How to counter 4-1-2-1-2?

[zebraateme]

This will be my first post here. First of thank you all for submitting great tactics and advice. Over the years I have discovered that my team seems to struggle against big teams and specially against teams that play 4-1-2-1-2. I am coaching Inter and playing 4-2-3-1 with the attacking midfielders close to each other in the middle. All out attack. It works greats but fails when it comes to big games. For example I have lost 3 champions league finales. I rarly concede goals but in this games a can lose with 3-4 goals.

What advice can you give me? Should I switch tactic in these games or just tweak the one I have?

 

[fm addict]

i play the formation 4-1-2-1-2 it beats most formations with the right settings, only great wingers can counter it but then i just move a few tactics about and counter that

 

[Micky Pain]

yeah..that formation is awesome.
I'm playing my custom 4-1-2-1-2, basically the same as the out-of-the-box, but with the the fullbacks pulled up to to the wing-back position, and it rips the leagues to shreds.
Hope there isn't too much the other teams can use to counter this, but I do find I struggle most against 3-4-3 formations, so maybe you can try that one.

 

[Juneau59]

I've found that when playing against a 4-1-2-1-2 it pays to play an anchorman DMC.
This is because the AMC of the opposition can cause a lot of problems playing through balls from the gap in between your defence and midfield. Usually either he has as much time as he likes to play a defence splitting pass or one of your defenders gets pulled out of postion to deal with him leaving one of their strikers open. Setting this anchorman to specify mark their AMC with tight marking both in the tactics screen and with OI instructions, tends to mean they have real trouble creating much of anything on your own goal. Another key thing I have found it to set your anchorman to close down always on the AMC using both the tactics screen and OI instructions.
On the attacking side of it, exploiting the wings is really the best way to go imo. Your AMC will probably struggle against their DMC for the same reasons as explained above.
I would consider maybe dropping your AMC for these games and replacing him with an anchorman while exploiting the wings. I have had great success doing this as it seems to completely nullify any attacking moves they try while exploiting their defensive weaknesses.
In this version of FM there really doesn't seem to be any kind of super tactic, its much more about creating a set of tactics that are able to counter different types of opposition. Certain tactics like the 4-1-2-1-2 and 4-2-3-1 seem to work on a lot of teams however but when you come up against a set up that exploits their weaknesses you really have to change tactics to be able to deal with them.
Theres no substitute for adapatability in football tactics after all.
Hope this helped .

 

[Mike.]

yeah..that formation is awesome.
I'm playing my custom 4-1-2-1-2, basically the same as the out-of-the-box, but with the the fullbacks pulled up to to the wing-back position, and it rips the leagues to shreds.
Hope there isn't too much the other teams can use to counter this, but I do find I struggle most against 3-4-3 formations, so maybe you can try that one.

the 4-1-2-1-2 is weak out wide. you need to mark out the amc, and the more dangerous MC (the one who gets forwrd i.e. lampard for chelsea). i tire them out by exploiting the flanks, and retaining possession out there get them to chase the ball all over. then 60 minutes in switch up into attack, with your wingers attacking inside and your full backs overload out wide, the 4-2-3-1 is good against it.
your 4-1-2-1-2 would have real issues against my 4-2-3-1 lol

 

[DRPEPPER]

I always mark the CM'S, i did a net game with a friend who used 4-1-2-1-2, i was hamburg he was bayern, beat him twice with that tactical approach

 

[zebraateme]

thx for all the advice. I will try the marking thing, and in a month or two my wingers will be back and I will try using them.

 

[Quietus]

any decent tactic with wingers can beat 4-1-2-1-2. lol. get the shouts and OI right

 

[zebraateme]

I finally figured it out. A defensive 4-1-4-1 and focus play on the sides works like a charm.