Striker not scoring. HELP!!!!

[redrummed]

Hi Guys.

in my second season with man city and my strikers are not firing at all.(were not spectacular in first season either) Its my own tactic so please feel free to advise on adjustments. Lost the league on the last day and champions league final to bayern so pressure is on this season, also lost out on 3 transfer targets!!

My strikers are aguero embolo and vietto, i usually play aguero as advanced playmaker, he works wonders there. I have tried false 9, poacher, complete forward and advanced forward, obviously its something to do with my tactic. Thanks for your input!!! no trophy no job if this season does not work out!!!!

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[Dobrin]

Without knowing what is the real problem is difficult to give an advise. Why strikers don't score? They don't receive the ball? They are tackled very often? They shoot and miss?

Unselect "Run At Defence", this will instruct your strikers, when they don't have the ball, to attack the defenders, so the opponent's defenders will be forced to pass quickly the ball and they will remain at the back, marking your strikers, plus this will make your strikers to get exhausted sooner. In Player Instructions for striker select "Move Into Channels" and "Roam From Position". Assign any other different role than "Complete Forward", is the most difficult role and only few strikers can really play it well.

Your tactic is somehow contradicting. Control mentality si more suitable with normal or slower tempo, short passing and work ball into the box. If you want play higher tempo with mixed passes and pass into space, you should untick "Work Ball Into The Box". This could make a striker to pass instead to shoot.

 

[WJ]

It seems very compressed up front with 4 attack duties and very rushed with Control mentality having a high tempo already and you increasing that. It just seems very aggressive, looking at the rest of your TIs. Teams sitting back will look to limit the space you're getting in the final third. What are you doing about that? Your IF/As and CF/A will be bombing forward, with the AP/A not that far behind. Who's dropping to link play and pull defenders?

 

[redrummed]

It seems very compressed up front with 4 attack duties and very rushed with Control mentality having a high tempo already and you increasing that. It just seems very aggressive, looking at the rest of your TIs. Teams sitting back will look to limit the space you're getting in the final third. What are you doing about that? Your IF/As and CF/A will be bombing forward, with the AP/A not that far behind. Who's dropping to link play and pull defenders?

So if I change mentality to standard and drop work ball in to the box. should the AP be changed to support and have a deep lying forward aswell??? Would the inside forwards have no support in the box when they do break??. It's my first tactic so learning all the time

 

[WJ]

So if I change mentality to standard and drop work ball in to the box. should the AP be changed to support and have a deep lying forward aswell??? Would the inside forwards have no support in the box when they do break??. It's my first tactic so learning all the time

It's fine if you're still learning, but also know that I can't just spoonfeed you things either. I want you to think about what you're doing instead of just applying changes.

Also, think about what the roles are supposed to do and think about space. Space is probably the most important concept on the pitch.

Based on your questions, it sounds like you want both IFs still on Attack duty, the striker a DLF (Support?) and the AP to Support? Think about what that would mean. The AP/S will drift around "in the hole" between the opposition D and M strata. Playmakers also tend to want to come toward the ball/ball carrier and also their teammates will look to get the ball to them more. What happens if the playmaker now has the ball? The DLF will drop off the D-Line to be a passing option and the 2x IF/A players will be on the D-Line, 'pushing them back' and waiting for through balls. Does that sound like what you want?

Tbh, if you are going that route, it may be worth getting the ball forward fairly quickly so things like Play Out Of Defence may slow things down too much and let more defenders get into position.

For something more controlled, you could go with only 1 of the 3 being a constant threat with runs (Attack duty) and all the others supporting play and linking up. They'll still make runs, but it'll be more situational and later into moves.

 

[WJ]

So if I change mentality to standard and drop work ball in to the box.

Why do you want to drop the Mentality? Why do you want to drop Work Ball Into the Box?

 

[redrummed]

Why do you want to drop the Mentality? Why do you want to drop Work Ball Into the Box?

As dobrin pointed out control is more for slow tempo, build up play. My strikers will pass more instead of shoot if I drop work ball in to box. My style would be winning the ball back quickly and aggressively and breaking at pace. Possession isn't a big thing for me. I will set the AP to support and have my dlf on support and turn off run at defence. This would hopefully give the attackers enough support on the break

 

[WJ]

As dobrin pointed out control is more for slow tempo, build up play. My strikers will pass more instead of shoot if I drop work ball in to box. My style would be winning the ball back quickly and aggressively and breaking at pace. Possession isn't a big thing for me. I will set the AP to support and have my dlf on support and turn off run at defence. This would hopefully give the attackers enough support on the break

Tbh, both points are wrong.

Control, by default, has a fairly high tempo already. It also features fairly short passing at the back and fairly direct passing up front. Also, remember that a Control mentality is quite attacking (though less attacking than Attacking, obviously) so players' risk taking will be higher than on Standard.

Work Ball Into Box does 2 things. It reduces long shots and it reduces crosses. Just think about what you said now? Your striker will pass more if you remove "WORK ball into box"? Working the ball into the box means the opposite of shooting (and crossing).

 

[redrummed]

Tbh, both points are wrong.

Control, by default, has a fairly high tempo already. It also features fairly short passing at the back and fairly direct passing up front. Also, remember that a Control mentality is quite attacking (though less attacking than Attacking, obviously) so players' risk taking will be higher than on Standard.

Work Ball Into Box does 2 things. It reduces long shots and it reduces crosses. Just think about what you said now? Your striker will pass more if you remove "WORK ball into box"? Working the ball into the box means the opposite of shooting (and crossing).

Thanks for the info I will give it a trial for 5 games or so and report back

 

[redrummed]

Tbh, both points are wrong.

Control, by default, has a fairly high tempo already. It also features fairly short passing at the back and fairly direct passing up front. Also, remember that a Control mentality is quite attacking (though less attacking than Attacking, obviously) so players' risk taking will be higher than on Standard.
Work Ball Into Box does 2 things. It reduces long shots and it reduces crosses. Just think about what you said now? Your striker will pass more if you remove "WORK ball into box"? Working the ball into the box means the opposite of shooting (and crossing).

Hey, did a few changes please feel free to comment on it. results going good since man utd games. tactic needed to gel, striker seems to be scoring.

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[WJ]

If it's working, then great. Don't relax now though. Keep an eye on things though. The mentality may be low, but it looks quite aggressive still. You may have issues against packed defences, but I'm not taking PPMs into account (as I don't know what they are for your players) so that may alter the way you play quite a bit.

 

[redrummed]

If it's working, then great. Don't relax now though. Keep an eye on things though. The mentality may be low, but it looks quite aggressive still. You may have issues against packed defences, but I'm not taking PPMs into account (as I don't know what they are for your players) so that may alter the way you play quite a bit.

I done some reading on player roles. In your opinion would a box to box midfielder suit the tactic more than a roaming playermaker. Not getting too many clean sheets as you can see in the image. The deep lying playmaker might be too isolated when the other team attack

 

[WJ]

I done some reading on player roles. In your opinion would a box to box midfielder suit the tactic more than a roaming playermaker. Not getting too many clean sheets as you can see in the image. The deep lying playmaker might be too isolated when the other team attack

What makes you think a box to box midfielder would be better?

 

[redrummed]

What makes you think a box to box midfielder would be better?

The description of the box to box midfielder says he harries attacking midfielders aswell as protect the defence. While the roaming playermaker will often camp on the opponents penalty area looking for room to shoot or try a killer pass.

I'd imagine when the opposition break my roaming playermaker will be caught out trying to get back. While the box to box midfielder will make it his business to get back and harries the opposition.

 

[WJ]

The description of the box to box midfielder says he harries attacking midfielders aswell as protect the defence. While the roaming playermaker will often camp on the opponents penalty area looking for room to shoot or try a killer pass.

I'd imagine when the opposition break my roaming playermaker will be caught out trying to get back. While the box to box midfielder will make it his business to get back and harries the opposition.

Tbh, if you read both descriptions, they describe both players as coming very deep but also moving forward as far as the penalty area. Think of the Roaming Playmaker as a Box to Box Playmaker.

Normally, in a 4-2-3-1 and what was the whole idea behind it, is that you have 2 defensive/reserved/holding midfielders to protect the defence. That also means that you can have 2 quite attacking fullbacks.

So keeping this mind, you can have an aggressive midfielder with only one holding, but you'll need one fullback to be very reserved and not get too far forward. The safer tactics usually have 3 (or even 4) players staying behind with a 4th who also doesn't get quite that far forward so he can quickly help the 3 against a counter attack.

 

[redrummed]

Tbh, if you read both descriptions, they describe both players as coming very deep but also moving forward as far as the penalty area. Think of the Roaming Playmaker as a Box to Box Playmaker.

Normally, in a 4-2-3-1 and what was the whole idea behind it, is that you have 2 defensive/reserved/holding midfielders to protect the defence. That also means that you can have 2 quite attacking fullbacks.

So keeping this mind, you can have an aggressive midfielder with only one holding, but you'll need one fullback to be very reserved and not get too far forward. The safer tactics usually have 3 (or even 4) players staying behind with a 4th who also doesn't get quite that far forward so he can quickly help the 3 against a counter attack.

Great points again. You know your stuff mate. I have an away tactic for champions league where I have a dlp on defend with a bwm on support. That should give me cover. I have the full backs set to defend and wingers set to support. Too defensive?

 

[WJ]

Great points again. You know your stuff mate. I have an away tactic for champions league where I have a dlp on defend with a bwm on support. That should give me cover. I have the full backs set to defend and wingers set to support. Too defensive?

Probably. With a setup like that, you can at least have one fullback be a bit more adventurous.

Keep in mind that fullbacks are great for 'out balls' when your midfield is under pressure. They'll be less of a passing option if they stay back, next to your defenders.

I'm saying all of this without knowing the PPMs of your players. Don't forget about them though. They're important to know.

 

[telstar78]

Probably. With a setup like that, you can at least have one fullback be a bit more adventurous.

Keep in mind that fullbacks are great for 'out balls' when your midfield is under pressure. They'll be less of a passing option if they stay back, next to your defenders.

I'm saying all of this without knowing the PPMs of your players. Don't forget about them though. They're important to know.

I'm West Ham playing same formation. I'm top after 20 games in first season, no one new bought. I play lower tempo, my midfield are both defensive DLP and BWM, full backs support and I use wingers, not IF. IF's were crowding my striker. Don't exploit the flanks, I didn't find this worked well.