The Target Man Thread - what works, what doesn't

[krujap777]

I've always had an interest in the "mystery" that is the Target Man option. Seemingly simple but hard to grasp effectively.. from reading these forums I see that there are people who completely ignore it and get their best results by doing so, and I see others who employ it and get consistently good results.

I've been playing the game for 3 years and I've been hit or miss with this tactical option. I've seen great things happen and then things fall flat, so I still experiment with it. It seems the effects are a lot more apparent in 2011 than it was in 2009 (I play both), so I do enjoy seeing that, but I, along with many other people, don't really have a firm grasp on effectively utilizing it.

If possible I'd like to hear people's success stories and input, with a little more analysis into what makes it work and not work, and hopefully different from the typical "For a fast striker use Run Onto Ball..." advice.

I was almost ready to say that the Target Man option is best utilized for very weak teams whose star player and tactics revolve around their striker. But of course I've seen people's examples on these forums that would go against this guess, so I'd like to hear more.

My main question comes down to this: How do you tactically build your team around your target man?

 

[luckiboi]

In my city and madrid save I create my own 4-2-3-1 and set my ST to 'target man run onto ball' .So a fast ST is a must for me. I've used Pato, Higuain ,Tevez,Dzeko and Ronaldo and it works well, they score most of my team's goal, but sometimes it don't work too because your team become too dependant on him, when he's off form (miss lots of one on ones) then you'll struggle to win. Also it make the tactic more predictable to the AI because you just keep playing through balls to your ST. However I think it works well in counter attack tactic. I suggest not using it if you want a more fluid and unpredictable play.

 

[krujap777]

In my city and madrid save I create my own 4-2-3-1 and set my ST to 'target man run onto ball' .So a fast ST is a must for me. I've used Pato, Higuain ,Tevez,Dzeko and Ronaldo and it works well, they score most of my team's goal, but sometimes it don't work too because your team become too dependant on him, when he's off form (miss lots of one on ones) then you'll struggle to win. Also it make the tactic more predictable to the AI because you just keep playing through balls to your ST. However I think it works well in counter attack tactic. I suggest not using it if you want a more fluid and unpredictable play.

Right, and I guess that's where the issue is. I think playing too Creatively also hampers the tactic because players have more freedom in their decisions and can thus ignore your instructions.

How do you setup your 3 AMC's then? Inside? Outside? Do they dribble at all or stay in the pocket, searching out the TM?

 

[luckiboi]

Well I use AMC and 2 wingers set as inside forwards cutting in with roaming.I always give a low creative freedom to my poacher so he don't be cocky and miss lots of chances.

 

[r.stewee]

i play simple 4-4-2 and all my play goes out to the wing who try to find the big target man, my team is very stong in the air and my target man is slow as he is 36 but his power in the air makes him a great target man, my tatctics make almost every1 not take long shots and pass it out wide, the left winger hugs the touch line and has mixed crosses, the other cuts inside and plays short passes.
i have 3 very good strikers who can fill the roll as a target man so if 1 goes in bad form i have another tall and powerful striker in his place

 

[SS19]

You should also consider what does the target man setting do to the player who is the target man. In my experience, player assinged as playmaker always goes towards the ball, so if you have a MC set as primary playmaker, he goes more towards the wings to get the ball etc. There might be same kind of thing with target man and distribution pass to feet, but not sure about it. You should really see how different instructions affect the target man.

 

[mudiiiiii]

Can i do it like this?

Target man: David Villa
Target man supply: Run onto ball

Im playing him as aml but i want him to primarly run onto through balls from the mid trio of iniesta, xavi and messi.