Stann
please stay StevieP! <3
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This is my second ever upload tactic-wise on this site, as I try to create something different to the norm. I have seen a lot of 4-2-4 tactics recently, assumably trying to exploit the improved width philosophy on the ME. I personally had a go on JP Woody's and was impressed with the fluidity, possession and chances created. Except when I got promoted to the Premiership with Crewe, I knew something different was in order. I have always struggled coming into the top flight with a team like Crewe, as the combination of gelling new players and helping the current players take the step up whilst playing the likes of United, Chelsea, City and co, testing you every week.
So enough rambling, let's get down to the bones of the tactic.
I went for a completely different tack, to see what the narrower style of tactic could come up with. Bearing in mind I have a newly promoted team, who 6 seasons ago where in League 2, my first priority was to build a solid defence. So I started off with a deep defensive line, both centre halves set to defend. By implementing this alongside a standing off pressing strategy, I try to limit the opposition to long shots, and having to play there way round the back. With a few tweaks, the defensive line has got slightly less deep and using more aggressive tackling, limits the opposition to as few scoring opportunities as I feel is physically possible for a side like mine. Full backs of course play a major part to any narrow tactic and they use a support duty to try and link the play to the midfield and offer a wide option when necessary. To add to the defensive guile of the formation an anchorman is used to simply break up play and lay it off to a more influential player. Two box-to-box midfielders are applied to support both attacking and defensive duties. They are used as workhorses, with decent passing ability, to create chances, but break up play at the back and get behind the ball when needed. Advanced Playmaker is the next piece to the puzzle, arguably the most important. Whilst having the freest role in the side, ball retention, vision, and passing are imperative on the attacking front, to lay in balls for the forwards to run onto. I have decided to set all my players to rarely take on long shots, because they have limited ability to do so. (If your players have that ability, by all means change that up!)
Finally the forwards. An out an out poacher, with good pace, positioning, dribbling and finishing ability, will get the best out of this tactic to get into space and utilise it to the maximum. I have gone with a target man alongside the poacher, with his supply set to run onto ball. This in turn uses the advanced playmakers passing ability along with some good pace and off the ball work, to carve out more chances on the break.
The tactic uses a fast tempo to break quickly whilst under possible pressure from superior sides. I realise a fast tempo can be counter-productive but all in all, it is pretty fail-safe from my testing so far. On that note this is still largely in the testing phase, so any suggestions are welcome. Here are some screenshots of the breakdown of the tactic and some results and game styles. If I have missed any required details, do let me know.
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