The return of 4-4-2. Toffee-style

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JonesyJones

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Introduction
During a discussion with a friend of mine (yes, beer was involved) we talked about how FM recently seem to favor some sort of variation over the 4-2-3-1-theme in regards to tactics. 10 years ago the 4-4-2 was the go-to-formation, and we would like to see, if it would be possible to create a powerful team based on 4-4-2. The reason we feel, that the 4-2-3-1-formations are favored by FM (and coaches IRL) is down to the fact, that it is easier to find AM(R or L)s than M(R or L)s.

In order to get a 4-4-2 going, it would IMO be very important to spend a few years at a club, to retrain/optimize players to fill in the M(R) and M(L) midfield roles. It will therefore be a goal to buy young players, and mold them into the different roles and positions needed for the 4-4-2.

Rules: Play 4-4-2 as the most used formation. In order to allow a little bit of tactical freedom, one of the three formations can be either 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-1-1 – but it must be based on two banks of four and the other two formations must be 4-4-2.

As the main focus is to get the tactic to work, you probably won’t see many surprising names during signings – I will go for known players (of the FM-community) in order to do as good a job as possible. I will instead focus on the tactical tweaks I make during the game in order to optimize the 4-4-2 based on purchased players and how I try to make the players fit into the 4-4-2.

Everton
Now for the game: I have chosen Everton, since they have a good foundation and a good team to start with in a 4-4-2. A starting eleven could look like:

Howard
Coleman Distin Jagielka Baines
McGeady McCarthy Barry Mirallas
Eto’o Lukaku​

I will return with a more detailed walkthrough of the tactics and the squad in later posts.

I am not an Everton fan, and I have no emotional attachments to any of the players and will be seeing to ship out quite a lot of the existing squad. As a Dane, though, I must admit, I have fond memories of the Osman-Gravesen tandem.

Expectations and Transfer Budget
View attachment 308208

This leaves the following with the current squad:
View attachment 308207

There’s not a lot of money available to get new players in. And yet the cover for the two wide midfield positions isn’t the best. Add to that, that quite a lot of the squad players (players not in the above starting line-up) are in their late 20s or start 30s. The transfer strategy is to ship out as many of these players as possible and replace them with young, cheap (at least wage-wise) talents. The transfer budget will increase with a 100 % return of sales, and some of the extra funds available in the wage budget will be assigned to transfer funds via budget adjustments creating a more potent transfer budget.

I will be looking to ship out:
Naismith (27k wage), Hibbert (25k), Osman (40k), Pienaar (50k), Gibson (35k), Kone (40k), Alcarez (25k)
A total of 242k in wages. Add to that the possibility to ship out Eto’o (70k) and Distin (45k) if I can replace them with players who can go straight in to the starting line-up. Then there should be a decent budget to “play with”.

The next posts
In the next post, I will try to cover the tactics. Identifying the roles that are needed is very important, before we start looking for new players.

Then I will make a post regarding Squad Assesment and one on Transfers

Finally I will cover the season with a post for every month. Focus in these posts will be the tactical tweaks I make. And ofcourse on the results.

Since I am already a couple of months into the season, I have these posts drafted. I will elaborate on some of the points made in this post, but please do comment and/or request screen shots if I mention something, that you would want to see.

I do not know, if this is better suited for the tactics forum, since it is a game fully committed to getting one specific tactic to work. Please do move it, if it is deemed so.

Hopefully I will be back with the tactics-post later tonight.
 
Looking forward to this, mate. I just love Everton...

Think, you can keep E'too for a season though. Not much quality choice as striker beyond Lukaku.
 
Really like the idea... Will keep an eye to see how this one goes.
 
Tactics

The three tactics will be made so I easily can change between them during a match so the team can either go for a goal if needed or sit back and defend a lead.

With both full backs and wide midfielders as a given (needed to make the two banks of four, that must be in the formation) the tactics will be made to make sure the FB/WM-pair will be used to attack. So Exploit the Flanks is a must. We need Baines and Coleman – with crossing of respectively 18 and 13 – to join the attacks. In order to fully explore the flanks, the wide midfielders will be wingers. I’m very curious as to how this will work. Looking for Overlap should make sure, that the FBs are used to the full extent. But we'll see - and it's definately something that needs close monitoring.

The tactics
I will be playing all the tactics with a few key instructions, and I will try not to “overload” the 4-4-2 with too many tweaks(instructions) to begin with. I will just trying to emphasize the most important parts of the formation. That means sticking to as many core roles as possible to begin with.

The main tactic: 4-4-2 attacking.
Will be used at home against most teams and away against “smaller” teams. Both backs will be wing backs, both wide midfielders played as attacking wingers. The plan is to try to create 2v1s on the flanks and flog in crosses 'en masse'.

Baines and Coleman needs to be involved in the attacking third. They will be deployed as Complete Wing Backs (support), with attacking wingers sitting in front of them. The team will be on the front foot and try to overwhelm the opposition with numbers – especially in wide areas. CMs will be DLP(defend) and CM(defend) in order to let the flanks do the attacking. The front two will be an AF and a DLF(support).

View attachment 308089

Instructions: Exploit the flanks, Look for Overlap (full backs bombing forward), Pass into Space (all wide players have speed) and Push Higher Up

Individual instructions: None

I have not put in any defending instructions. Though I am tempted to add “Close Down More” to emphazise the in-your-face-approach. It is important to have Lukaku in the area to fight for the higher crosses, and Eto’o/Mirallas to fight for the lower crosses and high crosses that aren’t cleared. With an injury to Lukaku, it would probably be wise to add Low Crosses as well. But for starters, it’s kept simple.

Focus will be on: Do we create a lot of crosses? Are we scoring from crosses? How's the CMs doing. Are they involved in the game? Could Distin be employed as (stopper), and Jagielka as (cover) - I like the stopper/cover combo, and the two players seem to have the attributes to do it.

The slightly more conservative approach: 4-4-2 Standard
Slightly asymmetric, with wing back on the left, normal full back on the right. Winger on support at M(L) and M(R) winger on attack. Will be used home against the big teams and as a fall back defend-the-lead-tactic.

Baines will be given freedom to bomb forward more than the RB. This could mean Stones will be played at RB since his defensive abilities are (potentially) superior to Colemans. Baines superior crossing means, that we’d rather have him as the offensive FB. One winger (M(L)) is only support, to balance Baines’ forward runs. On the other side, the M(R) will be a winger(attack), while the FB(R) will sit back as FB(auto). The CMs will be DLP (defend) and CM (defend). The front two will be an AF and a DLF(support).

View attachment 308088

Instructions: Exploit the flanks (both CMs are on defend), Look for Overlap (full back(s) bombing forward), Pass into Space (all wide players and DLP have speed)

Individual instructions: None

Same as above in regards to adding Low Crosses, when Lukaku isn’t playing.

Focus points: Who makes the crosses? Is Baines getting his share? And what about the M(L), how is he behaving? Is the right side working? And how about the CMs?

The counter version: 4-4-1-1 Counter
Sit back, snuff out the ball and hit them on the counter. Will not be used much, only away from home against the biggest teams or as a more defensive defend-the-lead-tactic.

Both FBs on auto. Wingers on attack. CMs as DLP(defend) and CM(defend), and wingers on attack – we need to get forward with numbers when we have the ball. AM(C) as AM(support) and forward as TM to hold up the ball while the wingers and the AM gets forward.

View attachment 308087

Instructions: Pass into space (all wide players and AM have speed), More Direct Passing, Drop Deeper, Higher Tempo, Clear Ball to Flanks.

Individual instructions: GK: Distribute Quickly and Distribute to Playmaker. AM: Move into channels.

I could add hit early crosses when Lukaku isn’t playing and change the ST(C) to CF or AF.

There are some issues with this tactic, that needs close monitoring. Will the Clear Ball to Flanks undermine the idea of a Target Man? Will the wingers be too offensive. Will the AM(C) be effective with no natural player there - or should a player be bought, who can play there?

These are the three formations, that I will start the campaign with. Match preparation training is raised to 50 % for the entire pre-season, then lowered slowly towards 30 % and then changed to mainly attacking movement and a cobo of attacking SP/defensive positioning prior to bigger matches.

But getting the tactic familiarity up is by far the most important, since I will not change much in the tactics until the familiarity is quite high.
 
Current Squad and transfer targets

Squad assessment:
The starting eleven mentioned in the first post should be able to do a decent job in the premier league. But with the (potential) shipping out of the squad players mentioned in the same post, there are some issues that need addressing.

Goalkeeper: Howard is a very good ‘keeper for the EPL, but he isn’t getting younger. He will be main GK for the first season, and I will not be looking for replacements the first year. Robles is a decent back-up, but not good enough for the future. This position needs attention next year.

Defense: A good mix of young and old, and arguably the best offensive full back pair of the league in Baines and Coleman. Back up is decent too with Besic (and Stones) capable at RB and Oviedo at LB. While Stones probably will be pushing hard to replace Distin at CB. A young CB would be a good addition if Alcarez is shipped out. Hibbert is not needed.

Midfield: None of Pienaar, Osman and Naismith have the M(L or R) positions as their natural position and if they are all sold, then back-ups are needed for the wide positions. Mirallas is not playing his preferred position at LM, and could arguably do a better job next to Lukaku in attack. A back-up player is needed in CM to accompany Barkley, McCarthy and Barry – replacing the latter in a few years. Gibson is decent, but I’d rather have young player with bags of potential as back-up. Naismith could be kept to do a job as AM in the Counter-formation, but others can cover this as well, so this isn’t a necessity.

Attack: If a decent left winger is found, the trio of Mirallas, Eto’o and Lukaku just needs the addition of a young talent, Kone should be sold and then that should do. I could potentially swap Eto’o for a younger model – but this needs to be a player who can slot directly in to the starting line-up, since three first team players are needed as long as we’re in the EL.

Player types needed
Wingers for the M(L and R) positions. A left winger is especially needed, in order to “free” Mirallas to join the group of attackers. And it would be good to get a young back-up player for the position too. McGeady can hopefully do a job on the right, but a back-up to him is needed – preferably a young player with potential, who can play ~20 games. The young back-up players doesn’t need to be natural M(L or R), but can be trained to optimize their ability to play in the position.
Shortlisted players (position they will be playing):
  • Pavel Savitskiy M(L)
  • Marco Asensio M(C) and M(L) with positional training
  • Max Meyer M(L and R)
  • Julian Brandt M(L and R)
  • Adama Traore M(R)
  • Dorin Rotariu M(L) with a bit positional training
  • Humam Tariq M(L) with positional training

A young D(C). Jagielka and Stones have OK speed to play a cover-role, but both lacks a bit in the jump-department. A strong tall CB would be ideal. And then go stopper for Distin/new guy and cover for Stones/Jagielka.
Shortlisted players:
  • Niklas Süle
  • Jonathan Tah

A Young M(C). Needed as back-up for McCarthy, Barkley, Barry. A special type is not needed, since Barry seems equally adept as playmaker and ball winner.
Shortlisted players:

  • Marco Asensio M(C) and M(L) with training
  • Mathias Kranevitter M(C)
  • Lucas Romero M(C)

A Young forward. Ideally a player with jumping and strength, who can act as back-up for Lukaku.
Shortlisted players:
  • Frederico Bonazzoli
  • Luka Jovic
  • Ezequiel Ponze
A few GKs has been added too, and some potential wing backs, since the back-up for Coleman isn't super-duper quality (I see Stones as a future D(C)) and Baines is soon to turn 30.
 
Transfers

Unfortunately my computer has been through a tough time this week.

Well, on to the transfers.

The following players have been sold.
View attachment 305916

I’m disappointed with the £4m for Naismith, but he was the player least suited for the 4-4-2, so I was very keen to get rid of his salary of 27k. In regard to the above list of “unwanted” players, Kone has been kept to act as back-up in attack until January while Gibson has been kept to act the same in CM until Barkley returns (and no one wanted him…). Distin was offered to clubs and had agreed terms to move, but wanted 30k a week for the season in order to move (currently on 45k a week)– I decided to keep him as cover. His contract expires next year, and he will be released.

Players In:
View attachment 305915

I didn't get all the players I wanted, and to begin with I was fairly dissappointed with the transfer window. Balanta was only bought because bids for Süle and Tah was met with £50m and £21m demands. Savitskiy was a target to begin with, even if he's right footed.

On second thought, this was a faily succesful transfer window.

Savitskiy will fight for Mirallas for the LM. He will be trained in quickness and a bit as LM to make him even more accomplished playing there.

Marco Asensio will be trained as LM and in time be able to do a backup as left winger and CM. In time he will (devvelopment permitted) be the main play maker of the team. This means training focus will be on his technical, and a few mental (off the ball, composure) stats.

Traore (has a future transfer fee of £3m) will be backup for McGeady at RM. He has a crossing of 10, and will be trained in this (first touch, technique and off the ball also springs to mind).

Kranevitter will be part of the CM-group. He will be developed as a ball winner (CM(defend), with focus on strength to begin with. The pair of him and Asensio could be the preferred CM-pair in a few years.

I wasn’t planning on getting Balanta, since the transfer budget didn’t seem to have room for the purchase and I wanted to strengthen other areas first. But with adjustment of the budget and 48 monthly installments, he was signed. He will play next to Jagielka, both as CD(defend), with the possibility of playing Balanta as stopper and Jagielka as cover.

Tariq has not been able to gain a work permit, and the board has not found a decent feeder club. He will stay and I will try to get a WP as soon as possible. Then trained to the M(L) position. And in time compete with Savitskiy for the spot.

Brownhill was signed by my Head of Youth, and I bitterly regret not turning it down. He will be loaned out.

And young Jovic (ST(C)) will join in January.

This gives the following squad for the first season:
Main player first, back-up player in brackets.
GKs: Howard (Robles)
RBs: Coleman (Stones, Besic)
CBs: Balanta, Jagielka (Stones, Distin)
LBs: Baines (Oviedo, Balanta)
RMs: McGeady (Traore, Coleman)
CMs: Barry, McCarthy (Kranevitter, Barkley, Asensio, Gibson)
LMs: Savitskiy (Mirallas, Asensio, Oviedo, Atsu)
ATs: Lukaku, Mirallas (Eto’o, Kone)

The most notacible lacks of the team: Jumping reach in defence. Passing in midfield and jumping reach up front (when not playing Lukaku). There's also a lack of natural leaders in the team.

I am primarily looking for replacements for Howard, Eto'o and Distin - but this can wait until next year. So no signings needed in January as it is now.
 
First impressions of the tactics

Friendlies
I have discarded any knowledge gained from the friendlies, since they have been about getting players fit and tactical familiarity up.

The results though, was promising:
View attachment 305914

The first EPL-matches
Normally I would do this on a month-to-month basis - atleast to begin with. But this time I will look at the first four matches. Simply because I have tried the three formations in theese.

The results:
View attachment 305913

Home vs. Stoke
Tactic used: 4-4-2 Attacking
Goals in: 3' McGeady, 23' Savitsiy, 41' Lukaku, 71' Jagielka And 61' Diuof
Injuries to Balanta and Mirallas in the pre-season meant, that they were on the bench. A straight forward victory. We dominated in every aspect of the game and fully deserved the 4-1. The tactic created a massive amount of crosses:
View attachment 305898

42 crosses, with 8 completed. Baines is top with 16 attempts but this is down to the fact, that he is designated free kick and corner taker. Coleman is involved, as he has 7 - whereas the RMs McGeady until '79 then Traore has 10 between them. This bodes well, that part of the tactic seems to work.

Away vs. Crystal Palace
Tactic Used: 4-4-2 Standard
Goals in: 79' Lukaku
A well deserved, yet lucky, 1-0 victory. Palace missed a pen in 76', and Lukaku scored in 79. But we lead the stats in every department:
View attachment 305895

48 crosses this time, which is a bit of a surprise, since it is a more defensive formation. Only 3 from Coleman and 15 from Baines, and more from Left Midfield (11) and Right Midfield (17) than in the match vs. Stoke. Interesting - I will have to follow up on this.

Home vs. Man City
Tactic used: Variuos
What a result! This match is - however - not very suited for a tactical analysis. And yet it gave a few answers. Alle goals was scored when playing in the 4-4-2-attacking. And all goals conceded was in the 4-4-1-1 Counter. This evidence is inconclusive, yet interesting, and I decided to stay in the 4-4-1-1 Counter in the next match, no matter what happens.

Away vs. Arsenal
Tactic used: 4-4-1-1 Counter
Goals in: 11' Giroud, 47' Wilshere, 54' Giroud and 15' Barry
We were hammered. Only managed 14 crosses (2 from corners). Maybe the counter formation shouldn't aim to create crosses in the same way as the other formations. I'm thinking "hit early crosses" and a front duo with pace could perhaps do more damage. I will have to look further into the 4-4-1-1 - but based on the last two matches, then it needs tweaking. But again, Arsenal and Man City are good teams, so it could ultimately come down to better ability on their part.

First impressions of 4-4-2
Getting the full backs and wingers involved seems like a key factor for the 4-4-2 formation. It does however leave the CMs to being players who's finest job is to let the play tic. The attacking formation seems quite potent, and the neutral one looks decent too. The counter one will need a few tweaks I think.
 
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The rest of september

With a fairly easy programme for the rest of the month, I decided to play all the matches in the 4-4-2 Attacking formation. The first match og the season vs. Stoke gave a good first impression. It was time to see if it would last.

The results:
View attachment 305883

The match vs. Rapid Wien shows that the formation can leave the defence a bit open. But overall the results were fine. The performances were all top notch, and we deserved all three points from the match vs. West Brom. After that match, I made a little change in the tactic. The two CMs was deployed as respectively CM(defend) and DLP(defend). I changed that to BWM(defend) and DLP(support). This in order to push the DLP further forward towards the attacking players. This formation is after all based on an attacking philosophy, so it would only seem natural, to have the play maker closer to the attackers.

Crosses was still being bombarded in, and many assist comes from wide players.

I'm not gonna dwell on any of these matches, but will try to evaluate the formations more thouroughly in a month or two.

October has Napoli(h) waiting for us in the EL, Chelsea(h) in the EPL and Liverpool(a) in the League Cup. Alle exciting matches where other formations than the 4-4-2 Attacking should come in play. I'm especially looking forward to the match vs. Liverpool.
 
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1. As you re noticing yourself the counter mentality doesnt work (too well) in FM15. You play without dm protection of your back four so things are made more difficult.
2. Also the way you set up your tactics doesnt exactly guarantee that the team will play as you envisage: wingers on attack will not necessarily have crossing foremost in their minds. If you can Id suggest to PI them to shoot less (and if not you need to use wingers on support and use PIs to turn the into a more aggressive wingers who crosse a lot)
3. Is Adam Vass in your data base? If he is then go for him (450k incl instalments and you re getting a more developed player than, say, Kranevitter!).
4. Hou Saeter only costs about 60k and will improve and turn out into a great player so its ridiculous not to get him asap.
5. Savitskyi needs tutoring to improve his mentality. Pick an older player with resolute mentality at least and get him tutored. You will need two seasons of tutoring to get his mentality fixed and this will help quick stat increase.
 
You ve set yourself an impossible task mate (you ll be bored with save/story long before you play 13+ seasons).

Still its interesting and Ill be following!
 
Thanks for the feed back. Unfortunately none of the players you mention is in my game. I have Eto'o tutoring Savitsyi now, thanks for that point!

I guess there's no way around trying a 4-1-4-1. Even if I'm currently working in another direction. I will get back to that in a few posts. Game-wise, the january transfer window is about to open, and I have been very frustrated by the possibilities to ***** tactics through heat maps, the 3D-animations and the statistics available.
 
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