Help to tighten up this attacking 4-2-3-1

[Tmel]

I'm after some guidance on how to tighten up this 4-2-3-1. I do appreciate it's a very attacking formation (which is what I wanted) so it's not going to be water tight.

Attacking - Fluid

G(D)
CWB(A) CB(D) CB(D) CWB(A)
AP(S) DLP(S)
IF(A) AP(A) IF(A)
AF(A)

Team Instructions:

Work ball into box, retain possession, shorter passing, pass out of defence, pass into space, run at defence, exploit flanks, look for overlap, push higher up, roam from position, allow wide players to swap, hassle opponents, play offside trap, use tighter marking, be more expressive, higher tempo, stay on feet

I've been after a 4-2-3-1 which can create chances and score goals which this absolutely does, I'm 2nd in the Prem after 14 games and all my front 4 are scoring well. Without sacrificing too much attacking threat are there any tweaks anyone can recommend to tighten it up a bit and make it a bit more solid? I'm outscoring the majority of opponents but could come unstuck against the best teams. I have quick CBs (Balanta/Umtiti/Papadopolous) so they should suit the offside trap I'm playing

 

[callamity]

Hi mate, you have 2 complete wing backs, an AP(s) and a DLP(s)

this pretty much gives you no cover in defence apart from 2 cb's

I'd change the CWB's to WB's have one on support. and change the AP(s) in the cm position to a CM(d) on the side where your wing back is more attacking.

 

[Bakestar]

GK

FB (auto) CB(d) CB(d) FB(auto)

CM(att) CM(def)

IF(s) AP(s) IF(s)

AF(att)

Gives you good a good balanced formation, Brillliant attack and solid defence. It may seem like this will not be as attacking but try it. i play a very similar 4-2-3-1 with these roles and my def is solid

 

[Tmel]

Thanks a lot for the advice guys, will implement this for my tougher games and see if it can tighten things up

 

[Bakestar]

Let us know how u get on

 

[Tmel]

It's been going well thanks, I've still been playing the attacking version at home and away to poor teams but I've changed my approach away to mid-table/big teams playing standard or counter and the following changes:

GK(D)
FB(S) CB(D) CB(D) WB(Att)
DLP(S) CM(D)
IF(Att) AP(Att) IF(S)
AF(Att)

I have also removed "push higher up", "retain possession" and "shorter passing" for these games. It's worked pretty well drawing 1-1 away at Arsenal, 2-2 at home with Chelsea, narrowly losing 3-2 away at Spurs (league leaders) and beating Stoke away 2-0 and City 2-1 away (although I switched to the attacking version for the last 15 minutes and scored my winner after this).

The annoying thing is I conceded a later equaliser to both Arsenal & Chelsea and Spurs scored twice late too. In these games I went to counter from 75 mins onwards when leading (and changed my AP and IF to support) and in the case of the Arsenal game I sacrificed my AMC for a DMC (anchorman) to tighten things up but it didn't work. Any advice for being more resilient in those last 10/15 minutes?

 

[Red Kev]

Which team are u

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