How to counter 4-4-2

[Narf]

I'll repost here, cause nobody seems to reply to threads with 4 or more comments.

Yes, I know there's another "How to beat 4-4-2" thread posted today, I have my own reasons for posting a new one and PLEASE do not reply with the ready-to-go crap from the counter-formations table - the few times that I've used it, it was the exact opposite of help.

I think everybody should at least post the results they got after they have received advice here. Here's my feedback:

Either the game had another brain fart or 4-5-1 V Style deffinately doesn't work for me. Second time I've used this formation and for the second time I lost, although the first one was playing 3-1-4-2.

Lost 1:2 home for the CL against a team 9 skills lower than mine.

- Red arrows on AML, AMR, DL, DR;
- Attacking mentality (switched to Hard attacking after he scored in the 9' minute)
- Down both flanks
- Own half pressing
- Normal tackling
- Mixed passing
- Zonal marking
- No counter-attacks or offside trap
- 2 players with at Very good mentality, rest of them at Superb.
- Condition was 85% at minimum, even though I had a match earlier today. The opponent had a match less than an hour ago, so he was around 70% at best!

To add insult to injury, I beat him on every statistic except for Total shots (12:15) and Shots on target (4:8) - I am playing a God damn attacking game!

Btw, noticed something quite strange - his 2 best players are a 4-star Dribbler ML and a 5-star ST placed on the left side and they scored both goals with the ST assisting for the 2nd. Yet, after the match guess who has the lowest condition - my DL and DC that was put on the left side (my left, his right so they didn't have to play against his strongest players).

The away match is in 2 days, so any suggestions are welcome - just don't tell me to use the diamond or butterfly please, I'm seeing way too many mixed reactions for it, with the more recent ones saying they no longer work against 4-4-2 Classic. I'm thinking one of the following:

- 4-5-1 V Style - hoping this first match was a fluke
- 4-4-2 Classic - hoping to play it down to skill difference
- 4-2MC-3W-1 - switched to that last one in the last 10 mins and to my surprise I got more ball possession, so I guess that's something

[Maranwe]

Like you I have never had much luck using the 4-5-1V against 4-4-2.
I have switched to either narrow diamond (i know it's not what you want to hear) and had success with that or against weaker opponents just face them with the same formation and overpower. For the diamond, i used it when the opponent was weaker in the middle (for example weaker DC/MC than DL/DR/ML/MR.

4-4-2 vs. 4-4-2 against a weaker team I've had good success with down the flanks attacks, attacking (hard attacking if the need is there), whole pitch pressing , zonal marking, no counter/offside trap and normal tackling.

So honestly, not much different from what you already have in your head

Edit: the best result i ever had (4-1 against a slightly stronger 4-4-2) was with a slight variation on the 4-4-2. using an "S/Z" formation, simply because the players I had available demanded it. It worked well. AMR instead of MR and DML instead of DL. That was a mixed passing.

[Morgan O'Bree]

I never failed to win using narrow diamond, even tho lately is a little less effective. Basing myself on simply intuition, i reckon Wide diamond could be an even better choiche (DMC MR ML AMC).

[Narf]

Like you I have never had much luck using the 4-5-1V against 4-4-2.
I have switched to either narrow diamond (i know it's not what you want to hear) and had success with that or against weaker opponents just face them with the same formation and overpower. For the diamond, i used it when the opponent was weaker in the middle (for example weaker DC/MC than DL/DR/ML/MR.

4-4-2 vs. 4-4-2 against a weaker team I've had good success with down the flanks attacks, attacking (hard attacking if the need is there), whole pitch pressing , zonal marking, no counter/offside trap and normal tackling.

So honestly, not much different from what you already have in your head

Edit: the best result i ever had (4-1 against a slightly stronger 4-4-2) was with a slight variation on the 4-4-2. using an "S/Z" formation, simply because the players I had available demanded it. It worked well. AMR instead of MR and DML instead of DL. That was a mixed passing.

Actually, a Z-shaped formation would make perfect sense in my situation, only with inverted flanks in my case. If I got it right you're talking about something like this:

-----ST-ST-----------
AML------------------
------MC---MC-------
------------------DMR
DL---DC-----DC---DR

Especially given that I don't have a DML, my first-choice MR/AMR isn't of that great quality AND his best players attack on my right side. Obviously, I'll be focusing on the left flank and with a red arrow on the DL, I'm just not sure if having an attacking mentality with all my attack focused on one flank is a good idea. And I do need at least 2 goals.

Either way, this looks like a match winner, thanks mate!

I never failed to win using narrow diamond, even tho lately is a little less effective. Basing myself on simply intuition, i reckon Wide diamond could be an even better choiche (DMC MR ML AMC).

Yeah, I hear that a lot of people have used the narrow diamond effectively against 4-4-2, but you also confirmed that it isn't that effective anymore, and I need to turn it from 1:2 down at home ... I'm really not feeling like experimenting with it.
The wide diamond does look good though ... that's an attack through the middle, right?

[Sniperz]

I use 4-5-1 Flat.
Result i won 4-0


----------------ST-----------------------
------------------------------------------
ML(up)--MC-MC(Down)-MC-MR(up)
------------------------------------------
---------DL--DC--DC--DR---------------


Orders:
Mentality: Attacking (normal if quality same or worse)
Focus passing: Down both flanks
Pressing style: Own half
Passing style: Mixed
Tackling: Normal
Marking: Zonal

Force counterattack: NO
Offside trap: NO

[Narf]

Can't use 4-5-1 flat, unfortunately - I've got just 3 MCs and one of them is injured and at minimum condition. I refuse to spend any more boosters unless absolutely necessary, I had to recover all 3 of them already.

[mlie88]

I use 4-5-1 Flat.
Result i won 4-0


----------------ST-----------------------
------------------------------------------
ML(up)--MC-MC(Down)-MC-MR(up)
------------------------------------------
---------DL--DC--DC--DR---------------


Orders:
Mentality: Attacking (normal if quality same or worse)
Focus passing: Down both flanks
Pressing style: Own half
Passing style: Mixed
Tackling: Normal
Marking: Zonal

Force counterattack: NO
Offside trap: NO

i use dis formation, but lost 0-3.. his team weak than me.. but nvm.. i still looking for a best to counter 4-4-2.. anyone?

[Michael Unonk]

I will have a match the next an hour against classic 4-4-2 and I feel so confident to play using 4-5-1V
lets see the result, I'll post here

[Narf]

I will have a match the next an hour against classic 4-4-2 and I feel so confident to play using 4-5-1V
lets see the result, I'll post here

That would be nice mate, thanks. Though ... as I already said - I tried 4-5-1V the first match and failed miserably.

[Michael Unonk]

as I said, I'll post the result here, its my game result



my setting using 4-5-1v form is normal mentality, both flanks, press own half, normal tackling, with counter attack