trying something new, 4-6-0

[techguyatny]

I thought I'd like to share this. It's a new formation/tactic I've been testing out and it's been working fantastically well in FM10. It's an attacking but "striker-less" formation, based on Roma's 2007 formation.

source: http://www.zonalmarking.net/2010/03/05/teams-of-the-decade-5-roma-2007/

First of all, here's the line-up I'm using now:

Curci (GK non-sweeper)
Motta (RB fullback-auto)
Mexes (CB ballplaying stopper)
Andreolli (CB limited defend)
Riise (LB wingback-auto)

Pizarro (CM deeplying playmaker support)
De Rossi (CM box-box midfielder support)
Candreva (CM advanced midfielder support)

Cerci (Right AM inside forward attack)
Van Der Vaart (Central AM attacking midfielder)
Vucinic (Left AM inside forward attack)

So basically it's a 4-3-3-0 formation, with control as the tactic, quick tempo, wide width, and focus passing down the middle.

With no striker, there's a huge gap between the opposition centerback and my most central forward (van der vaart). By overflowing the attacking midfield area, it forces or at least "encourages" the opposition CB's to push up to disrupt my play because the opposition DM's can't handle it. Meanwhile, my two inside forwards are constantly putting pressure on the opposition fullbacks. Therefore, this results in two things: (1) The opposition is forced to play a high line, (2) The opposition is drawn forward to play a flat line.

This makes it very easy for two fast and wrong-footed(***important***) wingers to make diagonal runs, resulting in many CCC's and 1v1's against the keeper (sometimes 2v1's!!!). With De Rossi as a box-box midfielder willing to make forward runs, he also gets a lot of goals. I have Pizarro staying back as a deep lying playmaker. And as for Candreva, I should've never bought him. I should've bought a enforcing DM instead (like Mascherano, etc).

My top scorers are my inside forwards and my box-box CM (De Rossi). And my most central forward (van der vaart) has very little goals but is leading Serie A with assists.

I'm still trying to perfect the formation defensively, but I've been scoring way too many goals to make up for my conceded goals. But the biggest problem is the quality of my defensive players, rather than the formation/tactic I'm using. I need a real DM as mentioned earlier. De Rossi is more of a box-box than a DM and I need him as box-box to make runs forward. Andreolli and Motta are young/inexperienced as defenders, and Riise isn't really that good of a defender either. I had to sell Burdisso and Juan to afford Van der Vaart.

But with an average of 60-80% possession and scorelines of 4-2 almost every game, this formation is really fun to use! Hopefully when I purchase Mascherano and a defensive full backs, I'll be able to keep the score to 3-0 per game!

I'm just hoping I don't run into a team that refuses to press (like Inter vs Barca). Then I'd be screwed.

So far, these are the key ingredients to a successful 4-6-0 formation. Fast incisive wrong-footed wingers. A very good passer for your advanced midfielder. A strong box to box midfielder. A deep lying playmaker. An enforcer***!!! Again, I'm still trying to figure out the defensive end.

 

[Mike.]

looks pretty good, you hsould post some screenshots. but im just wondering where the trequartista is, ie where van der varrt is playing, you got him as CAM attack, which is the same mentality as a FC treq, but with worse positioning.

 

[dennis23294]

nice, i tried a 4-6-0 once as spurs, built around my AMC regen who played as a trequartista. But instead i used the 4-6-0 formation they have in the tactics creator, basically a 4-2-4-0, 2 DMC's and 4 AM's

 

[techguyatny]

looks pretty good, you hsould post some screenshots. but im just wondering where the trequartista is, ie where van der varrt is playing, you got him as CAM attack, which is the same mentality as a FC treq, but with worse positioning.

yeah i have van der vaart on the CAM line. VDV's default position is there so he has better positioning as a CAM than as a front forward.

besides, if i put VDV all the way up, he never gets the ball. he's my best passer on my team and i need him involved in the midfield. also the whole point of the 4-6-0 is to use the CAM as a false 9 (a.k.a stationary "dummy") to draw the CB's towards him

similar how rooney did against arsenal this season

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4101417/arsenal_vs_manchester_united_1_3_goals_highlights_rooney/

in rooney's situation, where he was the "1" in a 4-5-1, nani and park were deeper than him. if it were a 4-6-0, nani and park would be on the same line as rooney, resulting in an easy 2 v. 1 situation after rooney lays off the ball

---------- Post added at 12:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:52 AM ----------

nice, i tried a 4-6-0 once as spurs, built around my AMC regen who played as a trequartista. But instead i used the 4-6-0 formation they have in the tactics creator, basically a 4-2-4-0, 2 DMC's and 4 AM's

interesting... i'd try your formation but i don't have the players for it. my inside forwards are my top scorers and i don't want them too wide, which is the case of a 4-2-4-0. i want my inside forwards to position themselves between a full back and a centre back, which can only be done with a 3-man line...

with no CM, looks like you'd have to play a lot on the counter and my team can't do that because aside from my two wingers, they're fairly slow. roma requires buildup play rather than countering. i'll try the 4-2-4-0 out though in a new game. just need to figure out which team to use it with since i don't know spurs that well.

 

[Quietus]

looks pretty good, you should post some screenshots..

^^ this

 

[dennis23294]

I always have oscar cardozo around as plan B as well

 

[techguyatny]

this is the screenshot of the 4-6-0 a.k.a. 4-3-3-0 i mentioned in the first post

my trequartista (#10) is leading the league in assists but is not as goal-prolific as the rest of my team despite his position on the field. the most consistent and top goal scorers in my team are my two inverted wingers (#9, #24), and my two box to box midfielders (#16, #33). even though it's a striker-less formation, it's a very attacking system, but very prone to counterattacks. most of my games end in victories with a lot of goals on both ends (4-2, 5-3, etc)

requirements:
this formation plays with two inside-forwards, a trequartista in the attacking midfield area, two box to box midfielders, and one deep lying playmaker.

the two inside forwards need to be wrong footed and fast. stamina would be a plus because they run the most. if not, then have extra wingers/forwards and sub them in during the 60th minute. the two box to box midfielders require strength and stamina. the trequartista and deep lying playmaker need to have high passing, creativity, and teamwork stats. stamina is not required because they're both static player

i'm still trying to figure who the play on the the defensive end. maybe instead of 2 box to box midfielders, replace one with an enforcer. or have a strong defensive deep lying playmaker (like senna!!!)

player instructions:
- the trequartista is set to have high creativity, no runs from deep, and no roaming. this makes him static and stick to his position
- two wingers set to have a lot of runs from deep and no roaming. occasionally i have switch position enabled between the 2 in order to lose their markers.
- my two box to box midfielders are set to have a lot of runs from deep as well, as well as roaming and position switching
- my deep lying midfielder is similar to the #10. high creativity, no runs from deep, no roaming.
- team instructions are set to fluid, more roaming, more creative, quick tempo, control as the starting tactic, wide width, and focus passing down the middle. playmaker and target man is set to the trequartista (ball to feet)

how it works
read 1st post for more details. in summary: two wingers push the full backs deep and trequartista acts as a dummy player drawing the center backs high. this results in a flat back line for your opposition, resulting in easy diagonal runs by your wingers to get behind your defense. the outcome is an easy 1v1 situation against the keeper and in some cases 2v1. meanwhile, two box-box midfielders also surge for goal as the opposition is too occupied with dealing with two wingers and the trequartista

weaknesses:
- counter attacks! by having your two box to box midfielders and two wingers way up the field, you're bound to be prone to counter attacks. that's why my scorelines are always 4-2 or 5-3 instead of 4-0 and 5-0
- not effective against teams who refuse to press! (e.g. inter)
- not effective against teams playing with a flat backline and defensive full backs! (e.g. juventus)
- not "as" effective against teams who play with sweepers (3-4-3 formations or 5-4-1)