Hey Folks,
I'm currently working on an away tactic, more specifically counter attacking. I've got a home tactic nailed down and seem to be doing well with that, but it simply doesn't work often enough away from home, regardless of opposition.
First off, i'm playing as Sunderand in the Premier League in my 4th season. First two seasons i finished mid-table, around 11th/12th which i was happy enough with. 3rd season was a disaster, finishing just above the relegation zones, mostly thanks to poor away performances (I'm talking shipping 4 goals against the likes of Southampton).
I decided to setup a 4-4-2 with a flat back four with 2 full backs on support and 2 CBs on defend, just ahead of them i have a DLP on defend and a BBM on support and two wingers just ahead of the midfielders on Attack. Up top i have a Target Man on support and a Poacher.
Team instructions are simple, More Direct Passing, Run at Defence and Clear ball to Flanks. The way I want to play, or rather how I look to play is to break down or absorb the opposition and to break away quickly, distributing to the flanks who will run at the defence and to cross into the forwards. I didn't want to push the tempo up higher, as i think Counter has a high enough tempo anyways. If the wingers aren't in a position to be targeted, then the Target Man becomes the next target, who will win and the ball and play through the poacher.
As for the roles, everything is simple enough. I wanted a Deep Lying playmaker on defend because if the ball is won in midfield, i want the midfielder to be able to make a quick pass to the target man or poacher, or down either wing, but to hold his position in midfield. Alongside him i wanted a box-to-box midfielder who contributes on both ends.
As for Players, i have a fairly good squad. Asoro is lightning quick and Cerri is a good target man, my wingers are more like Inside Forwards due to my main tactic, but they should be good enough to perform the job of a winger. I have a few injuries as well, so i usually have Tielemans as a playmaker (usually as an advanced). Both my full backs have decent crossing as well.
At a first glance i'm happy with this setup, looks good, but i'll give you an example of a match i used it in, away from home against Bournemouth.
First half started off well with a well worked goal from Cerri but Bournemouth were all over us after that. The first thing that worries me is the sheer amount of attempts Bournemouth had. By all means i wanted to absorb their attacks but i don't want to let them shoot at every opportunity.
Once Hart would save a shot or grab a cross, he would naturally aim to boot the ball to the Target Man, but nearly 90% of the time it would come straight back at me as there was a lack of support from midfield.
Another big problem was my crossing (Both fullbacks have 14+ crossing and both wingers have 12+) yet i only managed to complete 2 crosses. I understand crossing is always going to be easier for goalkeepers/defenders to defend than for attackers to attack but surely i should be completing more than 2?
In the second half, i changed the BBM to a Central Midfielder support with a Get further forward instruction to support the forwards a little more, i also changed both wingers to support duty to help out the midfield. It definitely improved things, i started creating a lot more chances but again, Bournemouth has far to many chances which was the reason they scored 4 goals.
I want to absorb them, but i don't want to ship off 30 attempts on goal. Do i push higher up the pitch, or press them a bit more, or does that counter my idea of counter-attacking?
Here is a PKM of the match so you can watch for yourself. https://www.dropbox.com/s/n3qtqh213q0qyup/Bournemouth v Sunderland.pkm?dl=0
Any and all criticism and critique is accepted and all help is appreciated, but remember, lets be constructive
I'm currently working on an away tactic, more specifically counter attacking. I've got a home tactic nailed down and seem to be doing well with that, but it simply doesn't work often enough away from home, regardless of opposition.
First off, i'm playing as Sunderand in the Premier League in my 4th season. First two seasons i finished mid-table, around 11th/12th which i was happy enough with. 3rd season was a disaster, finishing just above the relegation zones, mostly thanks to poor away performances (I'm talking shipping 4 goals against the likes of Southampton).
I decided to setup a 4-4-2 with a flat back four with 2 full backs on support and 2 CBs on defend, just ahead of them i have a DLP on defend and a BBM on support and two wingers just ahead of the midfielders on Attack. Up top i have a Target Man on support and a Poacher.
Team instructions are simple, More Direct Passing, Run at Defence and Clear ball to Flanks. The way I want to play, or rather how I look to play is to break down or absorb the opposition and to break away quickly, distributing to the flanks who will run at the defence and to cross into the forwards. I didn't want to push the tempo up higher, as i think Counter has a high enough tempo anyways. If the wingers aren't in a position to be targeted, then the Target Man becomes the next target, who will win and the ball and play through the poacher.
As for the roles, everything is simple enough. I wanted a Deep Lying playmaker on defend because if the ball is won in midfield, i want the midfielder to be able to make a quick pass to the target man or poacher, or down either wing, but to hold his position in midfield. Alongside him i wanted a box-to-box midfielder who contributes on both ends.
As for Players, i have a fairly good squad. Asoro is lightning quick and Cerri is a good target man, my wingers are more like Inside Forwards due to my main tactic, but they should be good enough to perform the job of a winger. I have a few injuries as well, so i usually have Tielemans as a playmaker (usually as an advanced). Both my full backs have decent crossing as well.
At a first glance i'm happy with this setup, looks good, but i'll give you an example of a match i used it in, away from home against Bournemouth.
First half started off well with a well worked goal from Cerri but Bournemouth were all over us after that. The first thing that worries me is the sheer amount of attempts Bournemouth had. By all means i wanted to absorb their attacks but i don't want to let them shoot at every opportunity.
Once Hart would save a shot or grab a cross, he would naturally aim to boot the ball to the Target Man, but nearly 90% of the time it would come straight back at me as there was a lack of support from midfield.
Another big problem was my crossing (Both fullbacks have 14+ crossing and both wingers have 12+) yet i only managed to complete 2 crosses. I understand crossing is always going to be easier for goalkeepers/defenders to defend than for attackers to attack but surely i should be completing more than 2?
In the second half, i changed the BBM to a Central Midfielder support with a Get further forward instruction to support the forwards a little more, i also changed both wingers to support duty to help out the midfield. It definitely improved things, i started creating a lot more chances but again, Bournemouth has far to many chances which was the reason they scored 4 goals.
I want to absorb them, but i don't want to ship off 30 attempts on goal. Do i push higher up the pitch, or press them a bit more, or does that counter my idea of counter-attacking?
Here is a PKM of the match so you can watch for yourself. https://www.dropbox.com/s/n3qtqh213q0qyup/Bournemouth v Sunderland.pkm?dl=0
Any and all criticism and critique is accepted and all help is appreciated, but remember, lets be constructive
