Splitting back three?

[pilif25]

Anyone has an idea how to setup back three (3xCB) so they split across the whole pitch width while WBs are bombing forward?

 

[rocheyb]

Anyone has an idea how to setup back three (3xCB) so they split across the whole pitch width while WBs are bombing forward?

A flat back three consisting of 2 x DC_Defend either side of a BPD_Cover will spread across the width of the pitch while your team is in possession in the opposition half. When retreating into the defensive third, they will narrow their positions and leave it to the wide men to get back and cover the flanks. That's what I found by watching my team (in the Comprehensive animation view) play a 3-5-2 with a flat midfield five, playing a short-passing, possession game with instructions to Push Higher Up, Play Wider and Exploit The Flanks.

It was a very open attacking style, but the downside was that during transition we were susceptible to opposition No.10s threading passes into the channels for their on-running forwards. So I had a tactical rethink and came up with a 5-3-2 with genuine wing-backs either side of a Regista_Support, which leaves the back three less exposed and occupies the space the other team's No.10 wants to work in. By playing a controlled, fluid style of short-passing possession in this formation, with central midfielders (Regista, AP_Attack and BWM_Support) tasked to play More Direct Passes, the team becomes effective at moving forward as a unit and knocking the ball around in the opposition's half without leaving themselves open at the back.

I developed my version of 4-2DM-1-2-1 at the same time, to deal with top teams who play 4-2-3-1 by using the two DMs and the full-backs to drastically limit the space available to the opposition's front four.

In all three formations, I use an Advanced Playmaker_Attack in the M(C) position, so he can pick the ball up in deep positions and then run at the opposition; carrying the fight forward for my team, allowing us to switch to an attacking stance, whether he goes alone, plays in one of the strikers or spreads the play wide in advanced positions.

 

[WJ]

The split is also dependent on Mentality. So on Defensive mentality, the split could be as wide as the penalty area, while on Attacking mentality, the outside centrebacks are close to the touchline.