Re-Creating The Classic Formations.

[StuW]

I am currently trying to re-create the historic tactics that set the football world alight, such as the 1966 England formation, True Catenaccio, Total Football, the W-M, and finally the 1970 Brazilian 4-2-4.

This requires as you can imagine, a lot of research into each team, the players and the tactics, and would certainly like anyone who can to comment and help me with the shaping and roles of players as I form each tactic.

I will be using my Newcastle story(link in sig) to test and perfect these, and I have already started to formulate the first, the '66 England formation.

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Project 1 - 1966 England

This is the shape, a 4-4-2 Diamond formation. As you can see, B. Charlton is pushed deeper to provide a link between the midfield and frontline. N. Stiles is also pushed back to a more DMC role, as a hard tackling stopper, giving A. Ball and M. Peters more freedom to push upfield.

However, in the biography of Stiles says that both Ball and Peters were often pushed up almost alongside B. Charlton, but after seeing the game, you can see that Charlton is always in a higher position than the 2 MC.

The current roles I have for each player are as follows -

DR - Full-Back - Support
DL - Full-back - Support
DCR - Centre Back - Stopper
DCL - Centre Back - Cover
DMC - Anchor Man - Defend***
MCR - Advanced Playmaker - Attack
MCL - Central Midfielder - Support
AMC - Trequartista - Attack
STR - Complete Forward - Support
STL - Poacher - Attack

***DMC is still a grey area. Stiles was more a 'Ball-Winning Midfielder', but in the DMC role, I am translating his position to Anchor Man, until I further test, and I will then try Def Mid setting.

Here is the Team Instructions I will be using -

Philosophy - Fluid
Starting Strategy - Control
Creative Freedom - Default
Closing Down - Stand Off More
Tackling - More Aggressive
Marking - Man Marking
Crossing - Default
Roaming - Default

---------- Post added at 03:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:15 AM ----------

Please feel free to comment, criticize and help in anyway you can, opinions are important to get this tactic as close as possible to the real thing.

 

[Jamie92]

Just looks like the 4-1-2-1-2 that arsenal used to play in the Henry years

 

[StuW]

Just looks like the 4-1-2-1-2 that arsenal used to play in the Henry years

Well, this was the first use of the diamond style on a big stage, and many tactics were simply modifications of this, to accomodate different styles of players. This may look like it, but the style of play will(hopefully) be a lot more different.

 

[fuelledbypassion]

Great idea to replicate these legendary tactics but I fear that the flaws in the match engine will make them difficult to replicate. I think Stiles was an anchor man but had a greater emphasis on closing players down than the modern day anchor man does. Also, I am not certain about the trequartista role for Chalrton. I always considered him to be quite hard working and to break forward regularly from midfield, rather than start in a more advanced position and wait for the ball.

My knowledge of this era is fairly limited though, so I would rather trust your research than my opinions. Good luck with it and I'll be checking in on your progress mate. It's sure to be a tough challenge!

 

[StuW]

As I really search through the net, there are clearly many interpretations of how England played that day. I have found -

In this Stiles sits right in the centre, as a Ball-Winning Midfielder, rather than an Anchor Man/DMC. Also, it suggests that Hunt would often drop deeper when possession was lost, into a more of a Deep Lying Forward(Support) than a Complete Forward.

---------- Post added at 03:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:30 AM ----------

Great idea to replicate these legendary tactics but I fear that the flaws in the match engine will make them difficult to replicate. I think Stiles was an anchor man but had a greater emphasis on closing players down than the modern day anchor man does. Also, I am not certain about the trequartista role for Chalrton. I always considered him to be quite hard working and to break forward regularly from midfield, rather than start in a more advanced position and wait for the ball.

My knowledge of this era is fairly limited though, so I would rather trust your research than my opinions. Good luck with it and I'll be checking in on your progress mate. It's sure to be a tough challenge!

Yeah, under Ramsey at the WC Final, Charlton seems to play high upfield to what he would normally for United, in what looks to be to put more pressure onto Franz Beckenbauer.

I understand that the match engine will make this more....interesting, but I will no doubt find it impossible to remake to the finest detail.

Please keep looking, and please comment more! It helps to hear opinions,as it will help me find a more effective style for said player.

 

[donkarlito]

Nobby Stiles.

"A tough tackling, no nonsense midfielder, Nobby Stiles was adept at holding up the ball, disrupting the opposition and providing quick accurate passes to his forwards. He had a great ability, and a style of play more commonly associated with the modern day holding midfield player."

Hope this helps a bit. I always pictured Nobby Stiles as aggressive ball winner that was it get ball then pass it.

 

[StuW]

Nobby Stiles.

"A tough tackling, no nonsense midfielder, Nobby Stiles was adept at holding up the ball, disrupting the opposition and providing quick accurate passes to his forwards. He had a great ability, and a style of play more commonly associated with the modern day holding midfield player."

Hope this helps a bit. I always pictured Nobby Stiles as aggressive ball winner that was it get ball then pass it.

I just remember the teeth.

 

[FoOtBaLl MaNaGeR 4 LiFe]

i like this idea

 

[dalao]

nice post, i am waiting for your Catenaccio implement.

 

[Joss]

Just looks like the 4-1-2-1-2 that arsenal used to play in the Henry years

Sorry, Stu - Must go off topic to address this.

Arsenal didn't play a diamond in the Henry years. We played 4-4-2/4-2-4 with Pires and Ljungberg on the wings..

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Good project Stu. Interesting to see how much you get done