Maple Leaf 3W-2-3W-2

[jorgfc]

I've got an upcoming league match against a person who I have only beaten once out of the 10-15 games I've played against him. He plays the Maple Leaf formation with 2 strikers every game and seems to win almost every time. There is a 0.n rating difference between us yet he seems to win most of our games. I've tried 5-4-1, 4-5-1, 4-1-4-1, V-style, Butterfly, Narrow Diamond, 3-5-2 Flat and many others with various tactics but have had little success.

His formation:

.	.	gk	.	.
dr	.	dc	.	dl
.	dmc	.	dmc	.
mr	.	mc	.	ml
.	.	.	.	.
.	st	.	st	.

I suspect he plays defensively as if I play defensively, there are minimal attempts at goal from both sides.
When he needs a goal or wants to finish a team off he slides his MC into AMC.
I've beaten him once (1-0) by playing 5-4-1 attacking and then switching to defensive after the goal.
Next time I tried the same strategy it ended 0-0.
I've played 4-1-2-1-2 narrow diamond a few times and had more attempts at goal than him but the game still ended 0-0 or with me losing.

It's driving me mad! :P

Has anyone had any success against this formation?
What formations and tactics have you used (including arrows)?

[Morgan O'Bree]

narrow diamond modded seems to work being 5-2mc-amc-st. Last year a Q 38 team almost made it against a Q 46. Although the normal narrow diamond didn't perform as well.

On the other side, 3n-5-2 flat might be reliable too, expecially if he plays defensive. Just don't go offensive or you'll get countered.