JULY FOURTH or ANYONE???

[Kilgharrah]

Hi friend, i used to have the same problem with a player. I started using this (i am a fan of keep your defence to a zero and you get a point at least). The thing is i just won 7-0 today. I play normal, passing mixed (no flanks or center, mixed), press on own haf, exept if i have a strong opponent so then i press on all (i guess u will do the same when you meet your archrival), tackling normal, and the most important thing, because i play counterattack (nomatter what the opposition) i use long ball. I have played dozens of Football Managers and the worst thing you could do to me was to make me play long ball. I prefer short passing (Barcelona style) etc. But with long ball, your Striker and AMC are a constant danger. Now for a few tips. DMR and DML have red arrows cause they cover the whole side and the NEED to help in the attack. I also have red arrow at my AMC (who has a talent as a hidden attacker? I am from Greece and i don't know the translatipon exactly but it's a talent that ONLY AMC's get). I also put a red arrow on one of my MC's and the other one nothing exept if the match is dangerous sto o put blue arrow to make him help my DMC. Also all 3 of my DC's have blue arrows. I don't care about offside trap, i care for them to be back and protect me. If you would like give it a try. Remember u have to have very good DMR-DML and AMC (having good defenders and a DMC doesn't hurt either Hope i helped...
------ST------
-----AMC-----
---MC---MC---
DML---DMC---DMR
---DC--DC--DC---

[KNN]

Unusual formation but i believe the butterfly could counter it, but NO offside trap

I have tried the butterfly formation last season and if I am can recall, I am under constant siege so I switched back to my usual 4-5-1V formation to even the odds.

[KNN]

Since your opponent uses an "irregular" formation, I think you should try an irregular one to counter his weakness. My suggestion is modified 4-3-2-1 X-mas Tree, the 3N-1-3W-2AMC-1 formation which looks like this:

--------ST-------
---AMC---AMC---
ML-----MC-----MR
-------DMC-------
---DC--DC--DC---

Firstly, let's see your opponent's formation:

He has a straight line of DMC -MC - AMC - ST, this line seems to be his strength, but it is also his weakness. If your opponent uses short low passes to play the ball from his DMC to ST to reach your penalty box, you can break this simple straightforward line of passes by putting some players in the middle of this line. Therefore, your MC and DMC should handle it easily. If he plays long high balls from DMC/MC to ST, his AMC is redundant, and so your DMC + 3DC should be enough to stop his only one ST.

Moving to his defenders: he always has 5 players in his side of the field, a DMC to protect the center in front of 2DC, plus DR and DL to defense in the flanks. What a defensive formation. You may find yourself difficult to attack his flanks because you have to skip his MR/ML and then DR/DL before passing to your ST. The easier way is going through the middle. Yes, I know he has a DMC. But if you play 2AMC, then your MC - 2AMC - ST should create a small circle of passing to play the ball around his DMC, and therefore should overcome his DMC. Furthermore, you will have total 6 players on his side, 1ST+2AMC+1MC+1MR+1ML, all are very close together and should have more accurate passes if you play short passing.

The last discussion is about his MR/ML: In my opinion, this is his threat to you. the closest player to those wingers are his AMC/MC. If he plays short passing, those winger will pass the ball to the AMC, and you already know how to break his central line of short passing, putting your MC and DMC in the line. If he plays long passing from MR/ML, your DMC + 3DC should be enough to cover your penalty box. However, if he attacks on your flanks and put red arrows on his MR/ML, he will have two "shadow" AMR/AML, which are close to both of his AMC and ST, and your 3DC will be in trouble. That's the reason why you got difficult when using 3-5-2 flat and found that his flanks were better. You can counter his red-arrowed MR/ML by your blue-arrowed MR/ML.

The above formation should be used with short/mixed passing and focus on the middle, pressing whole pitch and counter-attack.

Thanks.
Looking at the statistics, he has no particular outstanding player in the top of the top scorer and assist, only shows that everyone in the team share the responsibility.

Looks like I can give it a try next season if I am pair up with this opponent again since I have no chance of playing against him this season.

[KNN]

You could try 3N-1-4-2. With mixed passing and mixed focus.

Thanks, was looking towards your advice. I have been a fan of your thread and appreciate your effort in coming up with the table. It has been a great help.

[KNN]

btw this is my team quality and formation

This is his formation

Our league standing

[Chris Rath]

Someone in my cup plays with this formation very sucessfully. It seems to be a 4-4-2 killer.

That 4-1-3W-1-1 player got 1 loss so far, against a 4-2DMC-MC-AMC-2ST (2-3, although he was superior by 2 points: 43.1 vs. 41.0). Finally he went through by changing his formation to 4-1-4-1 in the 2nd leg, the only time he changed his formation so far.

So 4-2DMC-MC-AMC-2ST beat that once, but I don't see it as an ideal counter. July's tip makes more sense to me, but I would go with 3W-1-4-2 instead of the narrow defense to get more wing support.

[Rev Dino]

Maybe weird, but I would try good old 4-4-2 motivated