Originally Posted by
pcmacdaniel
Sorry for not elaborating on my post earlier.
The 3n-3w-1-2w-1 formation has alot of weak points.
For starters their are only 3 players playing in the offensive half of the pitch so the tactic doesn't have much offensive punch. 3w defenders is all thats needed to stop that, but I'd recommend using a 4th defender since their really isn't a better place to place the 11th player.
The formation isn't a threat offensively in the middle of the pitch with only one MC, something that one MC (blue arrow) should be able to negate. If your opponent is using mixed or through the middle passing with this formation, he's nuts. One defender is all thats needed, solely to prevent the formation from being illegal.
Another vulnerability is the 3 defenders. A general rule is you want the defenders to be 1+ the number of strikers the opponent is using for the ability to play help defense, when someone gets beat. With only 3 defenders, your opponent shouldn't be able to defend 3 strikers.
Basically, you only need 1 MC, so a 4-3w-3 should be able to beat him. Attacking, down the flanks, pressing whole pitch, short passing, zonal, no counter, no offsides. Red arrows on DL, DR, ML and MR.
Another weakness is the DML/DMR, which should provide less help than say a dl/dr against a 3 striker setup. If you play through the middle, you'll basically render the DML/DMR useless and he doesn't have enough bodies in the midfield to stop an attack coming through the middle. You'll have the option to elect to exploit either his 3 defenders or 2 midfield defenders. This can be done with many different formations. For example, i'm going to describe the 4-1-2-1-2 ND. Make sure both your MC's have red arrows. If this is done you'll have 3 players being defended by 2 defenders if the AMC doesn't have a red arrow. If the AMC has a red arrow, he acts a false 3rd striker, basically making it 3 on 3 defensively for him.
Orders: attacking, through the middle, whole pitch pressing, short passing, zonal, no counter, no offsides. Red arrows on DL, DR, DMC and both MC's. (red arrow on AMC is optional)