Orders for 4-3-3?

[Tyrone Woods]

Hi, new here.

I've had a browse around what orders to give to 4-3-3 to make it most effective.

I'm only on my second season, 15 games into it with 1 draw 1 loss both against the lad with similar rating, rated at 23.5 compared to my 25. Of course his main formation is 4-4-2 classic which he used last night and whipped me 3-0. From watching the game, it just didn't seem like my team was clicking as it should of been.

I do know 4-4-2 can exploit the flanks, but even so it just didn't seem that my team wanted to counter.

At the moment my orders are set to:

Normal
Through the middle
Whole pitch
Normal
Mixed
Man-on-Man
Force counter attacks - ON
Offside trap - OFF

I know you can't expect to win every game. But it does make me wonder what it's going to be like going into next season with more teams being similarly rated. Of course i can counter these formations with others, but for now i haven't got the tokens or $ to invest at the moment.

I do like attacking formations, so any other recommended attacking formations with more balance and with orders, greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Tyrone Woods]

bumpp

[gohannie]

4-3N-3 (4 defs, 3 MCs, 3 Sts) should be playing through the middle with long pass, no offside, no counter, red arrows on all 3 Sts
4-3W-3 (4 defs, Ml, Mc, Mr, 3 Sts) should be playing down the flanks with red arrows on ML, Mr and on 2 wide Sts, a blue arrow on middle Mc is optional, long pass, others remain default, no offside, No counter
4-3-3 (4-3-2-1 with 4 Def, 3 Mcs, Amr/l and a lone St should be playing down both flanks with red arrows on St, Dr, Dl and a blue arrow on middle Mc and /or red arrows on amr/ l) are optional if you want to score fast. Mixed pass, Down the flanks, normal attitude with force counter and long pass or attacking with no counter, no offside, others setting remain default

[Tyrone Woods]

4-3N-3 (4 defs, 3 MCs, 3 Sts) should be playing through the middle with long pass, no offside, no counter, red arrows on all 3 Sts
4-3W-3 (4 defs, Ml, Mc, Mr, 3 Sts) should be playing down the flanks with red arrows on ML, Mr and on 2 wide Sts, a blue arrow on middle Mc is optional, long pass, others remain default, no offside, No counter
4-3-3 (4-3-2-1 with 4 Def, 3 Mcs, Amr/l and a lone St should be playing down both flanks with red arrows on St, Dr, Dl and a blue arrow on middle Mc and /or red arrows on amr/ l) are optional if you want to score fast. Mixed pass, Down the flanks, normal attitude with force counter and long pass or attacking with no counter, no offside, others setting remain default

Thanks for your time. Will give it a shot. I didn't actually realise that i was welcoming them to attacking with "force counter attack", makes sense now!.

[Master Tactician]

There's no point putting red on your STs I think. They won't attack better and you want them to zone-mark as well. Also, don't go through the middle. You can focus either mixed or down both flanks. Red arrows on fullbacks to add some depth. Keep your passing mixed unless necessary. Normal mentality or attacking. If you go normal, with 3STs you can counterattack. Probably full pitch pressing style.

[gohannie]

There's no point putting red on your STs I think. They won't attack better and you want them to zone-mark as well. Also, don't go through the middle. You can focus either mixed or down both flanks. Red arrows on fullbacks to add some depth. Keep your passing mixed unless necessary. Normal mentality or attacking. If you go normal, with 3STs you can counterattack. Probably full pitch pressing style.

Yes they do attack better with red arrows! but I dont deny your idea of play, it depends really but with 4-3N-3, this is the first time i heard that guy play down both flank and whole pitch with 3 Mcs.... maybe you should spend sometimes to read all the guides in this forum. I dont pretend to be rude, just simply tell you what I think!

[Tyrone Woods]

There's no point putting red on your STs I think. They won't attack better and you want them to zone-mark as well. Also, don't go through the middle. You can focus either mixed or down both flanks. Red arrows on fullbacks to add some depth. Keep your passing mixed unless necessary. Normal mentality or attacking. If you go normal, with 3STs you can counterattack. Probably full pitch pressing style.

I know im a bit new, but its the first time i've heard to attack down the flanks with 4-3-3, with RB/LB on red arrows. However, i do have a lot of abandoned teams in my league at the moment and won't hesitate to give it a try. Personally i do prefer passing down the middle, but i guess its just the case of experimenting every so often when convenient. Thanks for your reply also

I gave Gohannies tactics he suggested a try on my other account (16 rating) against my friend who was also using 4-4-2 and happened to take a comfortable 3-0 win. Previous games, its been a lot more tighter.

[Master Tactician]

Yes they do attack better with red arrows! but I dont deny your idea of play, it depends really but with 4-3N-3, this is the first time i heard that guy play down both flank and whole pitch with 3 Mcs.... maybe you should spend sometimes to read all the guides in this forum. I dont pretend to be rude, just simply tell you what I think!

It's a big debate in the forum if STs attack better with red arrows. Some people suggest that they don't and I agree with them. I feel it's the same thing. The only difference is that they tire themselves more.

You attack down both flanks with your red arrowed fullbacks who target their crosses to your STs (L/R). It could be more obvious with AML/AMR but it still works with 2 STs instead of wingers. The crucial fact that allow you attack the flanks are your fullbacks; not your midfielders. in a flat 4-3-3 you have no AMC and your central MC is probably a more defensive player, like a ball winner. I get your point since it's a more narrow formation but you can still attack effectively down both flanks. In some cases actually you might have to.

As for what you said about whole pitch. Barca is currently playing with a short of 4-2-4. And of course they press whole pitch with a very very high defensive line. The same can be applied to 4-3-3. You have 3 STs lying at their defense, 3 MCs at midfield and 2 fullbacks with red arrows. If you press all over the pitch in a proper way you won't allow opponent to exchange easy passes at defense or midfield and they'll have to play long balls and to risk ball possession. Also, Defenders in Top11 tend to have bad passing (in favour of Defensive/Physical skills) therefore, they are more vulnerable to pressure. More chances to earn possession. If you play own half, you stick more to your position and leave less space in front of your own half but you automatically defend with 7 instead of 10. That way you can be exploited more easily at the flanks (since you have only 2 fullbacks to protect them).

There are some cases where this is a really bad idea eg when defending against a packed defense/ midfield who play with counters but as a general direction I can't see why you can't press whole pitch with 4-3-3. It's a fast, attacking formation and when you loose the ball you have to make sure that you'll earn it as fast as possible.
Top11 is far from reality therefore many things can work. It's also a matter of taste. I wouldn't choose 4-3-3 to stay own half but to play possession based, attacking football.

[gohannie]

After the discussion, i switched to 4-3-3 N to give it a try, and found out the best answer is the mixed btwn urs and mine, Red arrows on Dr/L (with whole pitch pressure, they really block team playing through flanks, and 1 single red arrows for middle St who have best Attacking point as he most likely to receive ball from breaking opponent counter attack, and he broke the offside trap sometimes) and leave the other 2 without arrows as they move around freely with zone mark, mixed passing, mixed focus (as sometimes through middle didnt work), press at whole pitch, others remain default

[Dimitri Phome Vegas]

Do u play offside trap