Sterling101

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Hi FM basers,

I'm playing a 2-4-1-2-1 formation using inside forwards and marauding wing backs, however I have failed to get the striker position scoring consistently. The team as a whole score a ton of goals, but the stark majority is from the wings and the solitary central midfielder. I'll give you a guys a stat break down and my team's group tactical settings.

Strikers (3 of them, 2 established players, 1 prodigy, all should score a shed load of goals)
- Apps: 80 (includes sub apps)
- Goals: 38
- Assists: 11
- Goals and Assists ratio to matches: 0.61

Inside forwards and Central midfielders (7 players total)
- Apps: 216 (includes sub apps)
- Goals: 82
- Assists: 72
- Goals and assist ratio to matches: 0.71

Now that highlights the better overall performance of the attack minded midfielders. The more worrying part is when we reduce it to just the Starting XI of those groups.

Main striker (had great scoring records everywhere, including a prior spell at my club as a youngster)
- Apps: 34 (includes subs)
- Goals: 18
- Assists: 2
- GA-M ratio: 0.59

Main attack-minded midfielders in XI (3 players total, all around the same level of footballer as the main striker)
- Apps: 116 (includes subs)
- Goals: 55
- Assists: 45
- GA-M ratio: 0.86

So as you can see, the striker's output is drastically behind the inside forwards' and the central midfielder. This shouldn't be the case theoretically, since all my strikers can have great seasons elsewhere (on loan etc) and all fit the role of Adv Forward that I have been using for them. The assists for the striker is also the most dire issue. The striker in question has 18 teamwork, 16 work rate, 15 decisions, 16 passing and 13 creativity. How he only managed 2 assists with great inside forwards linking up with him, is beyond me.

Here is how the team is set tactically:
Style: very fluid
Philosophy: attacking
passing style: shorter
creative freedom: more disciplined
closing down: press more
tackling: more aggressive
marking: default
crossing: default (may change this to drill)
roaming: more roaming

focus passing: down both flanks


the formation is a 2-4-1-2-1
2 central defenders: defend
2 wing back: support
2 Defensive midfielders - 1 DLP-D, 1 DM-S
1 Central midfielder - Adv. PM - Attack
2 Inside forwards: attack
1 Advanced Forward: attack

So ideally, I'm looking for some ideas into what i could change to get the striker more prolific. The tactic as i said, it super successful, just the strikers wither within it. I am probably going to need to tweak the individual settings of the striker and most likely the role perhaps. What seems like a good idea to try out first?

Cheers guys.
 
Try him as a poacher, with inside forwards making runs inwards constantly he is probably falling out of the game a lot and not getting picked out because of those runs. Maybe as a poacher he'll hang on the last defender more and you'll see him getting in behind a lot more. The thing with advanced forward a lot is they tend to cross sometimes when they shouldn't aswell, with a poacher it's less likely to happen. Try it out, if not the last thing I would recommend is complete forward.
 
Like Max said the AF role can be a mixed bag when you have players running from deep. I'd set him as CF because of the stats you mentioned, and possibly change an inside forward to support... With both of them set to attack they'll probably just take a shot as soon as they get the ball in the box, but if they're efficient with their chances then I wouldn't touch it.

I'm amazed that he only has 2 assists! Is he just spraying the ball when he gets it? Something weird is going on there... He should be passing enough to be able to get more assists than that. Perhaps he's got some PPMs that are getting in the way?
 
If your strikers not good in the air but quick definitely change it to drill also, especially if he has good 'off the ball'
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll try out both Poacher and Complete forward. i have higher hopes for poacher because it is the wide areas that my striker drifts into that inhibits him a lot also. For now, I'm trying a new tactic because i dislike using the same formation for 2 years running, so I often switch it back and forth between the aforementioned tactic and other homebrews, though I'm still searching for a similarly good tactic.

The 2 assists is very odd indeed. His overrall stats bar jumping are solid, mostly 15+ in every aspect you'd want except a couple. I may alter the right IF to support as I currently lack a left-footed AMR, there is a distinct lack of them of the required quality in my save thus far (very few existing players are still playing, 95% regens). I'll post my findings when I get through about 18 months more of my save. If you think of anything else to try out, please share!

Thanks again guys.
 
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