Getting the best out of Van der Vaart

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dickybran
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 18
  • Views Views 4K
D

Dickybran

Banned
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
449
Reaction score
0
Points
16
I have tried playing VDV just behind 2 strikers in an attacking midfielder role with little success. I usually have him set to attacking, but have also tried advanced playmaker-support or attacking. I have had him as my primary playmaker with him passing to the target mans feet or run onto. I have only had a couple of decent performances out him with 3 quarters of the season gone (admittedly I've not played him a lot) and he averages 6.5 per game.

Any ideas?
 
I found VDV to be hard to use. I based all my play around him but he would score 2 one game then dissappear for the next 2-4 games. Became increasingly frustrating. I would recommned the Jorge Jesus tactic for Spurs though, it works a treat.
 
2 goals per game!!! I don't think I've had 2 goals out of him all season. I had the same problem in FM2010. Yes very frustrating. Personally I've never downloaded any tactics, I prefer to try to do it myself.
 
Dickybran said:
2 goals per game!!! I don't think I've had 2 goals out of him all season. I had the same problem in FM2010. Yes very frustrating. Personally I've never downloaded any tactics, I prefer to try to do it myself.
Click to expand...

Fully understandable. I prefer it this way myself. Set him to long shots often, his long shots are often incredible.
 
Yeah I've tried that, but maybe not enough. I'll keep trying. I thought he might get quite a few assists at least, but his passing doesn't seem very good either. I usually have him on runs with ball - less often, runs from deep, long shots and through balls often, and creative freedom quite high, and free role. I've also tried him as an inside forward and trequartista.
 
i play VDV n he's superb, lots of goals n assists mate..

i play him in winger (att mid right), n set him as inside forward, attack, n main corner taker..

this is his best position for me..
 
put up a screenshot.. not very impressive, but consistent performer all seaon long.. n he is my captain..
 
So if you're playing VDV on the right have you sacrificed Lennon? He's been one of my best players.
 
VDV is left footed isn't he, couldn't you play him on the left and Lennon on the right? Or do you prefer Bale on the left?
 
Izzice777 play's him as and inside forward, which if you look, I believe, the main role is to cut inside from their wing. Therefore, a RW is better suited to a left footed player and LW to a right footed player. If you get me?
 
toddzy said:
Izzice777 play's him as and inside forward, which if you look, I believe, the main role is to cut inside from their wing. Therefore, a RW is better suited to a left footed player and LW to a right footed player. If you get me?
Click to expand...

that is so true my friend.. vdv (left footed) on the right n kranjkar (right footed) on the left..
 
I've had some really good performances out of Kranjcar on the left, but I'm definitely going to try your tactics. I always make the mistake of playing players how they play in real life, ie Kranjcar on the left, VDV just behind the forwards.

---------- Post added at 06:01 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 08:02 PM ----------

Update. I put VDV on the right, both inside right and on the wing in the inside forward role but have not seen much improvement. Even missing a fairly easy open goal from the corner of the area in my last game. He's still only scored 1 goal in 8 appearances, but has 3 assists which isn't too bad. I had a little chat with him and he responded fairly well. I'm going to keep trying with him because I know what a great player he can be. Anymore advice?
 
toddzy said:
Fully understandable. I prefer it this way myself. Set him to long shots often, his long shots are often incredible.
Click to expand...

+1 about long shots speaking from experience with VDV in FM 2010 and Real Madrid. So don't know about FM 2011's VDV but what I used, was this:

--------------Benzema------------------
--------VDV--Kaka-------Ronaldo---

van der Vaart not as a winger but a LCAM. Played him as just an Attacking Midfielder with support duty, long shot, closing down reduced to just above Own Half i.e. the slightest possible 'Whole Pitch' closing down, while Kaka was the Trequartista and Ronaldo as Inside Forward. Benzema was Advanced Forward who would drift out to the left sometimes giving VDV more licence to get into the box. He used to get me insane shots from distance especially one I remember that he scored directly from a corner without the ball touching down! :O And he's not technically a "Playmaker" who will dictate the midfield and feed through balls in...
 
I was originally playing him as a LCAM - attacking midfielder, but possible set to attacking rather than support. I've experimented with 1 and 2 strikers ahead of him. Usually one set to advanced forward or poacher, and the other set to deep-lying.

Basically I have a choice of Defoe, Pav, Keane, Crouch (who I very rarely play) and Macheda (who I've been playing a lot recently. What settings would you recommend with these strikers to play ahead of VDV?
 
Just thought I'd let you know how I got on with VDV in the end (if any of you still care). I ended up dropping him from the squad halfway through my second season. I thought he would become unhappy and demand a transfer, but he seemed happy to stay so I gave him another chance the next season and he's been one of my best players since. I don't think I changed his settings that much, it might just have been him wanting to prove himself. A lot of the season he was playing right-wing when Lennon was out for a long time injured, but he still did a decent job there. But after a while I was able to play him just behind a loan striker with Modric filling in on the wing. I haven't checked the stats for the season but he probably got around 10 goals and maybe a few more assists, and ended the season with 2 goals in the FA Cup Final.

Thanks for your advice guys!
 
Final update (I promise). After 6 years managing VDV and only really getting average performances out of him I decided I didn't care what happened with him so had a go at him during pre-season and threatened to put him on the transfer market. He apologised and promised to do better. The very next game he was brilliant. He's gone from a 6.5/7.0 point player to a 7.5/8.0 overnight. I've since tried doing the same with my keeper which worked a treat, he begged me not to sell him. I can't imagine it will work every time, but I'm definitely going to try it more often.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

FMBase

Beta

Resources

Back
Top