cahill)
Am Attack Mid Attack (Felaini)
St Poacher (Saha)

 

[jamaicabraden]

I used this formation last summer for the exact same reasons (short passes and comfort on the ball). I found that it helps the players get into good passing angles. It also encourages them to dribble a player or two since there is a number of players back ready to win the ball if possession is lost.