Incorporating a "Target Man" into my Formation

floggg

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Hi guys,

I'm playing as Palermo, with a 4-3-1-2 formation (3 cm across the middle, with Pastore in the hole behind two strikers). I play either a short passing control game for home matches, or a direct counter attacking game for away days/big teams.

Last season I played hernandez/Kadlec as a poacher (attack), alongside Miccoli and Maccarone as an advanced forward (attack). hernandez played well, ended up my top scorer. Never really got much out of Miccoli or Maccarone (both under 10 goals for season).

Over the summer I bought Khouma Babacar and Yaya Sanogo, and hoped to play them as a Target Man (attack) along side Hernandez/Kadlec as a poacher (attack).

So far though, they don't seem to have fitted in well, particularly into my home formation - I dont seem to be getting them into the game. I dont want to put them to target man (support) as (a) not the best passing/team work stats (particularly sanogo) and (b) I dont want to sacrifice their goal threat.

I wondering will the target man role work in a short passing, narrow formation with little crossing? Would I be best to move to a direct passing attacking formation for home games? Or should I give up on the target man option entirely in the absence of wingers?

Also, I don't check use the "target man" option in team settings - tried it in friendlies, but found that the ball went to Babacar, but he never brought my poacher into the game. Does leaving this unticked negate the point of setting Babacar etc to target man?
 
Instead of Target Man, try Advanced Forward.
 
I'm having this same problem with Real, bought Lukaku, but he doesnt offer much to the team as a Target Man, as I play quite narrow.
 
Instead of Target Man, try Advanced Forward.

I'm unsure though whether advanced forward will get the most out of Babacar and Sanogo's strength and heading abilities. I though they might open up the play a bit to my midfielders as well, but will probably have to go to support to get that out of them is guess.
 
A 4-3-1-2 neglects Target Men I believe. When playing this exact formation, both strikers should be allowed to move occasionally into channels to open up space into the opponent's defence. You wouldn't need what a Target Man does when most players are already close enough to the strikers, and not much can be gotten out of their aerial abilities due to lack of wings (unless you set both your side defenders as wing backs which is usually unlikely).

You could've used your previous attacking standard but switched the role given to Miccoli/Maccarone to Complete Forward - Support. But since you already bought Babacar and Sanogo then the only idea I have for you is to give up the 4-3-1-2 formation and switch to a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1 so that you can still make use of your best player, Javier Pastore. Train Abel Hernandez to work as a winger and set him as an Inside Forward, the other winger being one of these as well (such as Maccarone, Miccoli, Pinilla, Ilicic) as an Inside Forward too (train them to play as wingers on any side) and Babacar/Sanogo as Target Man. It'd also be preferable to use the default passing style.
 
A 4-3-1-2 neglects Target Men I believe. When playing this exact formation, both strikers should be allowed to move occasionally into channels to open up space into the opponent's defence. You wouldn't need what a Target Man does when most players are already close enough to the strikers, and not much can be gotten out of their aerial abilities due to lack of wings (unless you set both your side defenders as wing backs which is usually unlikely).

You could've used your previous attacking standard but switched the role given to Miccoli/Maccarone to Complete Forward - Support. But since you already bought Babacar and Sanogo then the only idea I have for you is to give up the 4-3-1-2 formation and switch to a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1 so that you can still make use of your best player, Javier Pastore. Train Abel Hernandez to work as a winger and set him as an Inside Forward, the other winger being one of these as well (such as Maccarone, Miccoli, Pinilla, Ilicic) as an Inside Forward too (train them to play as wingers on any side) and Babacar/Sanogo as Target Man. It'd also be preferable to use the default passing style.

Thanks. At least for my counter attacking away day formation I'd like to keep the 4-3-1-2 set up. Its treated me well so far - serie a winner and uefa cup finalists in first season and starting second season strongly. I think I might go with Babacar and Kadlec as complete forwards alongside Hernandez and Sanogo as poacher. I switched Babacar from Target Man to complete at half time against Siena - he's want from barely touching the ball in first half to devastating them on the counter all second half and setting Sanogo up for a brace.

Might consider a switch though for home games. Have a few that can go on wings - ninis, Adam, Miccoli and can retrain Hernandez as well.

Pinilla and Maccarone have gotten their marching orders long ago!
 
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Im fairly new to the game. I just work out the best role/duty for each player and hope for the best.

---------- Post added at 02:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:52 PM ----------

Why dont my signature update. I updated that last night. The right side is even more outdated lol.
 
Hmm, wouldn't say a short passing game would be the best of tactics for a target man, I'm playing Babacar and Sanogo together though at the moment with great success (Babacar target man and Sanogo poacher both on attack duty).

This may help: Go to individual instructions, give your target man the instruction through balls set to often (in theory this should at least give him a bucket load more assists and your poacher a few more goals, or he'll score the tap in himself if the poacher misses)

Give your poacher creative freedom and attacking mentality both to the near max and set to crossing rarely, he'll goal hang more and hopefully grab you even more goals. This should also work a treat with Pastore feeding in the through balls.
 
Try setting your strikers role to advanced forward. Have one with more through ball, lower mentality, and run with ball 'sometimes' and the other with higher mentality and RWB 'often' . It should work with all of your strikers
 
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