Do classic 4-3-3 formations work anymore?

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SilentJay

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Hello all,

Haven't posted in a long, long time.
Just got around to playing FM 18 and I'm somewhat surprised with the tactics "revamps" (as SI calls it) and ME results.
In previous FM versions, I was pro 4-3-3 (classic SK; WB, BPD, BPD, WB; HB; AP, DLP; IF, IF, F9) possession, slow paced football.
This time around I feel as if this formation (with top flight teams), doesn't really provide the results it should.
It seems like the 3-4-3 with 3AF's or 3CF's or flat 4-3-3 with 3 AF's are really the "ME killers" and are producing the better results.
I find myself wondering why that is.

Cheers.
 
The central 3 striker issue is a weakness in the ME, so of course they'll produce better results. It's exploiting a flaw.

There's nothing wrong with other formations though and it's very possible to get them to produce good results. I say good, not absolutely freak results like an exploit would.
 
SilentJay said:
Hello all,

Haven't posted in a long, long time.
Just got around to playing FM 18 and I'm somewhat surprised with the tactics "revamps" (as SI calls it) and ME results.
In previous FM versions, I was pro 4-3-3 (classic SK; WB, BPD, BPD, WB; HB; AP, DLP; IF, IF, F9) possession, slow paced football.
This time around I feel as if this formation (with top flight teams), doesn't really provide the results it should.
It seems like the 3-4-3 with 3AF's or 3CF's or flat 4-3-3 with 3 AF's are really the "ME killers" and are producing the better results.
I find myself wondering why that is.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

I have had a lot of success with Swansea using this tactic. (I like realistic challenges - so the opportunity to take swnasea back to being attacking was too tempting!)

It isnt perfect, and is very attacking, but i really enjoy using it so feel free to use this as a base if you wish. But it wont stand up to the 523 tactics on here, specifically designed to thrash every drop of blood out of the match engine.

View attachment 64434
 
wicksy360 said:
I have had a lot of success with Swansea using this tactic. (I like realistic challenges - so the opportunity to take swnasea back to being attacking was too tempting!)

It isnt perfect, and is very attacking, but i really enjoy using it so feel free to use this as a base if you wish. But it wont stand up to the 523 tactics on here, specifically designed to thrash every drop of blood out of the match engine.

View attachment 1149553
Click to expand...

Looks pretty similar to the one I have made for my Liverpool side which is working nicely, a bit more attacking maybe but some similarities for sure
 
Ive had really no success with both 433 or 4231, lone striker hasnt worked since 2015. Only works if u have a top striker in in a top team with realy good wingers.
ive tried to create a top team in the Swedish League with top players for that League, trust me! it doesnt fukin work.
 
Skojardu said:
Ive had really no success with both 433 or 4231, lone striker hasnt worked since 2015. Only works if u have a top striker in in a top team with realy good wingers.
ive tried to create a top team in the Swedish League with top players for that League, trust me! it doesnt fukin work.
Click to expand...
My lone striker "works" perfectly in a 4231, in Colombia's 2nd and 1st divisions. He's my top scorer and I've won the league a couple of times now.
 
wicksy360 said:
I have had a lot of success with Swansea using this tactic. (I like realistic challenges - so the opportunity to take swnasea back to being attacking was too tempting!)

It isnt perfect, and is very attacking, but i really enjoy using it so feel free to use this as a base if you wish. But it wont stand up to the 523 tactics on here, specifically designed to thrash every drop of blood out of the match engine.

View attachment 1149553
Click to expand...

Can you share your tactics please ?
 
Don't understand how tactics only the cb's on defend don't get caught out. All these attack duties and u don't get hit on the counter?
 
One of the reasons the 4-3-3 struggles is because you don't immediately have as strong of a presence in the attacking zones as you do in e.g. the 4-2-3-1. When I've used the 4-3-3, I've generally used it on a more direct-passing-oriented mentality (usually on counter) because that way you have direct runners from midfield. Otherwise, you're depending on your forward and wingers to do a lot without as much support, and especially when you're using a F9, you don't have the source of penetration you need in the final third. It's part of why I tend to use 4-3-3 as my "underdog" tactic and prefer a 4-2-3-1 in evens/favorite situations. When I've used 4-3-3 on control for example, I found that my teams did a lot of circulating the ball in unthreatening areas and when I won it was usually a 1-0 type of affair. Obviously that's just my experience and I am biased in favor of the 4-2-3-1 because it's my preference, but that's why I went away from the 4-3-3.
 
If they worked there would have been interest in them in the tactics sharing forum.You can even see by viewcount the 2 tactics that actually get attention are 5-2-3
 
I've gotten great results on my new save with a standard mentality, conventional 4-3-3. It fits my players, the roles/duties are balanced and complement one another, and I kept the TIs to the minimum necessary (only "close down more", "play offside trap", and "prevent short GK distribution"; I occasionally add "exploit flanks" against formations without wingers or "shorter passing" if it suits). It helps that I have some good players (very pacey attackers, good keeper, solid midfield) and my team is probably one of the more talented in the league (Atlanta United in MLS), but I've gotten great results with it (3 wins and 3 draws, all away matches, including at Toronto and at Seattle, the teams that played for the MLS Cup last year, and at New York City FC, who finished with the second most points last year). One of those draws was the extremely stupid 6-6 match that I would've won if it weren't for a missed penalty (see the "funny/random" screenshot thread in the main discussion forum).

Anyway, tl;dr, my 4-3-3 works well because it fits the players I have and they're familiar with it (and because my players are pretty good). It's not very original or interesting, but would y'all like for me to post it?
 
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